Cormier takes two top fives at Speedo Spring Sectionals
BY JASON THOMPSON Gulf Breeze News jason@gulfbreezenews.com

Kyle Cormier (GBHS c/o '04), competing in his first swim meet in seven months, earned a pair of top five finishes at the the 2008 Speedo Champions Series Spring Sectional Championships held March 6-9 in Nashville, Tennessee.

A junior at the University of South Carolina, Cormier, who's coming off surgery on both knees, finished second in the 50 meter freestyle and fifth in the 200 meter freestyle.

He also placed second in the 100 meter freestyle and fifth in the 200 meter individual medley events after the preliminary heats, but did not compete in the finals because he had to return to school. Cormier and former Dolphin and USA teammate

Andy Atzhorn (c/o '06) will be competing April 4-6 in the Toyota Grand Prix at Ohio State University. Both will be attempting to make additional Olympic Trial times.

Cormier's already qualified in the Trials in the 100 meter freestyle and is looking to qualify in both the 50 and 200 meter freestyle. Atzhorn is already qualified for the Trials in the in the 200 meter individual medley and is looking to qualify in both the 400 meter individual medley and the 200 meter backstroke.

Cormier

Cormier and the Club Makos swim team finished 21st out of 50 teams participating. He received a medical redshirt this season, and like Atzhorn, has two years of eligibility left.

Atzhorn's younger sister Aileen, a GBHS senior who's drawing the interest of a couple of Southeastern Conference schools, finished sixth in the 100 meter breaststroke, 11th in the 200 meter breaststroke, 16th in the 200 meter butterfly, 12th in the 200 meter individual medley and 13th in the 400 meter individual medley.

Her time of 1:13.95 in the 100 Meter Breaststroke was good enough to qualify for both the Spring and Summer Junior National Championships, while her time of 2:27.19 in the 200 Meter Individual Medley met the qualifying standard for the Spring Junior National Championships. She will be competing again next week in the NCSA Junior National Championships in Orlando.

GBHS junior Michala Nowak also represented the Club Makos at the Sectional Meet, but did not score.

Lizzy Mabry (c/o '06) won first place for Florida State in the pole vault at the 58th Annual FAMU Relays on March 8.

Mabry

Mabry finished with a leap of 11 feet-5.25 inches. FSU opens their outdoor season Friday by hosting the Showbird Invitational.

Phillip Bell (c/o '04) had a base hit for the University of Alabama-Birmingham in every game of a four-game trip trip in Hawaii last week.

Bell hit a two-run home in a 3-2 loss to UH-Hilo in game one of a doubleheader on March 8 before going 1-for-6 in the nightcap, an 8-5 win.

Bell went 1-for-4 with two RBIs in an 11-3 win over UHHilo on March 9.

Bell had multi hit games in a doubleheader against the University of Hawaii March 11. Bell went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base in UAB's 4-3 game one loss before going 3-for- 4 with another stolen base and the lone run scored in the 3-1 nightcap.

Entering play this week, Bell is second on the Blazers' squad in batting (.367 average), base hits (22), doubles (five) and RBIs (12). His two home runs and five stolen bases are team-highs.

Brock Sakey (c/o '05) went 4-0 in a pair of matches for the University of Central Florida's tennis team in California last week.

Sakey won both of his singles matches - against Montana State and Cal Poly - in three sets, while teaming up with Johan Beigart to win their doubles matches by 8-3 and 8-6 scores.