Tampa Prep Sr. Wins 2 Golds

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http://www.tampabay.com/hometeam/blog/state-swimming-tampa-preps-rasmus-skjaerpe-closes-/18855/

Sat. November 9, 2013 | Kelly Parsons

State swimming: Tampa Prep’s Rasmus Skjaerpe closes out career with gold
STUART — Rasmus Skjaerpe flicked off his fur-lined slippers and shed his long, black warmup coat. When he took the starting block for the 400-yard freestyle relay, the Tampa Prep senior scanned the crowd for his mother, Unni — as he does before every race — and gave her a thumbs up.
The pre-event routine was the same for Skjaerpe, who competed in his fifth Class A state championship swim meet Friday at Sailfish Splashpark Aquatic Athletics Center.
But this time, it wasn’t just another start for the Terrapins. It was his last.
In the final meet of his high school career, Skjaerpe was one of just four swimmers to become a state titlist in multiple individual events. Skjaerpe won gold medals in the 200 individual medley (1:48.64) and the 100 backstroke (48.59). Both relays (200 medley, 400 free) on which he competed finished fifth.
“After my 100 back, it kind of hit me that I only had one more event left in high school,” he said. “After my 100 free, I kind of just threw my goggles, and I was done.”
Skjaerpe’s big night fueled Tampa Prep to a fifth-place overall finish on the boys side, which coach Jason Bowes said he thinks is the highest ever for the Terrapins.
Clearwater Central Catholic’s Matthew Hirschberger (500 free), and Shorecrest’s John Farese (100 backstroke, 100 free) and Joshua Chen (100 breast) also took spots on the podium to lead the Chargers and Marauders to sixth- and ninth-place finishes, respectively. CCC’s boys’ 200 free relay took third place, while the Shorecrest boys’ 200 medley relay took second.
For the girls, the Terrapins had the best finish of Tampa Bay area teams, coming in 12th due in large part to a pair of top-eight  performances from Savannah Savitt (100 breast, 100 IM).
There was a lot going on at a meet that brought 161 swimmers from all over the state to one pool. But when Skjaerpe was in the water, his finishes drew attention.
Skjaerpe, or “Moose,” as his teammates call him, won the 200 IM by more than three seconds. In the 100 back, he finished more than a second faster than second-place Farese.
A titlist in the 200 free last year, Skjaerpe made it his goal to leave his final state championship meet with not just one gold medal, but two. The moment he met Bowes, his coach of six years, after his victory in the backstroke, they shared the same thought.
“He came up after his race to me,” Bowes said, “and we said at the same time, ‘two for two.’ ”
The awards presentation for the 400 free relay, Skjaerpe’s final event, was going on behind him at the podium, but he paid it no mind. Instead, the Arizona commit posed for pictures with Bowes, his double hardware hanging from his neck and the flag of Norway, where Skjaerpe began swimming as an 8-year-old, draped around him.
Unni Skjaerpe admitted that seeing her son’s final thumbs up as a Terrapin made her emotional. Still, she’s sure it’s not the last signal she’s seen from him.
“Even if he makes the Olympics sometime, he will do that, even there,” she said, laughing.
Like so many he swam against Friday, Skjaerpe still has years of competitive swimming ahead of him at the next level. Skjaerpe’s future may be bright, but as Unni Skjaerpe watched him soak in the last of his high school glory, she could only think about his present.
“Today was like the victory of all,” she said.
4A-2: PHU sweeps region team titles
The Palm Harbor University boys continued their domination at region meets, winning their 10th straight team title by outscoring Sarasota Riverview 343-248 at Friday’s Class 4A, Region 2 meet in Winter Haven.
The Hurricanes have won every boys region title since the Florida High School Athletic Association went to that format in 2004.
But it was PHU’s girls team that opened some eyes by beating three-time defending state champion Sarasota Riverview 316-296 for the Hurricanes’  third straight region title. It was sweet redemption for the Hurricanes, who had their seven-year reign as a district champion end with a loss to the Rams at the district meet.
Tristan Sanders led PHU’s boys, finishing first in the 100 back (49.62) and swimming opening legs on the winning 200 medley (1:36.11) and 400 free (3:09.52).
The county had two boys who were champions in multiple events — Seminole’s Stefan Spiric in the 50 free (21.13) and 100 free (46.25), and East Lake’s Grant Sanders in the 200 individual medley (1:53.98) and 500 free (4:33.25). Countryside took first in the 200 free relay (1:27.61) and was second in the 400 free relay (3:12.20)
On the girls side, the Hurricanes’ Kendall McIntosh won the 50 free (24.22) and Morgan Perrotti took first in the 100 fly (57.74). East Lake’s Alexandra Aitchison won the 200 free (1:48.71) and 500 free (4:50.57) and was the anchor on the winning 400 free relay (3:33.70).