Unbeaten Harmony boys are favorites

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

The Harmony Longhorns have dominated the Orange Belt Conference swimming meet for the past five years, and there’s a good chance that they will keep their championship trophies Wednesday when the county’s teams gather at the Makinson Aquatic Center at 9 a.m.

The Lady Longhorns, conference champs since 2005, and the Harmony boys, winners since 2006, are favored again. The boys completed an undefeated (12-0) regular season by defeating Gateway Tuesday. The Lady Longhorns are 9-3 after the win over Gateway.

Osceola’s girls, who last claimed the conference title in 2002 when Coach Krystle Singleton was a member of the team, have the best chance to dethrone the Lady Longhorns.

Harmony edged OHS, 101-85, in a dual meet two weeks ago, but Harmony Coach Lori O’Rourke and Singleton agree that things could change at the conference meet.

“The OBC will be a challenge due to all the other teams being included,” O’Rourke said after beating OHS.

Singleton expects her squad to continue to improve as the season reaches its climax.

“I’m looking forward to the championship season, for sure,” Singleton said.

No team within the county has challenged Harmony’s boys, who won back-to-back district championships in 2007-08, and were runners-up to Titusville last year.

Following the OBC meet, the teams will prepare for the district meets which are Oct. 27 and Oct. 28 for local teams.

The Lady Longhorns are led by Lindsey Saute, Katie Davis, Kendall Knight, Briana Felitti, Olivia Missigman, Allison Felitti and Alex Latta.

Tyler Cunningham, John Roberts, Brandon Graber, Luke Roberts, Larry McVicker, Mitchell Mungall, Sam Steele and Jesse Tetreault have had an excellent regular season for the boys.

Harmony boys coach Terry Brown said that winning the conference title is important, but preparing for the upcoming districts takes priority.

“One of our goals is to win a district championship and move as many swimmers as possible to the regional and state meet,” he said.

Other teams competing Wednesday are Gateway, the 2003-04 girls champion, St. Cloud, Poinciana and Celebration.

Liberty High does not have a swimming program.

St. Cloud coach Lou Abbott is looking forward to seeing how far her young team has progressed.

“OBCs are a great time to see all the hard work and see where we can grow,” she said. “It’s a place to see how they deal with the pressure of a big meet.”