Gators place 19 swimmers at Ozark Championships

~ The local team won four events.

The Gators Swim Team sent 27 members to the recent Ozark Division I Short Course Championships at the St. Peters Rec-Plex, and 19 swimmers placed in the meet.

Four Gators swimmers won championships: Morgan Fraser in the 100 individual medley for girls ages 13 and 14; Jordan Gramling in the 50 freestyle for 11 and 12 boys; Susan Beth Scott in the 1,000 free for 13 and 14 girls; and Caleb Statler in the 1,000 free for 15-and-over boys.

Other top-three finishes were posted by Caleb Coots, third in 200 fly for 13 and 14 boys; Fraser, third in 100 free; Gramling, second in 50 backstroke; Allison Hobbs, second in 1,000 free for 13 and 14 girls; Ramsey Scott, third in both the 200 free and 500 free for 11 and 12 boys; Statler, third in 200 fly; Nick Welker, second in 1,000 free for 15-and-over boys; and Gabriela Vieira, third in 10 back, 200 and 100 free for ages 9 and 10.

Vieira finished third in the high-point standings for 9-10 girls.

The Gators finished sixth as a team behind five St. Louis-area clubs. The team also had four new sectional cuts.

The Gators sent eight swimmers to the sectional meet the following weekend, when more than 600 swimmers from seven states competed at the Rec-Plex. Hannah Kinder won the 500 free championship in the meet and also placed third in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free.

Kinder this season broke the team records set by former Gators swimmer and Olympic qualifier Erin Vogt in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle events and the 100 back.

Also competing were Sam Gramling, Fraser, Coots, Susan Beth Scott, Hobbs, Statler and Welker.

"I'm proud of all of our swimmers," Gators coach Steve Franklin said. "We continue to have more kids reach new milestones. That's a testament to the work ethic and dedication of our kids and their families."