Messerschmidt takes down two state records at state swim

November 6, 2010 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


The marquee race of the day took place early Saturday at the Division I and Division II state swim and dive championships as far as a two-man competition went when Desert Edge senior Tyler Messerschmidt and Arcadia senior Chris Pickard locked up in the 200 free.

Then a bit later at about the meet's halfway point at the Kino Aquatic Center in Mesa, Messerschmidt really went off.

Messerschmidt broke his second state record of the day, this one the most impressive as he overtook Gary Hall Jr.'s 100 free record set 16-years ago. Messerschmidt's time of 43.71 seconds bested Hall Jr.'s mark of 43.85. Messerschmidt came out smoking with a 20.90 mark after the first 50 yards.

"I was really excited to get the second record," Messerschmidt, who will attend Cal next year, said. "That's the one I'd been shooting for all year. It carried over from the 200 with Chris  pushing me. That's how I was able to pop off that 1:36. It was nice having someone to push. That excitement carried over to the 100."

Earlier in the meet Messerschmidt and Pickard didn't disappoint the crowd. Both eclipsed the former state record broken last year by Messerschmidt. Messerschmidt's 2010record-breaking time in the 200 was 1:36.33 seconds. Pickard touched the pad at 1:37.69. Those bettered Messerschmidt's old mark of 1:38.00.

The titles for Messerschmidt on Saturday were the fifth and sixth individual titles of his career - three in the 200 free, two in 100 free and one in the 100 back.

 The two state records by Messerschmidt weren't the only ones. Xavier's 200 free relay team beat the old mark of 1:35.26 set by a previous Xavier team in 1993. Xavier's 2010 time was 1:35.21. Members of the record-breaking relay team for the Gators were Sarah Graif, Alisha Bender, Talie Anchustegui and Kyra Zsiga.

Pickard entered Saturday's Division II state swimming finals with an impressive resume. There was nothing left for him to do than add to it. And add to it he did. Pickard won an individual event and helped a relay team to victory putting the cap on a healthy swimming career for Arcadia High.

Pickard, who had won three 200  indivudal medley titles, tacked on a third 100 butterfly crown to take care of his individual achievements. He also swam a leg in the winning 200 medley relay for the Titans. The grand total of titles for Pickard individually and team totaled 12 for his career.

Also capping a nice career was Desert Vista senior Katie Olsen, who won her third state title Saturday in the breastroke. Olsen won the 50 free last year and just missed winning the 100 breast four times with a second-place finish her freshman year.

Olsen accomplished her threepeat in the breast despite a pretty bad chest cold.

"I had a cold all week," Olsen, who is headed to Stanford, said of her 1:02.00 clocking that fell just short of the state record she set last year. "I improvised today. It was a good swim. I was happy with it."

Team titles Saturday went as expected to Brophy (Division I boys with Red Mountain the runner-up); Xavier (Division I with Chaparral second) and Catalina Foohtills first in both boys and girls Division II with Arcadia the runner-up in both.

Other male swimmers besides Messerschmidt enjoying double triumphs Saturday were Tanner Roe (Chaparral). Roe wasn't the highest seed in either race he won (200 IM and 500 free). He won those races competing out of lanes 2 and 6. And performing on the added competition the consolidated state fields produced this year, brought out the best in Roe. Roe won the 5A-II 500 free title last year. Notre Dame's Alex Brouwer won the 50 free and 100 back titles in Division II.

Female swimmers taking home a pair of titles were Gilbert senior  Kelli Benjamin (50 and 100 free in Division I); Mesa Mountain View sophomore Kat Simonovic (200 free and 500 free in Division I); Chaparral junior Leticia Lelli (100 fly and 100 back in Division I); Phoenix Country Day junior Danielle Lee (200 free, 100 back in Division II); Sunnyslope senior Taryn Collura (50 fre and 100 free in Division II) and Valley Christian sophomore Briana Jurries (100 fly and 100 breast in Division II).

Rounding out the list of event winners in Division I were Brophy's Brian Stevens (200 free); Mountain View's Payton Sorenson (50 free); Chandler's Matthew Mozdzen (100 fly); Red Mountain's Josh Dowd (100 free); Ironwood Ridge's Matthew Berg (100 back) ;Brophy's Michael Nelson (100 breast) and Chaparral's Megan Cox (200 IM).

The rest of the Division II event winners were Catalina Foothills Jason Alentado (200 IM); McClintock's Londen Thomas (500 free); Douglas Brandon Young (100 breast); Catalina Foothills Daniella Emami (200 IM) and Arcadia's Carly Stevens (500 free).

Diving titles went to Josh Bidak (Division I Horizon); Hayden Sells (Division II Arcadia); Chloe Hacker (Division I Corona del Sol) and Rachel Hicks (Division II Sunrise Mountain).