Here are 15 boys and girls swimmers to watch in Polk County in 2023
Some of the top swimmers in the county graduated last year, including swimmer of the year Alex Vasquez, McKeel's Sebastian Stacey and Alex Holland and George Jenkins' Sean Cardosi on the boys side. Lakeland's Bobbie Rosenkranz, Winter Haven's Danielle Farmer and McKeel's Paige Dunsford departed on the girls' side.
Two more girls swimmers expected to be back are also missing as Santa Fe Catholic's Marissa Hengesbach has transferred to Orlando Bishop Moore, and McKeel sophomore Lily Jonsson is recovering from knee surgery.
Still, there's a solid group of returning swimmers.
More medals: Lake Wales' Mary Leigh Hardman finishes 3rd, 4th at state swim meet
Looking back: Meet The Ledger's 2022 All-County Girls Swimming and Diving Team
Looking back: Meet The Ledger's 2022 All-County Boys Swimming and Diving Team
Boys swimmers to watch
DYLAN CARDOSI, George Jenkins, Jr.: Cardosi's best events last year were the 100-meter butterfly and the 200 individual medley. He won county and district titles in all five events.
KEEGAN LONG, Auburndale, So.: Long won country title in the 100 breaststroke last year. He also took third in the 100 breaststroke and the 50 freestyle at the district meet.
ETHAN KETCHUM, Kathleen, Jr.: After the graduation of two top divers from the 2021 season, Ketchum emerged as the top boys diver in '22. He was the county and district champion in the event then took second at regionals.
ETHAN BEHR, Lake Wales, Jr.: Behr was the premier distance swimmer in Polk last season. He won the 500 free at the county meet then took fourth place at the district meet.
LUIS PERDOMO, George Jenkins, Sr.: Perdomo swam 24 seconds at the county meet last year to finish fifth but is expect to get under 22 seconds in the 50 free. With Vasquez and Stacey having graduated, he could challenge McKeel's Lucas Burrell and Auburndale's Keegan Long.
NICK KERCHER, McKeel, Sr.: Kercher can swim the 100 butterfly, the 50 free and the 100 free. In the 100 butterfly, he has gone under a minute.
LUCAS BURRELL, McKeel, Sr.: Burrell competed in the 50 free and the 100 backstroke last year. After finishing third in the 50 free, he did not compete in the postseason after sustaining an injury.
Girls swimmers to watch
MARY LEIGH HARDMAN, Lake Wales, Sr.: Hardman, a three-time girls swimmer of the year, has six individual medals at the state meet, including three gold. She was the dominant swimmer in the county, winning 100 free and the 200 free at the county meet. In the postseason, she was the district and regional champion in both the 50 free and the 100 free. She then finished fourth and third, respectively, at the state meet.
BRYCE PALMER, McKeel, Fr.: Palmer is one of the top up-and-coming swimmers in the county. She was county and district champion in the 100 breast. In the 200 individual medley, she finished second at district and also was second at regionals in the 100 breast.
LAYLA HENSON, Winter Haven, Sr.: Henson is a two-time county champion in diving. She also swims the 50 free and finished second at the county meet.
VANESSA CALVA, George Jenkins, Jr.: Calva is back as the district champion in the 100 breaststroke. She was second to Palmer in the event at the county meet. She was third in the individual medley at county then switched to the 200 free at districts where she finished second.
ELIN JONSSON, McKeel, Eighth Grade: With her sister, Lily, out with an injury, Jonsson will be one of the top swimmers for county champion McKeel along with Palmer. She swims the 200 free and the 100 back and has the potential to be a county champion.
KATE SCARBOROUGH, Lakeland Christian, Sr.: Scarborough was second behind Hardman in the 100 free, finishing just ahead of Elin Jonsson. She also swims the backstroke.
LEAH PARKER, George Jenkins, Jr.: Parker finished county runner-up behind Henson then beat her at the district meet. She finished fifth at regionals.
MCKENZIE HILTON, George Jenkins, Jr.: Hilton, fourth at the county behind Henson, Parker and McKeel's Haidyn Beall, who has graduated. Then in a competitive district meet that includes Henson, she finished second then took third at regionals.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk County Florida 15 swimmers includes a 3-time swimmer of the year
