As October comes to a close, so does the swimming season. On Wednesday, October 21st, Ransom Everglades won both the girls’ and boys’ Miami Swimming Districts. Now, the teams prepare to send their best to Regionals and hopefully States. 

Spectators and other competitors packed the stands, filling the pool deck with a boisterous, enthusiastic atmosphere. Alexander Kazumoff ’25 commented that it was “a lot different compared to the other meets I have been in. There is a lot more fanfare and finesse. There is a different atmosphere, but everyone is really hyped.” 

An amazing performance came from freshman Kiera Rampersad ’25. Having been a swimmer for the last four years, she commanded attention in the pool and was a topic of conversation among those on the bleachers. With a time of 58.65, she crushed the competition in the Girls 100 Yard Fly. When asked about her wins, she replied, “I think I did well because I came in first, but I want to drop more time before regionals.” 

She also shared her love for the team and the atmosphere they have created here at RE. “I am glad I can swim with all of the upperclassmen because they definitely make swimming more fun.”  

Sabrina Shipley ’22 placed second in the Girls 100 Yard Fly with a time of 1:02.17. She felt thrilled about the results. “We went a fairly good time, and we are trying to prepare for States. I think it was a good start and everybody swam really well, but we have a couple of things to fine-tune.” 

Shipley, alongside Dylan Stone ’22, Alexandra Hommen ’22, and Lauren Heller ’22, snatched the first-place medal for the Girls 200 Yard Free Relay. She continued on to say, “It feels great. I am really proud of the team and the relays. It is not just an effort of everyone on the relay. It is everyone else pushing us in practice that gets us to this win.” 

Not only do the upperclassmen keep the team fun, but they have also continuously kept the legacy alive. Geronimo Carom ’22, who placed seventh in the Boys 100 Yard Breast, said, “Winning Districts means a lot to me and the team because we have been winning Districts for about nine years in a row, so it feels great to be able to keep the dynasty going.” 

Other first-place wins from RE swimmers include the Boys 200 Yard Relay (Stephan Baker ’22, Coren O’Brien ’23, Victor Perez ’23, Nohan Gomez ’25). Second-place wins came from the Girls 200 Yard Medley Relay (Dylan Stone ’22, Lauren Heller ’22, Kiera Rampersad ’25, Sabrina Shipley ’22), Girls 50 Yard Free (Alexandra Hommen ’22), Girls 100 Yard Breaststroke (Kiera Rampersad ’25), and Boys 200 Yard Relay (Stephan Baker ’22, Coren O’Brien ’23, Victor Perez ’23, Nohan Gomez ’25). 

For many seniors, this meet was bittersweet, as it marked the end of their swimming careers at RE. It was every senior’s last meet in the RE pool. Carom said, “This was the last time I am ever going to swim at the Ransom Everglades pool, and it means a lot after having competed in this pool for seven years.”