This time, there were no penalties.

And an early start violation might have been the only way to derail Palmetto's boys at the Region 4-3A swimming finals Wednesday.

Under the lights of the Plantation Aquatic Complex, the Panthers dominated the competition, winning by a wide 161-point margin over second place St. Thomas Aquinas.

Last year, the Panthers fumbled in the final race of regionals and were disqualified for coming off the starting blocks too early in the 400 free relay. The snafu cost them a state title.

On Wednesday, Michael Saco and Kevin Barona led a disciplined Palmetto team to three relays wins and six gold medals, earning a trip to the the Florida State High School Athletic Association finals in Orlando next Thursday where they will be favorites to win Miami-Dade County's first public school swimming title since Coral Gables' girls' team won in 1967.

``They made all their turns, they held their turns and they hit their spots,'' said Palmetto coach David Booher, who will return to states a fully-loaded boys team and a girls team that came in a close second to St. Thomas Aquinas on Wednesday.

``Our whole team did outstanding. We missed last year by a point and now we're ready to get down to business next Thursday,'' Booher said.

Saco's time of 45.66 in the 100 freestyle earned the Panther captain an automatic All-American berth.

``You really can't say enough about him, he's been so good,'' said Booher.

Since the start of this season, the Panthers had marked Wednesday as a day to prove that 2008's mental lapse was a fluke.

``It's going to be something big for Dade county. This means a lot to our school and to the county, and now we're going to bring it back,'' said Booher. ``After last year it'll make it all the sweeter.''

Ferguson's boys finished third and will field swimmers in Orlando, but the top Falcon swimmer was Ana Anaya from the girls' team. Anaya won the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly and also helped her team to a win as the anchor in the 400 free relay.

Krop's freshman star Nicolas Coard won the 100 backstroke with a finals-best time of 54.13. Juan Sequera won the 200 intermediate and the 100 butterfly events for Ronald Reagan.

BOYS' SWIMMING

• Region 4-3A Finals -- Palmetto 426, St. Thomas Aquinas 265, Ferguson 179, Columbus 168: 200 medley relay: Palmetto 1:40.17, Ferguson 1:41.52, Reagan 1:42.33, Western 1:42.69; 50 free: Michael Saco (Pal) 20.52, Steven Lichtner (Pal) 21.57; Giovanni Perez (Fer) 22.27; Kyle Newcomb (Pal) 22.30; 200 free: Tyler Sell (WB) 1:43.78; Dylan Marsolek (STA) 1:44.23; Roger Powell (STA) 1:47.66; Carlo Morante (WB) 1:47.79; 200 IM: Juan Sequera (RR) 1:54.58, Douglas Ramos (Col) 1:57.48, Asher Garcia (Pal) 1:57.74, Austin Manganiello 1:59.66; 100 fly: Juan Sequera (RR) 52.09; Asher Garcia (Pal) 52.28; Kevin Barona (Pal) 53.01, Kristof Kertesz (SB) 53.58; 100 free: Michael Saco (Pal) 45.66; Steven Lichtner (Pal) 46.83, Cory Perez (Fer) 48.55, Nicolas Coard (Kro) 48.70; Diving: Francisco Bacerra (MB) 611.10, Osvel Molina (Gol) 581.25, John Toomey (NE) 452.85, Brian Blum (Pal) 387.45; Tyler Sell (WB) 4:38.03, Travis Lockie (Fla) 4:40.84, Dylan Marsolek (STA) 4:42.91, Roger Powell (STA) 4:52.30; 200 free relay: Palmetto 1:26.70, Columbus 1:31.82, Coral Gables 1:31.93, St. Thomas 1:32.01; 100 back: Nicolas Coard (Kro) 54.13, Austin Manganiello (Pal) 54.85, Cory Perez (Fer) 55.50, Kyle Newcomb (Pal) 55.85; 100 breast: Douglas Ramos (Col) 59.89, Jesus Nava Suarez (Fer) 1:00.71, Craig Dohmen (CR) 1:01.34, Thomas Aycart (Sun) 1:01.95; 400 free relay: Palmetto 3:13.32, Reagan, Columbus, Ferguson.

GIRLS' SWIMMING

• Region 4-3A Finals -- St. Thomas Aquinas 338, Palmetto 287, West Broward 227, Cypress Bay 189: 200 medley relay: Palmetto 1:52.70, Cypress Bay 1:56.79, St. Thomas Aquinas 1:58.58, Cooper City 2:00.10; 200 freestyle: Ana Anaya (Fer) 1:52.74; Damaris Iriondo (STA) 1:54.10; Cheriesse Campbell (Wes) 1:54.60; Daniella Johnson (Pal) 1:54.63; 200 IM: Veronica Gruelach (MB) 2:13.26, Jenna Moodie (CB) 2:14.85, Michelle Saco (Pal) 2:16.24, Alejandra Gonzalez (Fer) 2:16.59; 50 free: Tiffany Oliver (WB) 24.10; Gabriella Garcia (Pal) 24.65; Kristy Marques 25.56; Brianna Schlunaker (CC) 25.71; 100 fly: Ana Anaya (Fer) 56.23; Alexandra Paz (Lou) 58.33, Cheriesse Campbell (Wes) 59.51, Veronica Gruelach (MB) 1:00.12; 100 free: Tiffany Oliver (WB) 52.32; Daniella Johnson (Pal) 53.29; Melissa Fernandez (WB) 53.30; Khamai Johnson (CR) 55.29; Diving: Marina Nazario (STA) 504.70, Carly Alexander (STA) 456.50, Amanda Habig (STA) 403.20, Danielle Jacobs (Fla) 387.45; 500 free: Emily Escortia (Fer) 5:06.11, Damaris Iriondo (STA) 5:08.53, Amanda Montesino (Fer) 5:14.13, Flavia Segatto (Fla) 5:14.46; 200 free relay: West Broward 1:40.72; Palmetto 1:41.61, St. Thomas 1:42.27, Miami Beach 1:43.56; 100 back: Breanna Selts (Pal) 1:01.22, Michelle Saco (Pal) 1:03.74, Mady Fernandez (WB) 1:03.83, Danielle Reedy (CG) 1:04.19; 100 breast: Brittney Phelan 1:07.48, Gabriella Garcia (Pal) 1:07.77, Kristy Marques (MB) 1:07.77, Jenna Moodie (CB) 1:11.75; 400 free relay: Ferguson 3:38.85, West Broward 3:39.20, Palmetto 3:44.93, St. Thomas 3:45.93.

BOYS' CROSS-COUNTRY

• District 8-1A - championship - Dade Christian 45, Palmer Trinity 48, Archbishop Curley 77, Florida Christian 86, Miami Country Day 105, Westwood Christian 176 - (Top 15 advance to regional meet) Caleb Wishart (WWC) 17:03, Sanjay Singh (AC) 17:44, Luis Asenfio (PT) 18:17, Daniel Diaz (DC) 18:25, Anthony Schiappa-Pietra (PT) 18:28, Adam Ramos (DC) 18:29, Matt Benenati (PT) 18:48, Emilio Rodriguez (DC) 18:48, Ray Spradlin (DC) 18:56, Allen Alvarez (FC) 18:58, Jonathan Rubio (FC) 19:15, Jonathan Chang (PT) 19:22, Michael Groene (AC) 19:26, Ernesto Diaz (FC) 19:27, Joshua Guerra (MCD) 19:28.

GIRLS' CROSS-COUNTRY

• District 8-1A - championship - Miami Country Day 32, Florida Christian 65, Palmer Trinity 71, Marathon 83, Dade Christian 128, Archbishop Curley 129 (Top 15 advance to regional meet) - Claire Long (MCD) 20:40, Michelle Figueroa (FC) 20:52, Naomi Valerdi (MAR) 21:23, Mila Boano (MCD) 21:31, Haley Felder (FC) 21:39, Cindy Chang (PT) 22:10, Lara Ricote (MCD) 22:36, Hanne Staertzel (PT) 22:44, Mckenzie Mariano (MCD) 23:01, Rachelle Antoine (AC) 23:19, Columbia Clancy (MCD) 23:21, Dominque Perciocs (FC) 24:03, Taylor Sennett (MCD) 24:11, Michaelle Charlotim (DC) 24:13, Carolina Barrios (PT) 24:39.

GIRLS' SOCCER

• South Dade 8, Southridge 0: Jessica Woodbury had two goals. Courtney Bryant had two goals. Ludis Velasquez had one goal. SD 1-1.

• Coral Gables 8, Krop 0: Alexandra Riesco had two goals. Kaitlyn Esquenazi had two goals. Madeleine Intriago had two goals. CG 2-1.

• Mater Academy 7, MAST 2: Sharon Tejeda had three goals. Monica Lozano had two goals, one assist. Alexis Hogan had one goal, one assist. MA 2-0.

• South Miami 6, Homestead 1: Kassandra Sanchez had one goal. Samantha Romero had one goal. Jennifer Arbella had one goal. SM 2-2.

• Killian 3, Coral Reef 0: Jackie Coffler had one goal. Rachel Kramer had one goal. Danniel Horgin had one goal. KILL 2-0.

• Palmetto 8, Varela 0: Lee Stagg scored two goals, Mathilde Robinson scored once and had three assists, and Laura Piedrahita scored a goal and had two assists. PAL 2-0.

• Golemand 3, Hialeah-Miami Lakes 0: Kaley Hughet led the Gators (1-0) with two goals and an assist. Goalkeeper Natalia Gomez recorded her first shutout of the season and Katherine Baquero added a goal and an assist.

• Lourdes 1, Reagan 0: Sophia Alexander led the Bobcats (2-0-1) with a goal. Goalkeeper Carolina Garcia recorded her third shutout.

• Ferguson 8, Braddock 0: Michelle Pena led Ferguson (2-0) with a goal. Karen Marenco had two goals and Carla Monge had two goals.

BOYS' SOCCER

• Preseason -- Varela 0, Gulliver 0: Jose Villegas (VAR) had shutout.

• Preseason -- Belen 1, Coral Reef 0: Borja Sagarduy (BEL) had score one goal.

• Preseason -- Killian 2, Coral Gables 1: Jeffery Stezozsky had one goal. Diego Figueroa had one goal.

• Preseason -- South Miami 5, Booker T. Washington 1: Mario Murillo, Steven Arango and Juan Bernal each scored a goal. SM 1-1.

SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE

FOOTBALL

Coral Gables vs. South Miami (Tropical), 7

Central vs. Hialeah-Miami Lakes (Hendricks), 7

Dade Christian at Archbishop Curley, 2

Miami Country Day at Florida Christian, 6

Marathon at Westminster Christian, 1

GIRLS' SOCCER

Palmer Trinity at Miami Country Day, 10 a.m.

Gulliver at Pine Crest, 3:30