Miami Beach girls make history at state swimming championships
It was a much different world the last time Miami Beach had a girls’ swimmer win a state championship.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the President of the United States.
The attack on Pearl Harbor had not even happened yet.
But on Saturday night in Ocala, a drought of 85 years came to an end when, not one, but two Hi-Tides took home, not one, but two state titles each at the Class 3A meet held at Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training.
Senior Gioia Balzano and freshman Penelope Lopez Casula became the first girls’ swimmers at Miami Beach to win state titles since Ruth Hoerger won the last of her 10 career individual state titles in 1940.
Balzano secured championships in the 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly while Lopez Casula won the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle.
The two were the first individual state champions overall for Miami Beach since Marion Parks won a diving state title in 1957.
Balzano, who transferred from Braddock, swam a time of 1:46.11 to win the 200 free and win her first individual title after having been part of three relay state titles as a freshman and sophomore at South Florida HEAT. She later swam a winning time of 54.21 seconds in the 100 fly.
Lopez Casula swam a time of 23.37 seconds to secure the 50 freestyle title and later topped the competition in the 100 free with a time of 50.34 seconds. Coincidentally, Lopez Casula’s brother, Marcoaurelio, won a state title three years ago in the 50 freestyle to end a long drought for the Hi-Tides’ boys’ team.
Their efforts helped Miami Beach’s girls finish in fourth place overall. Fort Lauderdale was the highest finisher from South Florida, placing third after a spectacular performance by its divers.
West Pocker won the boys’ championship with a score of 563.40. On the girls’ side, Hayden Ferenc completed the Flying L’s sweep in the event, by earning a score of 455.45. Sophia Cavaretta also finished as the runner-up in the event to secure valuable points for Fort Lauderdale. Da’Jah German finished third in the 50 free and fifth in the 500 free to lead the Flying L’s in the swimming events.
CLASS 4A
On Friday night in Ocala, the defending state champion Braddock boys weren’t able to repeat as it finished in fifth place. The Bulldogs were still the top finisher from South Florida at the meet and didn’t walk away empty-handed. Freshman Nicolas Kokidko won Braddock’s lone individual title when he swam a winning time of 4:22.98 in the 500 freestyle. He also placed second in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:37.32. Senior Anthony Pineiro finished second in the 100 backstroke and third in the 100 fly as well for Braddock.
CLASS 4A RESULTS
Team - Boys: 1. Sarasota 231; 5. Braddock 145; 10. Cypress Bay 69; Girls: 1. Sarasota Riverview 395; 14. West Broward 44.
Boys’ individual winners and top Dade/Broward finishers (only events with top 8 Dade/Broward finishers listed) - 200 medley relay: 1. Winter Park 1:32.14; 3. Braddock 1:33.78; 200 free: 1. Charles Howard (Jup) 1:37.16; 2. Nicolas Kokidko (BR) 1:37.32; 50 free: 1. Julian Granison (Wellington) 20.11; 7. Tajhari Williams (SB) 21.22; 100 fly: 1. Bogdan Zverev (Sarasota) 46.99; 3. Anthony Pineiro (BR) 48.07; 5. Andy Serrano-Pena (BR) 49.09; 500 free: 1. Nicolas Kokidko (BR) 4:22.98; 100 back: 1. Andreas Da Silva (Wellington) 48.42; 2. Anthony Pineiro (BR) 49.00; 4. Andy Serrano-Pena (BR) 49.70; 5. Tajhari Williams (SB) 51.03; 100 breast: 1. Ian Heysen (Winter Park) 54.67; 3. Alexandru Ivanof (SB) 55.76.
Girls’ individual winners and top Dade/Broward finishers (only events with top 8 Dade/Broward finishers listed) - 200 free: 1. Taylor Schwenk (Riverview) 1:47.97; 5. Laila Harran (WB) 1:49.79; 100 free: 1. Rylee Erisman (Windermere) 46.73; 2. Laila Harran (WB) 50.82; 6. Carley Kaplan (WB) 51.44.
CLASS 3A RESULTS
Team - Boys: 1. Nease and Tampa Jesuit 215; 23. Archbishop McCarthy 29; Girls: 1. Ponte Vedra 378; 3. Fort Lauderdale 197; 4. Miami Beach 171; 6. St. Thomas Aquinas 141; 10. Plantation 81.
Boys’ individual winners and top Dade/Broward finishers (only events with top 8 Dade/Broward finishers listed) - 200 IM: 1. Owen Ekk (Chiles) 1:46.23; 7. Becket Menacho (DB) 1:54.88; 50 free: 1. Nicholas Venture (Niceville) 20.44; 6. Ernesto Medina (Mater) 21.25; 100 fly: 1. Louis St. Petery (Sebring) 47.36; 8. Becket Menacho (Deerfield) 50.96.
Girls’ individual winners and top Dade/Broward finishers (only events with top 8 Dade/Broward finishers listed) - 200 medley relay: 1. PonteVedra 1:44.64; 2. Miami Beach 1:47.30; 200 free: 1. Gioia Balzano (MB) 1:46.11; 200 IM: 1. Juliana Calvacanti (PV) 2:02.03; 7. Zoe Schnoeller (FTL) 2:11.51; 8. Addison Scott (STA) 2:14.34; 50 free: 1. Penelope Lopez Casula (MB) 23.37; 3. Da’Jah German (FTL) 23.96; 100 fly: 1. Gioia Balzano (MB) 54.21; 3. Carolyn Levy-Powell (STA) 55.46; 6. Lena Lajko (STA) 58.82; 8. Zoe Schnoeller (FTL) 59.26; 100 free: 1. Penelope Lopez Casula (MB) 50.34; 500 free: 1. Brinkleigh Hansen (StPete) 4:46.55; 5. Da’Jah German (FTL) 5:01.12; 8. Da’Zah German (FTL) 5:15.17; 200 free relay: 1. St. Petersburg 1:35.48; 3. St. Thomas Aquinas 1:38.61; 4. Fort Lauderdale 1:38.85; 100 back: 1. Elizabeth Breck (Niceville) 55.50; 2. Carolyn Levy-Powell (STA) 55.96; 7. Lena Lajko (STA) 59.77; 100 breast: 1. Anna Driesse (Nease) 1:05.18; 5. Addison Scott (STA) 1:06.80; 400 free relay: 1. St. Petersburg 3:24.73; 2. Miami Beach 3:30.94; 4. Fort Lauderdale 3:36.80; 7. St. Thomas Aquinas 3:39.56.
This story was originally published November 16, 2025 at 3:54 PM.
