‘Sweet Giants’

Hawthorne’s 200 relay team makes up name based on favorite sweet snacks

Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008

Click here to enlarge this photo Staff Photo by JAMES A. McCRAY III Hawthorne’s 200-meter freestyle relay team is also known as the ‘‘Sweet Giants.” Pictured, from left, are Haley Horkey, Carlie Simpson, McKenzie Olup and Chase McClure. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

However, for the Hawthorne Gators swimming team’s 200-meter girls freestyle relay team, also known as the ‘Sweet Giants,’ in the pool is right where they belong, full stomach or not.

Making up the name based on their favorite sweet snacks, the team is made up of Chase ‘‘Apple Pie” McClure, McKenzie ‘‘Cinnabun” Olup, Carlie ‘‘Brownie” Simpson, and Haley ‘‘Cupcake” Horkey.

‘‘I like swimming, because I have been swimming most of my life and I really haven’t done anything else,” McClure said.

As far as her name, McClure added: ‘‘I was given it, but I do like apple pie.”

The team swam to an undefeated regular season (5-0) and a win at the Division D meet before the season culminated at the All-Star meet on Saturday.

‘‘I love Cinnabuns, they are so good,” Olup said with an extremely large grin on her face. ‘‘It was fun being here at All-Stars. I was excited that we got here, I achieved my goal to get here.”

The relay team finished 15th overall at the meet, however that didn’t deter the squad’s enthusiasm, as they each sported matching pink caps with their names inscribed on each cap in black marker.

‘‘I’m ‘Brownie,’” Simpson said, as she pointed to her hair to depict the color. When asked if she eats brownies, Simpson gave a long and emphatic, ‘‘Yes.”

‘‘It’s amazing being here at All-Stars,” Simpson continued. ‘‘I love being here with all of the girls, and we did great. We improved time and had a lot of fun. [My relay mates] are great. They really support you.”

As Simpson was speaking, McClure politely interrupted to add, ‘‘Go ‘‘Brownie,” Go ‘‘Brownie.””

Swimming anchor of the team the entire year was Horkey, or as her teammates view her, ‘‘Cupcake.”

‘‘I love this relay, they are my sisters,” Horkey said as she embraced her other three teammates.

As far as her name, Horkey added: ‘‘It was an old nickname. But since we were going with pastries, I stuck with it.”

And in normal ‘‘Apple Pie” fashion, McClure interjected, ‘‘She is very sweet.”