As Pinecrest, Union Pines and O'Neal swim teams prepare for the post-season and ultimately the state meet, coaches know the small stuff can make a big difference.

"It is time to clean up their work on turns, stops and starts and technique," said O'Neal head coach Owen Herbert.

Saturday the teams competed in The Pilot Cup, the final swim meet before conference and regionals.

Pinecrest's girls edged O'Neal 388-344 with Union Pines finishing third at 238. O'Neal's boys topped Pinecrest 385-316 with Union Pines third at 242.

Fifteen meet records fell in the 22 events. Individually, several swimmers stood out, including Pinecrest's Kaylon Kirk, Ana and Alyssa Fish, Casey Cooper, Fritz Healy and Maegan and Kurt Wohlrab; Union Pines' Matt Fry, and O'Neal's Alex Zhang, Maggie Hakas and Bennett Westling.

The Fish twins (Ana and Alyssa), Wohrab siblings (Kurt and Maegan), Casey Cooper and Matt Fry are "absolutely going to state," said Carmen Miller, head swim coach for both Pinecrest and Union Pines.

O'Neal head swimming coach Owen Herbert said he was pleased with his team's overall effort Saturday.

"I think we have a strong shot at winning conference as a team," Herbert said. "All the winners of the Pilot Cup should have a great chance to win conference and possibly state."

O'Neal swimmers will host the four-team conference meet on Feb. 9. To advance to state meet on Feb. 24, O'Neal swimmers will have to meet a qualifying time, just like Pinecrest and Union Pines swimmers who hope to compete in regionals.

Herbert said about 80 percent of his swimmers have set state qualifying times. He knows from past experience that sheer numbers give his team a chance to claim a state team title.

"Everybody's got to come through; in the high school situation you have to swim together as a team," Herbert said. "A couple of years ago we had a couple of eighth places that got us a point and we ended up winning state by three points, so everything counts."

In order to advance to state, Pinecrest and Union Pines swimmers must finish in the top eight at regionals.

Regionals will be held Feb. 7. Union Pines will compete in the 3A Regional at the YMCA in Goldsboro. Pinecrest will swim in the 4A regional at the Triangle sports complex in Hillsborough.

The state finals will be Feb. 14. Union Pines qualifiers will compete at UNC, PHS qualifiers at N.C. State.

Combined scores: O'Neal 729, Pinecrest 704, Union Pins 480

Team scores girls: Pinecrest 388, O'Neal 344, Union Pines 238

Team scores boys: O'Neal 385, Pinecrest 316, Union Pines 242

Individual Results:

Girls 200 Medley Relay: Pinecrest 'A' 1:57.22*, O'Neal 2:18.57, Union Pines 2:34.25; Boys 200 Medley Relay: O'Neal School 1:56.09*, Pinecrest 1:58.35, Union Pines 2:03.63; Girls 200 Freestyle: Kaylon Kirk (P) 2:11.79, Whitney Cutler (O) 2:32.62, Heather Viney-Sinsley (P) 2:39.00; Boys 200 Freestyle: Alex Zhang (O) 2:07.63*, Brandt Davis (O) 2:09.97, Tyler Gordon (P) 2:31.75; Girls 200 Individual Medley; Maggie Hakas (O) 2:13.84*, Casey Cooper (P) 2:18.24, Allison DiTomasso (P) 2:30.56; Boys 200 Individual Medley: Matt Fry (UP) 2:14.47, Mark Carey (O) 2:26.41, Darin Onorati (U) 2:35.04; Girls 50 Freestyle: Ana Fish (P) 25.60*, Alyssa Fish (P) 27.66, Blair Puleo (O) 29.56; Boys 50 Freestyle: Bennett Westling (O) 25.18*, Fritz Healy (P) 25.59, Garrett Berk (P) 27.20; Girls 100 Butterfly: Kaylon Kirk (P) 1:04.40, Maegan Wohlrab (P) 1:06.87, Kaleigh Teschendorf (O) 1:26.16; Boys 100 Butterfly: Kurt Wohlrab (P) 57.59*, Alex Zhang (O) 1:04.31, Will Harding (U) 1:17.59; Girls 100 Freestyle: Ana Fish (P) 56.38*, Whitney Cutler (O) 1:03.85, Blair Puleo (O) 1:06.35; Boys 100 Freestyle: Benn Westling (O) 52.99, Fritz Healy (P) 1:01.12, Spalding Spence (P) 1:02.35; Girls 500 Freestyle: Kendall Field (O) 5:58.82*, Jenn Carter (P) 6:54.49, Courtney Hulst (O) 7:08.34; Boys 500 Freestyle: Brandt Davis (O) 6:00.60, Kevin P. Duffy (O) 6:03.32, Jason Wolonick (P) 7:33.32; Girls 200 Freestyle Relay: Pinecrest 1:47.25*, O'Neal 1:59.92, Union Pines 2:20.22; Boys 200 Freestyle Relay: O'Neal 1:45.25*, Pinecrest 1:47.88, Union Pines 1:59.69; Girls 100 Backstroke: Casey Cooper (P) 1:01.75*, Alyssa Fish (P) 1:09.31, N. Guillen (U) 1:32.06; Boys 100 Backstroke: Matt Fry (U) 1:02.10*, Austin Puleo (O) 1:11.81, Eugene Zhang (O) 1:12.50; Girls 100 Breaststroke: Maegan Wohlrab (P) 1:18.09, Heather Viney-Sinsley (P) 1:28.62, Maggie Hakas (O) 1:36.25; Boys 100 Breaststroke: Kurt Wohlrab (P), 1:07.97, Mark C. Carey (O) 1:13.56, Darin Onorati (UP) 1:20.93; Girls 400 Freestyle Relay: Pinecrest 4:14.75*, O'Neal 5:15.50, Union Pines 5:32.23; Boys 400 Freestyle Relay; Pinecrest 4:03.97*, O'Neal 4:07.15, Union Pines 4:12.88