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February 2, 2016 Bulldog Sports Round-up
- Published: February 2, 2017
On Saturday, Jan. 21, 12 Yellow Springs High School swimmers competed against hundreds of other swimmers from 18 schools in 16 events at the Wright State Natatorium’s 25-yard pool. The aquatic Bulldogs’ performance resulted in 12 new personal records and two new course records.
“As the regular season closes, our Yellow Springs swimmers have not slowed,” boasted coach David Hardwick. “Rather, they have continued to accelerate their winning spirit.”
Highlights of the meet included the continual dominance of team captain Olivia Chick, who characteristically set two new meet records. First, there was the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:59.52. Along with earning 16 points for the team, she broke her sister Ericka Chick’s 2010 record. The second record she broke was in the 100-yard freestyle, besting Madelyn Shaffer’s 2016 record by .30 seconds with a time of 54.15, adding another 16 points to the team’s overall score.
It has been a banner year for Chick, Hardwick said. “A long-axis stroke specialist,” not only is Chick preparing to head to this year’s sectional tournaments, but she made a verbal commitment to swim for Michigan State University in the fall.
“She is now in her element, leading to another state run,” he said.
Looking at other scoring teammates, Eden Spriggs also had a good day at the Natatorium, scoring 11 points for the team. Her 1:09.78 time in the 100-yard butterfly led to a seventh-place finish. Her second noteworthy event was her ninth-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke, with a time of 1:12.96.
Many personal records and overall good finishes were posted by the balance of the girls’ team, Hardwick said. Team captain Hannah Morrison’s best of the day was her 23rd out of 98 finish in the 50-yard freestyle. In this new personal best, she cut an exceptional 1.16 seconds off of her previous time, finishing in 31.79 seconds. Jude Meekin had two personal bests; with the first in the 100-yard freestyle, cutting 1.91 seconds for a time of 1:12.12. Lauryn DeWine cut the most time among the female swimmers as she set two new personal bests: her 200-individual medley performance shed 3.53 seconds to post a 3:03.58. Her other event was the 100-yard backstroke, in which she cut an astounding 4.59 seconds, finishing in 1:26.76. Team veteran Sara Zendlovitz had a great swim in the difficult 100-yard fly, finishing with a 1:26.50. Rounding out the girls effort was rookie Haley Smith, setting a personal best in the 100-yard fly with her time of 1:36.76
The individual efforts of the six boy Bulldogs was led by team captain David Walker. Scoring six total points, he had a personal best in the 200-yard IM, cutting .84 seconds for an impressive eighth-place finish of 2:37.07. He also scored an additional point in the 100-yard fly, finishing in 1:14.94. Trystan Burch had his best finish and score in the 100-yard back, finishing in 1:14.02, taking eighth place and earning five points. Jackson Bleything dropped the most time in the event among Bulldogs as he cut 9.25 seconds off his 200-yard IM time: 3:04.23, making for an unprecedented personal record. Parker Bleything also showed great improvement in the 200-yard freestyle, cutting 6.01 seconds off his previous best to create a personal record of 2:37.89. Tristan Giardullo has become a freestyle specialist as he set two personal records: a reduction of 1.69 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle led to a finish of 1:03.98, and a new time of 28.47 in the 50-yard freestyle. He placed in the top third of all schools in the 50-yard freestyle, finishing 21st out of 63. Harper Mesure, who has shown improvement all season, had good swims in both the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle.
This year due to scheduling constraints, only two relays were held. These were the boys and girls 200-yard medley relay. The boys and girls teams finished in 14th place in both of these events. The girls team of Chick, DeWine, Smith and Morrison finished with a time of 2:24.43. The boys finished with a time of 2:16.36, a rock-solid team comprised of of Burch, J. Bleything, Walker and Mesure.
With a conference meet coming up next week, “the coaching plan is for intense training followed by a taper,” said co-coach Bradley Martin. “The goal is to be at our best to defend our conference championship.”
“Our compact but capable team is Bulldog-tough and will give this effort all they have got,” said Coach Hardwick.
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