The Lock Haven Loggerheads, a YMCA
sponsored team, pushed their season record to 3-0 with this past Saturday’s
victory against Tri-Town (Muncy, Montgomery, and Hughesville). The swimmers surprised their coaches with the unexpected win. Although outnumbered by a good margin, the Loggerheads managed to win 7-3. "The kids didn't have the numbers, but they made a lot of quality swims. Of course, quality can overcome quantity - and today it did," said head coach Jim Merinar.
The 14&under boys are a small
group, only four swimmers, and were pushed hard by the larger Tri-Town
contingent throughout the meet. The
foursome of Benjamin Turner, Leisher Gugino, Alex Butzler, and Parker Orndorf
responded to the challenge from the get-go as they smashed the league record by
almost 3 seconds in the meets’ opening 200 meter medley relay.
From that point, it was back and
forth with the two teams. While Butzler
and Orndorf went 1-2 in the 50 and 100 free, Tri-Town swimmers Landon Corbin
and Trent Rakowski responded with a 1-2 finish in the 100 individual medley. Turner and Gugino captured the top two spots
respectively in the 50 breaststroke only to be answered in the next event with
Tri’s Ross Flerage and Evan Hamms top finishes in the 50 fly.
It was the final relay where the Lock
Haven boys put a stop to any idea of Tri-Town winning the age group. The foursome again set a pace that broke a
4-year old record in the 200 free relay by almost 4 seconds. The boys prevailed with a 40-33 win.
In the girls 10&under grouping,
Lock Haven’s Camryn Bair took it upon herself to reconfigure the league’s record
board. She set new standards by breaking 4- and 14-year old records in the 50
free and 25 breaststroke respectively. “Camryn just continues to excel as she adds to the accolades earned this year and is a complete swimmer,” said Merinar. “She has skill, is coachable, and is always humble about her accomplishments.”
Lock
Haven’s next league meet is against Wellsboro on July 12.
