Write a commentOswego Lady Bucs swimmers finished sixth out of 11 teams in the Section III Class A Swimming and Diving Championships.
Oswego was well represented this past week at the Section III Class A Swimming and Diving Championships. Junior Hailey Ihlow started the Lady Bucs off on the right foot by taking first in the Class A diving competition Wednesday. Her 11 dive score of 312.10 breaks a 12-year-old school record in the event.
The 200 medley relay team of junior Elizabeth Baker, sophomores Zoe Ferris and Brenna Riley, and freshman Elaina Rando, kicked off the swimming meet by posting their fastest time this season in the event (2:01.25). They placed a respectable fifth place, improving upon their sixth place finish last year.
In the next event, the 200 freestyle, sophomore Mayra Lopez posted her fastest time of the season by more than a second (2:14.39). Senior Chrissy Abare also swam well in the event, dropping more time than any other Buccaneer in the race (2:08.77). Brenna Riley was outstanding in the event, placing third with her lifetime best of 2:02.13.
The only Lady Buc in the 200 I.M. was junior Colleen Fraser. Fraser went an impressive 2:29.54 in the event. The time was her best this season by 8 seconds and a lifetime best by two seconds. In the next event, the 50 freestyle, five Buccaneers put up impressive times.
Diving Champ Hailey Ihlow posted an impressive best time of 28.44. Junior Katrina Tafler dropped a full second off her best time coming in at 27.48. Another junior, Elizabeth Baker, touched just before her at 27.38, also a best time. Elaina Rando placed 15th in the event, posting her lifetime best, 27.18. Freshman Mariah Metcalf finished with Oswego's highest placing in the event, 5thplace. Her time of 25.32 is her lifetime best by nearly half a second.
Juniors Catie Geroux and Elizabeth Baker had very impressive swims in the next event, the 100 butterfly. Geroux dropped over two and a half seconds to post her best time of 1:10.17. Baker dropped a full second to secure 14th place in the event with a time of 1:09.34. In the next event, the 100 freestyle, Zoe Ferris also dropped a full second to place 13th in 1:01.25. Chrissy Abare took ninth in an impressive 59.26, a 2 second drop from her best time this season.
Brenna Riley would shine in the next event, the 500 freestyle. Riley took second in the event with a time of 5:27.56. This would be the highest placing for the Bucs. Following her success, the 200 freestyle relay team of Metcalf, Abare, Ferris, and Rando, had some success of their own. The Buccaneer relay placed fourth in their best time this season by two seconds (1:47.44).
The next event, the 100 backstroke was loaded with Oswego's elite. Freshman Kennedy Thompson placed 25th in the event, posting her second best time of the season (1:14.17). Katrina Tafler took 20th in 1:12.18. Freshman Clare Bear Donovan dropped a full second to go 1:11.76 and place 18th. Catie Geroux also dropped nearly a second (1:10.78) to place 17th overall. Zoe Ferris was the fifth Lady Buc in the event. She placed 16th overall, also by dropping nearly a full second (1:10.58).
Oswego also had five swimmers qualify in the 100 breaststroke. Sophomore Angie Rookey placed 25th with an impressive time of 1:21.34. Mayra Lopez took 21st with a best time of 1:19.67. Colleen Fraser took 12th with an impressive best time of 1:17.05. Elaina Rando dropped over two seconds to place 8th in the 100 breaststroke with a best time of 1:15.63. Finally, Mariah Metcalf also dropped over two seconds to touch the wall at 1:10.62, which earned her fourth place overall.
Oswego finished strong with their best relay placing of the meet in the 400 freestyle relay. The team of Metcalf, Baker, Abare, and Riley dropped 6 second off of their best time in-season to touch the wall in 3:53.91.
"This was a great start to the Sectional Meet for the Lady Bucs," Coach Josh Lerch said. "Everyone was at their best and most went best times in everything they swam. We are now looking forward to Saturday where most will be returning to compete against the best in the section."
Next up was the Section III State Qualfier at Nottingham.
The Bucs scored 158 points for sixth out of the 38 teams in competition.
"The Oswego Lady Bucs finished their season on a high note as they left State Qualifiers at Nottingham pool with one new school record and many best times," Coach Lerch said. "Junior Hailey Ihlow again shined in the diving competition finishing fifth overall (first out of the Class A divers) and breaking her school record in the process. Her score of 334.70 shatters her previous record of 312.10, which she set on Wednesday."
The 200 medley relay team of junior Elizabeth Baker, sophomores Zoe Ferris and Brenna Riley, and freshman Elaina Rando, got the Bucs off on the right foot by posting their fastest time this season in the event (1:59.84). They dropped nearly another two seconds from what they went two days before, placing eighth in the event. This was a big improvement upon their 16th place finish last year.
In the next event, the 200 freestyle, senior Chrissy Abare placed 14th in the event with a time of 2:10.65. Sophomore Brenna Riley was outstanding in the event, placing fourth with her lifetime best of 2:01.69.
Junior Colleen Fraser represented the Bucs well in the 200 I.M. placing 17th with an impressive lifetime best of 2:27.51 in the event. In the next event, the 50 freestyle, freshman Mariah Metcalf dropped another three- tenths of a second from her best time, which she swam on Thursday to qualify for the meet. Her time of 25.02 was good enough to move her up from seventh to fifth in the event.
Brenna Riley swam yet another outstanding 500 freestyle. Riley took second in the event with her lifetime best time of 5:26.03. This would be the highest placing for the Lady Bucs. Following her success, the 200 freestyle relay team of Metcalf, Abare, Ferris, and Rando, kept the relay trend going by dropping almost two seconds from their swim on Thursday at the Class A Championships. The Buccaneer relay placed fourth in their best time this season by two seconds (1:45.55). This was a significant improvement upon their ninth place finish the prior year.
In the breaststroke event, Colleen Fraser took 21st with a time of 1:17.64. Elaina Rando placed 16th with a time of 1:16.18. Finally, Mariah Metcalf took 5th with a time of 1:11.27.
Oswego finished strong placing fifth in the 400 freestyle relay. The team of Metcalf, Baker, Abare, and Riley dropped 2 and a half seconds off of their time at Class A Championships on Thursday. Their time of 3:51.27 helped them improve upon a 9th place finish last year.
"The Lady Bucs capped a great season with their swims today," Lerch concluded. "They finished with a record of 8-2 and a 6th place finish at State Qualifiers against the other 38 teams in the Section. This was a vast improvement upon their 11th place finish last year. This team made so many gains this season. There were four new Sectional qualifiers, 15 qualifiers in all, a Class A Diving Champion, and new school record. Only losing one senior and with a lot of young talent on Oswego's modified team, the future looks bright for these girls."
