Jay boys tankers open Tuesday

For the first time in a while, the Patriots have a stable of underclassmen.

It’s one of those, along with four upperclassmen, who will lead the Jay County High School boys swim team.

“When we’re looking across the board, numbers wise we’re up eight kids over last year,” said JCHS coach Matt Slavik, whose team opens its season Tuesday at Bluffton. “This year we have two strong swimmers in every event. It is going to be key for us.”

Tayler Smeltzer, one of three seniors on the squad with Skyler Myers and Gabe Blankenship, returns as the leading point scorer from the sectional meet. He finished seventh in the 100-yard butterfly and ninth in the 200 individual medley.

Chase McFarland, a junior, was eighth in the 500 freestyle and 12th in the 100 backstroke, while Myers placed ninth in the 50 freestyle and 16th in the 100 freestyle.

“Tayler Smeltzer and Skyler Myers are coming off a strong cross country season,” Slavik said. “They stepped up as leaders there and they’ve been carrying it over. There’s been good leadership from the seniors.”

Griffin Mann also returns to the squad having finished 14th in the 100 breaststroke at sectional as a freshman.

Smeltzer, Myers and McFarland teamed with now-departed Garrett Campbell to place third in the 200 freestyle relay and seventh in the 400 freestyle relay, so Slavik will be tasked with filling Campbell’s role in both of those races.

So far, that appears to be freshman Kyle Sanders, who as of last week was among the team’s fastest freestylers.

As for other youngsters, Dorane Beiswanger, Konner Sommers — son of assistant coach Christie — Juan Pablo Wiggins and Cameron Weimert are among those freshmen who could have an immediate impact.

“Our freshmen this year are going to surprise some people because we’ve been lacking that depth past the one or two guys,” Slavik said. Damian Hicks, Nico Minnich and Ben Nichols round out the eight-member freshman group.

Junior Orlando Castro and sophomore Justice Murphy return as the team’s divers having finished 14th and 16th respectively at sectional. 

Ben Strausburg and Mitchell Brown, both of whom are sophomores, and Mann helped the 200 medley relay team place ninth. 

Juniors Reid Claycomb and Avery Dann as well as sophomores Sam Crump and Dallas Workman complete the Patriots’ roster.