JCHS blasts Bruins

HARTFORD CITY - The Patriots showed no rust after more than a week away from competition.

After having both meets last week canceled because of weather, the Jay County High School swim teams returned to action Tuesday with a couple of dominating wins over the host Blackford Bruins. The girls team swept six events and won them all in a 145-29 victory while the boys team took nine of 12 events on the way to a 118-58 win.

Mary Hudson led a pair of sweeps as she was the only double winner for the Patriots, who won their fourth straight meet to improve to 8-4.

Hudson's first win came in the 50-yard freestyle where she posted a time of 27.56 seconds to finish in front of teammates Martyna Gajewska and Jocelyn Mann. She was also first in the 100 breaststroke in front of Caitlin Ruchgy and Julie Valentine in 1 minute, 14.01 seconds.

The sophomore joined Gajewska, Mann and Ruchgy in winning the 200 medley relay in 2:07.93 and teamed with Michelle Landfair, Eme Miller and Gajewska for first with a time of 1:53.68 in the 200 freestyle relay.

Wiley Young and Neal Fennig each picked up a pair of individual victories as the Jay County boys earned their second win of the year.

Young took the top spot in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:26.92. He was also first by more than 15 seconds in the 500 freestyle at 6:03.11.

Fennig handled the sprints for the Patriots with times of 25.01 and 53.33 in the 50 and 100 freestyles respectively.

Young and Fennig joined Charles Burress and Zach James in winning the 200 freestyle relay in 1:46.78. Fennig teamed with Aaron Hudson, Luke Holcomb and Jared Valentine to take the 200 medley relay in 1:56.52, and the foursome of Young, Richard Osterholt, Caleb Hummel and Hudson posted a time of 4:00.01 for first in the 400 freestyle relay.

Six other JCHS girls each won one individual event with Mann leading a sweep of the 100 freestyle in 1:05.29 ahead of Murrell and Julie Valentine.

Michelle Landfair took the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:17.22, and Miller won the 200 individual medley in 2:34.

Mann, Landfair and Miller also teamed with Murrell for a winning time of 4:21.33 in the 400 freestyle relay, which the Patriots also swept.

Ruchgy paced a sweep of the 200 freestyle in 2:23.99 in front of Katie Simmons and Liza Haggenjos. In the 100 butterfly, Gajewska took first place in 1:13.92 with Elaine Hemmelgarn second and Alyssa Habegger third.

Megan Taylor posted 150.9 points to take the top spot in diving.

Aaron Hudson finished first for the boys team in the 100 butterfly in 59.75, and Alex Sutton won the 100 breaststroke at 1:19.01.[[In-content Ad]]