Tankers split with Bluffton

Maddy Snow was the only Patriot to win an event in their first meet of the season.

She started the Patriots’ home opener with a strong performance, but this time, she wasn’t the only one to come out on top.

The Jay County High School girls swim team demolished the visiting Bluffton Tigers 198-44 in its home opener Tuesday as the Patriots took first in every event. The boys team was on the other end of the score as the Allen County Athletic Conference foe took it down 220-76.

“It was a great meet tonight,” JCHS coach Matt Slavik said. “It was the first meet with both boys and girls together, first dual meet of the season and people were swimming in some different events but still putting up best times so that was a great way to start off.”

After only winning one event on Nov. 18, the girls (1-0, 1-0 ACAC) took the top spot in each race, as well as second place in all but the 500-yard freestyle (there were only two competitors, one from each team) and the 400 freestyle relay. They swept the top three spots in the 200 freestyle, 100 freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke.

Last year, the Patriots weren’t as strong in the freestyle events compared to other strokes, but Slavik is pleased with how they have come out of the gate so far.

“All of our freestyle events tonight we had best times,” Slavik said. “It’s a change of focus this year as we try to fill in some places especially with the freestyle, so I was super pleased with how our training and our changing is paying off and when you go top to bottom in all our freestyle events.”

Three of the girls took first in two events. Morgan DeHoff claimed the 50 freestyle (28.42 seconds) and the 100 breaststroke (1 minute, 20.42 seconds), Avery Wentz won the 200 individual medley (2:23.82, career best) and the 500 freestyle (6:31.04) and Sophia Hoevel hit the wall first in the 200 freestyle (2:42.32, career best) and the 100 freestyle (1:04.35).

Hoevel was looking to improve her time in the 100 freestyle from the season opener — the Patriots finished third out of four teams at the Westfield Invitational — and was happy with her improvement but wants to shave some more off.

“Last Saturday, I swam a 1:05 for my 100 time,” Hoevel said. “I wanted to get a 1:04 and I did, but I think I could have gotten a little faster. Other than that, I just wanted to swim as fast as I can.”

Along with Hoevel, Slavik mentioned that he was impressed with the improvements Maisey Keller has made and the strong performance from Snow, who was uncontested at in the 1-meter diving and scored 203.25, 

Lincoln Clamme of Jay County High School swims the breaststroke for the Patriot boys 200-yard medley relay on Tuesday. The boys fell 220-76 in the opening meet. (The Commercial Review/Andrew Balko)

 

The boys (0-1, 0-1 ACAC) failed to claim first in any event, but earned second-place finishes three times. Those came from the 200 medley relay team composed of Matthew Fisher, Lincoln Clamme, Joseph Dow and Peyton Yowell, and the 50 and 100 freestyle races, both from Yowell.

Slavik said Max Klopfenstein showed the most improvement out of the boys team in the season opener. He was also impressed with the strides made by Grayson Swoveland.

While the scoreboard didn’t reflect it, Slavik thought it was a good start for his team, recognizing the strength of Bluffton’s boys team and focused on the improvements the swimmers made from a year ago.

“A lot of the boys dropped time tonight so that’s a benefit starting this year,” Slavik said. “Some people had to blow some dust off because they haven't done some of these events since last February. So it was nice to do that and get in and gain some experience moving forward for the rest of the year. I think it's a great starting point for all our boys.”