New Fulton Swim Team Posts Strong Results in First Meet

by Contributor | December 7, 2011 6:56 am

Fulton’s varsity swim team probably could have guessed the result ahead of time as it prepared to take on perennial league power JD/CBA.

While the 107-73 loss was no surprise, the Red Raiders showed some team depth for the first time in nearly a decade as a new-look squad took to the pool.

The district eliminated the small girls varsity program and merged it with the small boys varsity team.  The result is a larger squad and what will eventually be more competitive meets.

The change was visible from the opening event, the 200 yard medley relay.  Fulton’s unit consisted of two boys and two girls.

The Red Raiders won only one competitive event in the meet, but it was a spectacular win.  Junior diver Steven Hanczyk continues to approach the team record for a 6-dive program.

His score of 230.48 came from scoring well on several difficult dives, said diving coach Raina Hinman.  JD/CBA coach Bob Bewley was impressed, too. “He did forward 2 and ½ somersaults tonight that scored 6.5 out of 10,” he said in a quote forwarded by Hinman. “That is a tough dive and to score those points this early in the season is very impressive.”

The other strong note was the fact that more than half of Fulton’s team posted times in events strong enough to qualify for the Section III meet. They are:

David Tallents (200 free, 500 free), Ross Gardner (200 free, 500 free), Grace Trepasso (200 free), Steven Gilliland (200 free), Alyssa Harley (200 free), Justin Grower (200 IM, 100 fly), Courtney Beckwith (200 IM, 100 breast), Kyle Buck (50 free,100 free), Steven Hanczyk (diving), Janelle Tallents (100 fly), Neil Devendorf (100 free), Jacob Strauss (100 breast).

The Red Raiders closed the meet with a 1-2 performance in the 400 freestyle relay, but JD/CBA pulled its unit from scoring in the event as is the custom when the meet outcome has already been decided.

Among the Raiders:

• Justin Grower posted a 3rd place finish in the 200 IM and 100 yard freestyle;
• Kyle Buck finished second in the 50 yard freestyle by the length of a hand;
• Janelle Tallents finished 3rd in the 100 yard butterfly;
• Ross Gardner took third in the 500 yard freestyle;
• Fulton’s “A” relay unit of Grower, Buck, Hanczyk and Courtney Beckwith took second in the freestyle sprint relay;
• Grace Trepasso and Anna Guernsey took second and third in the 100 yard backstroke;
• Beckwith finished second in the 100 yard breaststroke;
• And the “A” relay unit of Jacob Strauss, David Tallents, Gardner and Janelle Tallents won the closing relay.

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