Speed Demons Celebrate Successful Swim Season

by Contributor | March 29, 2011 9:41 pm

The Fulton YMCA Speed Demons community swim team celebrated a successful season at its annual awards banquet at Lakeview Lanes, Sunday, March 27.

The 69 members of the team and their families enjoyed a meal, accepted awards and honored its departing seniors.

First-year head coach Cassandra Izyk praised the team for placing 20 members in the YMCA State Meet, held the week before on Long Island. Several swimmers finished among the top 8 in their events, earning medals, while several others earned ribbons for finishing in places 9 through 16.

Izyk noted that Class E (ages 5-8) boys swimmer Mark Tallents set three team records and was a member of a relay team that broke a fourth record. He set records in the 25 yard, 50 yard and 100 yard freestyle events and in the 100 yard freestyle relay with Koji Burdic, Sam Johnston and Tavish Johnston.

Also setting team records this season were Janelle Tallents in the 200 yard butterfly and Courtney Beckwith in the 200 yard breaststroke. Both girls swim in the A class, for swimmers ages 15-18.

The team bid farewell to two seniors, both captains. Scott Bullard has been a Speed Demon for 12 years out of a possible 13, while Josh Strauss has been a member of the team for the past 6 years. They won the team’s top two honors. Strauss won the Teammate Award, in which every team member votes for the person who they feel has been the most outstanding teammate. Bullard won the Coaches’ award, given to an outstanding team member by head coach Izyk and assistant coaches Daisy Ruiz and Sara Gilliland.

The Fulton YMCA Speed Demons are a community-based swim team that emphasizes individual growth as part of a team. Boys and girls ages 5 through 18 are eligible to join. Prior experience is not required. Team members come from Fulton and surrounding communities such as Hannibal and Phoenix.

Photos of  the award winners (click each thumbnail for a full-sized version):

The team's two departing seniors earned the Speed Demons' two highest honors. At left, Josh Strauss holds the Teammate Award, which is voted on by all of the team's members. At right, Scott Bullard holds the Coaches' Award, given by the team's coaches. They are with longtime assistant coach and first year Head Coach Cassandra Izyk. [1]

The team’s two departing seniors earned the Speed Demons’ two highest honors. At left, Josh Strauss holds the Teammate Award, which is voted on by all of the team’s members. At right, Scott Bullard holds the Coaches’ Award, given by the team’s coaches. They are with longtime assistant coach and first year Head Coach Cassandra Izyk.

Winners of the team's Achievement Award are, from left to right: Janelle Tallents, Tim McAfee, Kyle Buck and David Tallents. [2]

Winners of the team’s Achievement Award are, from left to right: Janelle Tallents, Tim McAfee, Kyle Buck and David Tallents.

Mark Tallents earned the team's Ippolito Award, named for a team parent who passed away while his son was a swimmer in the E class for ages 5-8. Tallents set three E class team records this season and was a member of a relay team that broke a fourth record. Presenting the award is Dolores Walrath, Ippolito's wife at the time of his passing. [3]

Mark Tallents earned the team’s Ippolito Award, named for a team parent who passed away while his son was a swimmer in the E class for ages 5-8. Tallents set three E class team records this season and was a member of a relay team that broke a fourth record. Presenting the award is Dolores Walrath, Ippolito’s wife at the time of his passing.

Earning the team's Most Valuable Award are, from left: Hayden Williamson, Grace Trepasso and Tavish Johnston. [4]

Earning the team’s Most Valuable Award are, from left: Hayden Williamson, Grace Trepasso and Tavish Johnston.

Winners of the Most Improved Award include, front row, left to right: Aaron Dedich, Christina Tallents and Dominick Mason. Second row, left to right: Mykayla Harris, Koji Burdic, Macy Middleton and Andrew Dedich. Back row, left to right: Tabor Freeman, Ross Gardner and Camille Stevenson. [5]

Winners of the Most Improved Award include, front row, left to right: Aaron Dedich, Christina Tallents and Dominick Mason. Second row, left to right: Mykayla Harris, Koji Burdic, Macy Middleton and Andrew Dedich. Back row, left to right: Tabor Freeman, Ross Gardner and Camille Stevenson.

Also earning the team's Most Improved Award are, from left: Jacob Strauss and Thomas Distin. [6]

Also earning the team’s Most Improved Award are, from left: Jacob Strauss and Thomas Distin.

Winners of the Hard Worker Award are, front row, from left to right: Annabel Boyer, Cheyenne White, Paige Drake, Mallory Curtis, Airyona Croci and Luvlee Croci. Back row: Justin Grower, Andrew Distin, Sage Hourihan, Casey Jones, Courtney Beckwith and Morgan Murphy. [7]

Winners of the Hard Worker Award are, front row, from left to right: Annabel Boyer, Cheyenne White, Paige Drake, Mallory Curtis, Airyona Croci and Luvlee Croci. Back row: Justin Grower, Andrew Distin, Sage Hourihan, Casey Jones, Courtney Beckwith and Morgan Murphy.

Share this:

Like this:

Endnotes:
  1. [Image] : https://oswegocountytoday.com/sports/speed-demons-celebrate-successful-swim-season/attachment/img_1973/
  2. [Image] : https://oswegocountytoday.com/sports/speed-demons-celebrate-successful-swim-season/attachment/img_1962/
  3. [Image] : https://oswegocountytoday.com/sports/speed-demons-celebrate-successful-swim-season/attachment/img_1960/
  4. [Image] : https://oswegocountytoday.com/sports/speed-demons-celebrate-successful-swim-season/attachment/img_1976/
  5. [Image] : https://oswegocountytoday.com/sports/speed-demons-celebrate-successful-swim-season/attachment/img_1957/
  6. [Image] : https://oswegocountytoday.com/sports/speed-demons-celebrate-successful-swim-season/attachment/two-2/
  7. [Image] : https://oswegocountytoday.com/sports/speed-demons-celebrate-successful-swim-season/attachment/img_1955/

Discover more from Oswego County Today

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/sports/speed-demons-celebrate-successful-swim-season/

Copyright ©2026 Oswego County Today unless otherwise noted.