In the long haul, the Hatchet swimmers unloaded on the Clintonville Truckers, 108-62, in last Tuesday’s Senior Night meet.
“It was a great win with only four (individual) first places, but a total team effort gave Tomahawk the points we needed,” THS coach Theresa L’Esperance said.
The Hatchets actually trailed 25-21 after two events, but grabbing the top two spots in the 50 free (Lauren Hilt, :24.98/Mikhayla Kleich, :27.70) and 100 Fly (Katherine Russell, 1:07.93/Samantha Kleich, 1:10.25) flopped it to 45-33 THS. Tomahawk also later pulled off the rare 1-2-3 relay sweep in the 200 free with M. Kleich, Jackie Elliott, Emily Zurfluh, Karli Cecil, 1:54.19/Jamie Sterr, S. Kleich, Taylor Hansen, Michaela Galganski, 1:54.97/Natalie Olson, Maddy McPherson, Emma Bushey, Quinn Casey, 2:01.10. They also went 1-2 in the 100 back (Russell, 1:08.40/Dallman, 1:09.72).
“(That was) a great 200 free relay race,” L’Esperance said. “Seniors Sami Kleich and Jamie Sterr had a great night swimming, they formed their own relays to swim so they could swim with their friends.
“Sami did six dives for the last time, because of her desire to dive we started the dive program. Diving is a huge success.
“These two seniors are very special to me. They are kind, caring, sensitive athletes. Their academic and co-curricular activities keep them very busy and they are both at the top of their class academically. They both are high achievers and their leadership out of the pool is a positive testament to this swim program.”
Other wins came from Hilt in the 100 free (:55.57) and the 400 free team (Cecil, Weber, Baylee Dallman, Hilt, 3:59.75).
THS placed 2-3 in the 200 IM (Dallman, 2:36.27/Hansen, 2:48.38); 500 free (Cecil, 6:10.28/Weber, 6:13.47); 100 brea (Bushey, 1:24.93/Sterr, 1:26.78); and the 200 medley relay (Russell, Galganski, Hansen, Dallman, 2:03.67/S. Kleich, Sterr, Hilt, M. Kleich, 2:09.82).
Cecil was 2nd in the 200 free (2:15.03) and the 400 free squad of Elliott, Russell, Galganski, and Hannah Consolver (5:02.06) was 3rd.
Camyrn Swan and Jackie Elliott each set two personal records, while Baylee Dallman, Maddy McPherson, Michaela Galganski, Karli Cecil, Taylor Hansen, Katherine Russell, Sami Kleich and Sarah Bartz improved one.
Tomahawk will host the GNC Meet for the first time in 10 years, at 5:00 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 1.
“The last time we hosted conference the record setting relay teams of Kuber, Kuber, Swenty and Zuesldorf were in the pool,” L’Esperance said. “Swimming is now over for the JV. I hope all the JV swimmers continue with swimming.”