Gator Relays Wake Up the Echoes, Post Strong Showing At Division Relay Carnival

The great Gator relay machine, which had been sluggish all season to date, woke up and roared with a vengence at Divisional Relay Carnival.  The team finished in third place, scoring 156 points in the 22 event meet featuring both medley and freestyle relays of all six Division 3 teams.

The Gators had some great swims.

The meet ended with MVP winning four firsts, three seconds, and one third.  The Mixed Age Boys relay set a new team record, breaking a record set last year (see related article).

The 13-14 girls get ready with their patented

"Relay Train Warm-up."  Choo-Choo! 

Here the boys add "holding their noses"

to the Relay Train Warm-up routine. 

The meet started with a series of bangs.  First it was delayed by thunder and lightning, and then the Mixed Age Girls Gator team won the first event with a time of 2:00.03, well under last year’s All-Star cut.  Other Gator teams under the All-Star cut were the 9-10 boys medley relay (they finished fourth, but were well under last year’s cut – involved four fast teams!), the 13-14 girls medley relay, the 11-12 girls freestyle relay, the 11-12 boys freestyle relay, the 13-14 girls freestyle relay, and the 15-18 girls freestyle relay.  There are a couple Gator relays on the All-Star bubble.  Nothing is guaranteed until the seeding meeting is finished tonight, at which time actual times can be released.

Dryland warm-ups consist of a rousing game of "Duck, Duck, Goose."

Followed by the "Back Stretch Cheer!"

Noteworthy signs of Gator team spirit is that Ellie Cullo came in from camp three hours away, and Jessie Bricker came back from a swim meet at West Point earlier in the day to swim for the Gators in the Relay Carnival.

When your name is on the cap, and your mom took

the pictures, it's easy to make sure to include you!

Gator first place finishes were turned in by:
∙ Girls 200 meter mixed age freestyle relay team of Sheridan Phalen, Emily Makin, Cassidy Bayer, and Sara Bertram.
∙ Girls 11-12 100 meter freestyle relay team of Juliana Skopp-Cardillo, Taylor Main, Lily Penn, and Sheridan Phalen.
∙ Girls 13-14 200 meter freestyle relay team of Cassidy Bayer, Elaina Phalen, Parker Fulghum, and Emma Jones.
∙ Girls 15-18 200 meter freestyle relay team of Sara Bertram, Anna Fracasso, Jessica Metter, and Jessie Bricker.

Second place ribbons were earned by:
∙ Girls 11-12 100 meter medley relay team of Taylor Makin, Lily Penn, Sheridan Phalen, and Juliana Skopp-Cardillo.
∙ Girls 13-14 200 meter medley relay team of Parker Fulghum, Elaina Phalen, Cassidy Bayer, and Emma Jones.
∙ Boys 11-12 100 meter freestyle relay team of Clark Bayer, Brian McNamara, Andrei Zaitsev, and Nick Dupuis.

A third place finished was garnered by:
∙ Girls 15-18 200 meter medley relay team of Anna Fracasso, Torie Bolger, Sara Bertram, and Jessie Bricker.

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Colby on the go.

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