Swampy Conditions Suit the Gators, but Lose to Hunter Mill by Two Points

Gators like it hot.  Like sticky and swampy hot.  Like can’t stop sweating Florida Everglades hot.  Like the steamy hot you might expect on a Saturday morning in July at a swim club in Vienna for an A meet.  On just such a Saturday, the Gators squared off against the Hunter Mill Sharks and swam their best meet of the season so far, losing to the Sharks by just two points, 211 to 209.  That’s right, just TWO points!  If even one race had gone in a slightly different direction we could be talking about our first big win of the season.  But it’s a waste of time playing “what if” scenarios over and over in your mind and doesn’t change the end score.  So instead, the Gators are talking about what an amazing  meet it was.  The morning had everyone, both young and old, on the edge of their seats (or pool).  The Gators and Sharks battled it out through the individual strokes and relays, with the meet outcome literally coming down to the last two relays – mixed age freestyle.

Peace, love, and Juliana Skopp-Cardillo

Groovy Gators prepare to enter Shark territory

This meet had all the drama you love to see -- come from behind wins, super close finishes, records broken or tied, sweeps, and many Gators having impressive races.  It was one of those “back and forth” meets.  The Sharks took freestyle, leading 49 to 41.  The Gators showed great strength in the backstroke and won that stroke 47 to 43.  Next it was breaststroke, and the Sharks grabbed 50 points, to the Gators 40.  The Gators finished the individual races by edging out the Sharks by two points, 46 to 44, in the fly.  The score before relays was Hunter Mill 186 and Gators 174.  The meet would be decided on relays and MVP needed to win 8 of the 12 relays to win....and won 7.  So close!

Gator parents don't love hot like Gators do.

Records were meant to be broken, or in the case of one race today, tied.  Donovan Kovalsky (10) tied a boys 9-10 freestyle record that is so old, it’s literally older than me!  The record of 33.00 dates back nearly 50 years to July 1967!  And Donovan has more opportunities to break this record this season.  

Let's hear it for Donovan!

Two records were broken on Saturday.  The first was the boys 13-14 200 meter medley relay.  Brian McNamara, Nick Dupuis, Andrew Baker, and Clark Bayer broke the previous record of 59.49 set way back in July 1991 (that’s 25 years, people!) with a new record time of 59.06.  Congratulations boys!

The other record broken is a great story as well.  Gus Leyden, Kevin Adams-Mardi, Cameron Morey, and Tristan Colaizzi broke a previous boys 15-18 200 meter medley relay held by Gus Leyden, Kevin Adams-Mardi, Cameron Morey, and Tristan Colaizzi.  No, I am not stuttering - the boys beat their previous record of 1:58.96, set in July 2015, with a record time of 1:58.84!  A year older, a year wiser, and a year faster.  Their valiant attempt to put the Gators ahead before the mixed age relays was dashed by a Shark relay team time just slightly faster at 1:58.58.

Let’s talk about sweeps – we had two.  In boys 9-10 backstroke, Kenneth Krogh touched the wall first, quickly followed by John French in second and Charles Bradburn in third.  In girls 15-18 butterfly, Cassidy Bayer cruised to victory, followed by Anna Fracasso in second and Jessie Bricker in third.

Races of the week came in the butterfly.  Ginny Grubbs won the girls 8&under fly by .07 seconds with a time of 26.14.  Brian McNamara won the boys 13-14 fly by .21 seconds with a time of 32.00. 

Friends and relay partners

Congratulations go out to three Gators for swimming in their first A meet for MVP: Riley Drewry (7), Zoe North (11), and Mackenzie Dickerson (12)!

Individual Gator winners included Donovan Kovalsky (free), Emily Makin (free and breaststroke), Sheridan Phalen (free), Kevin Adams-Mardi (free and breaststroke), Monica Morales (back), Matthew Makin (back), Lily Palmerino (back), Kenneth Krogh (back), Gus Leyden (back), Parker Fulghum (back), Shaan Nagda (breaststroke), Cassidy Bayer (breaststroke and fly), Sean Kovalsky (fly), Ginny Grubbs (fly), and Brian McNamara (fly).

Second place points were earned by Monica Morales (free), Jack Dupuis (free), Charles Bradburn (free), Clark Bayer (free), Gabrielle Greszler (free), Parker Fulghum (free), Gavin Moore (back), Alexander North (back and breaststroke), John French (back), Brian McNamara (back), Taylor Makin (back and breaststroke), Anna Fracasso (back and fly), Liam Fore (breaststroke), Charlie Ruppe (breaststroke), Nick Dupuis (breaststroke), Sarah Jones (breaststroke), Donovan Kovalsky (fly), Kenneth Krogh (fly), Juliette Fore (fly), Sheridan Phalen (fly), and Cameron Morey (fly).

Third place points were taken by Sam Bruce (free), James Piland (free and fly), Nick Dupuis (free), Tristan Colaizzi (free), Jessie Bricker (free and fly), Charles Bradburn (back), Juliette Fore (back), Abby Dittman (back), Ginny Grubbs (breaststroke), Jack Dupuis (breaststroke), TJ Heck (breaststroke), Olivia Heck (breaststroke), Gavin Moore (fly), Amelia Adams (fly), Tyler Swartz (fly), Lily Palmerino (fly), Gabrielle Greszler (fly), and Gus Leyden (fly).

It might have been HOT but Tristan was COOL on Saturday

Wait 'til my friends see this! (Coach Paul is always a good sport!)

You won’t want to miss next week’s A meet.  The Gators return home on Saturday to take on the Donaldson Run Thunderbolts.  This meet is a special one, as it’s MVP’s opportunity to celebrate our Gator seniors in their last home meet of their Gator careers.