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Southmont wins one-point dual over Greencastle in the pool
The last home dual of the 2022 portion of the swim season saw Greencastle host Southmont Thursday night.
In a razor-close decision, the Mounties edged the Tiger Sharks 83-82 in the girls’ meet while the visitors claimed a 77-61 win in the boys’ meet.
Diving would prove to be the difference as Southmont’s Emily Smith was the only competitor on the night, gaining the visitors a free win that would provide the Mounties an ace in the hole once the final relays finished.
Greencastle had several wins on the girls’ side with Caroline Gooch winning the 200 free (2:15.37) and 500 free (6:05.51) while Sophie Riggle won the 50 free (27.76) and 100 free (1:01.93) and Avery Capps won the 200 IM (2:50.65).
The Tiger Sharks also picked up the 200 free relay (1:56.81) through Riggle, Capps, Gooch and Kylie Flint and the 400 free relay (4:22.88) through Riggle, Flint, Gooch and Meredith Ball.
“I was very happy with the poise our swimmers were able to demonstrate on the night,” Greencastle head coach Kent Menzel said. “I’m pleased with the development of our junior crew, which includes Sophie, Kylie and Meredith, who all swam strong.
“The head of the team, Caroline, is pushing them well. She was not challenged tonight, so she worked on the racing elements she needed to work on and the moves to close both the 200 and 500 free.
“I felt strong about our relay squads tonight as the girls work well together and the combinations we have are starting to gel,” Menzel added. “We’re starting to get stronger swims and demonstrate the maturity and strength to go after the 400 free relay and they’re doing a wonderful job of rising to that challenge.”
On the boys’ side, Greencastle took home a win in the 200 free relay (2:07.04) though Sam Hanlon, Mason Howard, Landon Miller and Nolan Stonebreaker. Second-place finishes included Charlie Menzel in the 50 free (30.03) and 100 breaststroke (1:25.90), Daniel Dinn in the 100 free (1:09.99) and 100 back (1:27.81) and Justin Evans in the 100 fly (1:28.67). The Tiger Sharks also finished second in the 200 medley relay (2:21.79) through Dinn, Evans, Menzel and Hanlon and in the 400 free relay (4:51.22) through Evans, Stonebreaker, Dinn and Menzel.
Cloverdale’s Carson Hall added another two wins to his senior ledger, winning the 200 free (2:03.87) and 500 free (5:52.69).
“We’re in hardcore learning more on the boys’ side but if you looked at improvement by the number of seconds we dropped, it was a stellar night,” Menzel said. “We had great improvement from Sam and Nolan and it was great to have Landon back in the water for some solid swims.
“One of the real sources of energy for the boys’ team has been Justin, who is a tough-minded, absolute workhorse, listens to everything we say and does everything he can to put it into practice. I’m pleased with the leadership he has shown as he is an invaluable part of our team.
“Daniel, Charlie and Mason are also swimming very well,” Menzel added. “A parallel to Caroline, Carson had another great meet while not being challenged in either of his races, so he was able to work on race things he needed to, such as how to manage the first 100 of his 200 free and how to bring his 500 free home for when those challenges come.
“With their relays, we’re trying to find the formula and it’s a challenge with a small team to disperse them across the meet. We’re figuring it out and however we move them around, we’re getting solid swims out of them.”