The Mount Gilead Barracuda swim team opened the summer season with a meet against Colonel Crawford.
“Each year, I have to give the pep talk about swimming against Colonel Crawford and hope the kids try to worry about their own times and improving over the short season. We are among only two teams out of six in our league that swim outdoors. Colonel Crawford has an indoor pool and has been training since April. We have no choice but to wait for the pool to open at the end of May, and even then, we had a week with temps in the 50s!” said head coach Dina Snow.
With that being said, the team did very well and some swimmers even improved on last year’s times.
“I was very proud of how well they did with so little practice. It was fun to cheer for the new swimmers,” said Snow.
First year swimmers included Alina Van Horn, Anavey Jodrey, Kasey Fiant, , Maizy Brinkman, Rylee Simpson and Kelsey Kneipp.
Earning first place finishes at the meet were the 13-14 boys medley relay (Sammy West, Tyler Knight, Eric Mowery and Joel Conrad); the 15-18 boys medley relay (Michael Snopik, Evan Zmuda, Casey Conrad and Gavin Robinson); Brice Haughn, 25 free, 25 fly and 25 breast; Joel Conrad, 50 free and 50 fly; Eric Mowery, 50 fly; Casey Conrad, 100 free, 100 fly and 200 free; Mason Kidwell, 50 back; Erin Zmuda, 100 breast; Evan Zmuda, 100 back and 100 breast; the 13-14 boys free relay (Tyler Knight, Sammy West, Michael Snopik and Mason Kidwell); and the 15-18 boys free relay (Casey Conrad, Gavin Robinson, Evan Zmuda and Eric Mowery).
Coming in second in their races were the 13-14 girls medley relay (Skye Shipman, Madison Hack, Grace Mowery and Keana Littell); Ryann Brinkman, 25 free; Michael Snopik, 50 free and 100 free; Joel Conrad, 100 free; Luke Fraizer, 50 breast; Gavin Robinson, 50 free, 100 breast and 200 free; Hawke Littell, 25 free; Nate Rabun, 50 back; and the 15-18 girls free relay (Erin Zmuda, Kylie Irwin, Cassandra Snopik and Adriana Tinch).
Rounding out the top finishes with thirds were Eric Mowery, 50 free and 100 free; Hawke Littell, 25 back; Kaydence McKenzie, 25 free; Skye Shipman, 50 back; Grace Mowery, 50 breast; and Erin Zmuda, 50 free.
The following swimmers scored additional points in their individual events: Kaydence McKenzie, Adriana Tinch, Cassandra Snopik, Madison Hack, Abigail Griffith and Kasey Fiant. The following relay teams also added to the total: the 8-under girls free relay(Gabby Brinkman, Abigail Griffith, Anavey Jodrey and Alina VanHorn); the 9-10 girls free relay (Kaydence McKenzie, Maizy Brinkman, Ryann Brinkman and Kendall Neal); and the 11-12 girls free relay (Grace Mowery, Madison Hack, Keana Littell and Olivia Morrison).
“Many thanks to the parents who timed at the meet and to assistant coach Robin Conrad,” said Snow.”We also have a number of team members who like to help with the younger swimmers, so way to go, assistants!”
