Mount Gilead hosted a seven-team meet Wednesday, Dec. 18, at the Marion Y’s Keith Davis Natatorium. The pool area was filled to capacity with fans cheering on the home team as well as Upper Sandusky, Harding, River Valley, Elgin, Beechcroft and Wynford.

“We probably took on too much for a school night, but it was encouraging to the swimmers to have a large and enthusiastic crowd. It is a rough time of the season as we start to increase yardage in the midst of exams, sickness, holiday preparation, you name it, so the more cheering the better!” said coach Dina Snow. “We appreciate the Y for all the help they provide and all the parents from our team and several others that volunteered to help the meet run smoothly.”

After results were finalized, Mount Gilead finished second overall behind Upper Sandusky. “The Rams are a large and talented team, so we feel pretty good that our 13 swimmers could do that well against 25-35 member teams!” exclaimed Snow. “We had some swimmers try some new events and do very well. When we branch out into events that not everyone swims, the results can really help the scores!

Meet highlights: Eric Mowery swam the 500 free for the first time and won the event with a time of 6:15.42, even though he had just finished swimming the 100 free. Michael Snopik swam the 200 free, also for the first time, and finished 3rd. Joel Conrad also set the school record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:03.16.

“This record was set in 2007, so it was pretty exciting to see Joel do that the first time he swam it this season,” said Snow.

Other top finishes by MG swimmers: Joel Conrad, 1st in the 100 fly; Cassandra Snopik, tied for 1st in the 100 breast; Michael Snopik, 2nd in the 50 free; the men’s 200 medley relay (Mowery, Tyler Knight, Conrad and Snopik), 2nd; Tyler Knight, 2nd in the 100 breast; the women’s 200 medley relay (Taylor Robinson, Cassandra Snopik, Adriana Tinch and Michaela McGill), 3rd place; and the men’s 400 free relay (Mowery, Knight, Snopik, Conrad).

Also adding to the team scores were Taylor Robinson in the 200 free and 100 back; Cassandra Snopik in the 50 free; Tyler Knight in the 50 free; Adriana Tinch in the 100 free and 100 back; Eric Mowery and Mason Kidwell in the 100 free; the women’s 200 free relay (Tinch, McGill, Robinson and Snopik); the men’s 200 free relay (Logen Bailey, Wesley Bush, Seamus Walsh and Mason Kidwell); Mason Kidwell in the 100 back; and Logen Bailey and Wesley Bush in the 100 breast.

Information received from Dina Snow.