The Mount Gilead Barracudas swim team finished a very rainy summer season with a successful second place finish at their league championships.
“I say every year that we consider second place a victory,” said coach Dina Snow. “No one around can beat Colonel Crawford, with over 100 swimmers, but we worked very hard to earn that second place.”
MG came out ahead of third place Upper Sandusky with a score of 1197 to 1100.
“We knew they would be the team to beat,” said Snow. “I had arranged relays and certain races just to maximize the swimmers’ efforts. When I got calls from several ill swimmers on the way to the meet, I was worried since we might have to scratch some high scoring relays.”
Fortunately, MG had some new swimmers that were willing to step up and fill some of the voids, but scores between the two teams went back and forth all day before the final tally was announced.
“I was very proud of the team. It is a long meet but they held their own and turned in some great performances. Our 8-under boys and our 11-12 boys also took home the age group trophies for the meet, the only ones not earned by Colonel Crawford!”
Gold medals were earned by Erin Zmuda in the 50 free, the 100 free and the 100 fly; Brice Haughn , 50 free; Joel Conrad, 25 fly; Casey Conrad, 100 fly; the 11-12 boys medley and free relays (Michael Snopik, Tyler Knight, Isaiah Fisher and Eric Mowery); Evan Zmuda in the 100 back and 100 breast; and the 8-under boys free relay (Brice Haughn, Jaxon Tinch, Carson Mowery and Hawke Littell).
Silver Medalists were Jaxon Tinch, 50 free; Joel Conrad, 50 free; the 9-10 boys medley relay (Bradley West, Wesley Bush, Joel Conrad and Luke McLaughlin); the 15-18 boys medley relay (Logan Conrad, Evan Zmuda, Casey Conrad and Daniel Freeman); Joel Conrad, 100 IM; Evan Zmuda, 200 IM; Carson Mowery, 25 Fly; Tyler Knight, 50 free and 50 Breast; Eric Mowery, 100 free; Courtney West, 100 Breast; and the 15-18 girls free relay (Cassidy Hack, Courtney West, Erin Zmuda and Shelby West).
Wrapping up the medal count with bronze were the 13-14 boys medley and free relays (Mason Kidwell, Gavin Robinson, Sammie West and William West); the 15-18 girls medley relay (Cassidy Hack, Courtney West, Erin Zmuda and Shelby West); Isaiah Fisher, 100 IM; Hawke Littell, 25 free and 50 free; Eric Mowery, 50 free; Tyler Knight, 100 free; Cassidy Hack, 200 free; Michael Snopik, 50 back and 50 breast; Wesley Bush, 25 Breast; and the 15-18 boys free relay (Logan Conrad, Evan Zmuda, Casey Conrad and Daniel Freeman).
Adding to the point totals were the 9-10 girls medley relay (Kamry Grandstaff, Kyndra Irwin, Grace Mowery and Madison Hack); the 11-12 girls medley relay (Kylie Irwin, Reagan Swihart, Adriana Tinch and Skye Shipman); Grace Mowery, 100 IM, 25 fly and 25 breast, Sammie West 100 IM, Meaghan McGill, 100 IM, 50 back and 50 breast; Gavin Robinson, 100 IM, 100 free and 50 breast; Colton Long 200 IM, Courtney West, 200 IM and 50 free; Jaxon Tinch, Carson Mowery, Brice Haughn, Kyndra Irwin, Wesley Bush and Bradley West, 25 free; Kamry Grandstaff, 50 free; Kylie Irwin, 50 free, 100 free and 50 back; Michael Snopik, 50 free; Rachel Davis, 50 free and 100 free; Daniel Freeman, 50 free, 100 free and 200 free; Dylan Knight, 100 free and 100 breast; Mason Kidwell, 50 free, 50 fly and 50 back;
Adriana Tinch, 50 free, back and fly, Allena McLaughlin, 50 free and 50 back; Reagan Swihart, 50 free, 100 free and 25 breast; Casey Conrad, 50 free and 200 free; Shelba Fisher, 25 back and 25 breast; Jaxon Tinch, Brice Haughn and Hawke Littell, 25 back; Madison Hack, 25 back and 25 breast; Kyndra Irwin, 25 free, 50 free, 25 breast; Carson Mowery, 25 breast; Michaela McGill, 50 breast; Logan Conrad, 50 free, 100 breast and 100 back; the 8-under girls free relay (Ryann Brinkman, Shelba Fisher, Joy McLaughlin and Ellie Rhea); the 9-10 girls free relay (Grace Mowery, Kyndra Irwin, Madison Hack and Addie Rhea); the 11-12 girls free relay (Kylie Irwin, Reagan Swihart, Adriana Tinch and Michaela McGill); and the 13-14 girls free relay (Skye Shipman, Meaghan McGill, Rachel Davis and Taylor Robinson).
“It was truly a team effort—I think every single swimmer that came contributed to the win. It is not just the medal winners that make it possible, but we are sure not going to turn those down!” said Snow.
The team enjoyed an awards banquet on July 15 to celebrate the swimmers’ hard work. The Mount Gilead summer swim team is open to all area students interested in competitive swimming. The team is currently made up of swimmers from age 6 through 18. Several swimmers continue in the fall and winter months with the Marion Y team, and Mount Gilead also has a high school team that practices in Marion from November through February.
Information received from Dina Snow.
