The Mount Gilead Barracudas finished fifth out of seven teams at their first ASAC Championship meet this past Saturday in Loudonville, scoring a grand total of 881 points.
The Barracudas were narrowly edged out by the Shelly Acres Sharks, who scored 904 points in the final team standing. The Ontario Warriors, Willard Waves and Loudonville Stingrays joined the Sharks in topping Mount Gilead, though MG was able to gather enough points to beat the Crestline Waterdogs and former TCAL rival Upper Sandusky Black Marlins.
Mount Gilead put up a good fight against some very talented (and large) teams: The ASAC champion Ontario Warriors and ASAC runner-up Willard Waves, for example, both had over 100 swimmers competing, while Mount Gilead only had 55.
Though not as strong as other teams in numbers, the Barracudas still made a strong impact on the meet, which is evident by their individual and relay performances throughout the day. Mount Gilead had 21 swimmers with podium (top three) finishes, including four ASAC champions: Connor Robinson in the 8-and-under boys’ 25 breaststroke, Jaxon Tinch in the 11-12 boys’ 50 backstroke, and Joel Conrad in the 13-14 boys’ 100 IM and 50 breaststroke. With some events having over 50 swimmers competing (the largest having 60), this was no small feat!
Placing second for the Barracuda was the 8-and-under girls’ 100 medley relay team of McKenzie West, Avery McClelland, Chloe Bolton and Adylynn Brown; Hawke Littell in the boys’ 9-10 25 freestyle, 9-10 25 butterfly and 9-10 25 backstroke and Connor Robinson in the 8-and-under 25 backstroke.
Taking third place was the boys’ 9-10 100 medley relay squad of Max Bulkowski, Evan Irons, Hawke Littell and Elias Bulkowski; the boys’ 13-14 200 medley relay team of Nathan Rabun, Luke Fraizer, Joel Conrad and Wesley Bush; the boys’ 15-18 200 medley relay team of Eric Mowery, Gavin Robinson, Tyler Knight and Michael Snopik; Chloe Bolton in the girls’ 8-and-under 25 freestyle, 8-and-under 25 butterfly and 8-and-under 25 breaststroke; Zane Grandstaff in the boys’ 8-and-under freestyle and 8-and-under 25 backstroke; the boys’ 8-and-under 100 freestyle relay of Zane Grandstaff, Hudson Hand, Cleo Young and Connor Robinson; the 9-10 100 freestyle relay of Elias Bulkowski, Jesse West, Evan Irons and Hawke Litteral; the boys’ 13-14 200 freestyle relay of Joel Conrad, Luke Fraizer, Nathan Rabun and Wesley Bush and the 15-18 200 freestyle relay of Gavin Robinson, Eric Mowery, Tyler Knight and Michael Snopik.
