Over the weekend, Owl swimmers were prepared to conclude their regular season and go into the postseason on a winning note. Their Saturday meet turned out to be one of the most eventful competitions of this year. After the 100 Freestyle, 50 Butterfly, and 100 Backstroke competitions, the Owls jumped out to an early 34-30 lead over Germantown High. However, Red Devils then swept the top three in the 100 Individual Medley and took first in the 100 Breaststroke and 400 Freestyle Relay; this impressive run gave the Red Devils a commanding 86-67 lead over MUS.
As the Owls’ hopes for the win were dwindling, sophomores Bill Bell and Drew Haight and junior Dex Witte were preparing to swim the 500 Freestyle. They knew they would have to perform well under pressure, and they succeeded, each cutting their best time by 10-16 seconds. The three freestyle swimmers earned 20 points for their phenomenal finishes, sealing an MUS victory by one point.
Besides the incredible comeback by the Owls, many individuals also finished the regular season with season-best performances. Sophomore John Goldsmith swan the 100 Freestyle in 55 seconds, a time that was worthy of a State cut. Senior Aaron Struminger, junior Keith Parsons, Bell and Haight, and freshman Ross Montague also swam the 100 Freestyle in under 60 seconds, a feat which made them the newest members of the inter-team Sub 60 Club. Also, 80% of the swims on Saturday were MUS swimmers’ best times, including a 100 Breaststroke time of 1:10.07 recorded by Hank Wynn. Wynn’s time broke the school record in that event, previously held by Hank Wynn himself.
The MUS swimmers look very prepared to take on the competition that the County Championships have to offer. The County Meet will be held at the University of Memphis with the first swims starting at 9:00 a.m. The Owl swimmers look forward to the competition, and, as always, encourage postseason fan support.