Last Saturday, February 11, the Aquatic Owls participated in the Shelby County Swimming Championships at the University of Memphis and performed very well as they claimed second against some of the best competition in the county. These championships included teams from both public and private schools as swimming is not a TSSAA-recognized sport.
The Owls scored 566 total points, finishing behind only CBHS (690). MUS defeated fine squads such as Houston (314), Collierville (293), ECS (269), Germantown (247), White Station (244), Bolton (163), St Benedict (127), St. George's (104), Bartlett (48), Briarcrest (39), and Lausanne (7).
The 35 MUS swimmers really showed what teamwork is all about.
With no first-place finishers and only one second-place relay team, the Owls were deep in all events, entering the maximum number of qualifiers in all individual races. In addition, all but one of the Owl swimmers scored points, an amazing feat.
Individual scorers included seniors Collier Calandruccio, Daniel Harriman, Keith Parsons, Hayden Pendergrass, Eric Reid, and Dex Witte; juniors Bill Bell, Ashton Fisher, John Goldsmith, Scott Guinn, Drew Haight, Drew Hammond, Neale Hicks, Tyler Johnson, Ross Kerwin, Andy Kim, Thomas McIntire, Alex Olinger, John Reinhardt, Erim Sarinoglu, and Byron Tyler; sophomores Jack Montgomery and Luke Wynn; and freshmen Johnny Dillon, Jon Mitchell, John Rutledge, Forrest Wortham, and Tucker Witte.
The MUS Team now heads to Nashville on Thursday, February 23, for the Tennessee State Swimming Championships. With nine swimmers qualified in 15 events and at least three relays, the Aquatic Owls are looking for places in finals.