On a busy day of training and swimming, the Saint Ignatius swimming & diving team took care of business vs. Hawken Upper School on Friday evening.
The Wildcats started the day with a morning swim, continued the fun with an afternoon lift, and then topped it all off with a 205-104 victory over Hawken at Cleveland State University's Robert Busbey Natatorium.
All in all, a very profitable day for the Wildcats.
We'll start with the first of many 1-2 sweeps in the relays for the Wildcats – the 200 medley. The quartet of Tyler Hong, Zach Toothman, Brian Johnson, and John Soeder began the evening with a great effort in the event, claiming first place. The veterans tabbed a time of 1:38.91. Erik Seicean, Robert Gavigan, Cormac Nolan, and Will Van de Walle nipped at their heels throughout the race, pushing them with a time of 1:40.76. The Wildcats' second squad took second in the event.
Hong turned around and ripped off a great time in the 200 free. The star junior bested all comers with a time of 1:44.01. Thomas McIntyre clipped third with a mark of 1:52.10, Michael Bednar earned fifth at 1:54.36, and Brendan Kiskorna shaded a time of 1:57.22.
In the 200 medley, Joe Richmond stole the spotlight. The junior won the race with a time of 2:01.21, though his fellow junior Zach Toothman didn't give him an easy race. Toothman tallied a time of 2:02.94 for silver. Cam Marcie also competed in the event, tagging the wall at 2:11.08.
The Wildcats earned an impressive 1-2-3 sweep in the 50 free. The speedster Micah Murtha framed a great time of 22.01, the best of all swimmers. Toothman flew through the water, as well, but finished in a narrow second with a mark of 22.56. Thomas Metz completed the sweep with a time of 22.98. Sam Hessler rounded out the group, earning fifth at 24.04.
The Wildcats also had 4 reps in the 100 butterfly. Cormac Nolan led the Saint Ignatius delegation, writing in a time of 56.86 for second. Johnson followed him with a mark of 57.28 for fourth. Daniel Argalious coined a time of 58.23 for fifth. Daniel Anthony cut a time of 1:03.95 for seventh.
The Wildcats' most impressive effort may have come in the 100 free. You thought the 1-2-3 sweep was impressive? How about a 1-2-3-4 sweep!
Murtha and Kian Carmichael dueled for the top spot in a well-fought race. In the end, Murtha barely edged his senior teammate, filing a time of 49.28 to barely beat Carmichael's 49.63. Soeder and Van de Walle also did quite well, unfolding times of 50.52 and 50.68.
In the marathon 500 free, Richmond shined the brightest. In his trademark style, Richmond's steady pace won out, as the junior penned a winning time of 4:47.34. Bednar handled the race with a time of 5:06.83 for third. McIntyre flagged in at 5:08.92 for fourth. Benjamin Stavar completed the quartet, carding a mark of 5:23.97.
The Wildcats unfurled another great effort in the 200 free relay. Van de Walle, Murtha, Carmichael, and Soeder worked together for the gold. The great tandem parked a time of 1:29.43. Metz, Marcie, Argalious, and Nolan also did well, tapping a time of 1:31.95 for second.
Hong returned to the pool in the 100 backstroke, and wasted little time in making a big impact. The junior rolled to first in 52.27, experiencing little trouble. The Wildcats' youngsters in the race also performed well, with Hessler taking the bronze at 58.78, Seicean pawing a time of 59.36 for fourth, and Norman Dennert recording a time of 1:05.55 for sixth.
The success continued in the 100 breaststroke. Toothman took the limelight in the event, snatching first. The talented vet papered a time of 1:01.48 for the gold. Gavigan roared for a time of 1:03.40 for third. Vincent Elmore (1:09.00) and Jack Johannessen (1:10.47) rounded things out with fifth and sixth, respectively.
Murtha, Hong, Carmichael, and Richmond made a splash in the 400 free to complete the victory. The four Cats fired out for a time of 3:15.55, besting all other squads. Johnson, Hessler, McIntyre, and Seicean took third for the Wildcats, locking in a time of 3:34.84.
Wrapping up with diving, the Wildcats took two of the top three spots. Will Claus won the 1-meter diving, surprising no one with a great score. Noah Keim snagged third in an impressive showing for the senior.
And before we look ahead, let's acknowledge the Wildcats' talented JV swimmers.
The Wildcats raced five in the JV heat of the 50 free. Bailey Detering stood out with his time of 25.06, followed closely by CJ Navarrete Velez at 25.59. Gabriel Gabrovsek (26.04), Will Trenta (27.12), and Gustav Kotlarsic (29.89) also performed admirably for the Cats.
In the 100 free, the Wildcats had 6 young men donning the blue and gold swim caps. Detering again led the way with a great mark of 54.94. Brice Cerar and Humbert Wirtz each broke the minute mark with times of 57.67 and 59.23. Trenta (1:00.42), Damon Durrah (1:00.88), and Kotlarsic (1:08.24) also made their coaches and teammates proud with a good race.
Three men of Ohio City hit the pool in the 100 breaststroke. Navarrete Velez took center stage with his excellent mark of 1:12.60. Durrah followed closely, pinning a time of 1:13.50. Cerar rounded out the trip with a mark of 1:17.29.
Even with the win in hand, the Wildcats have no time to rest. The squad is back in action on Saturday at Cleveland State's Busbey Natatorium for the Wally Relays, starting at 5:50 pm.