Chelsea kicked off its swim and dive season with an impressive win at the annual SMISL relays last weekend.
Chelsea hosted the event at the Charles S. Cameron Pool and ran away with the win scoring an impressive 582 points. Temperance Bedford was second with 340 points and Tecumseh scored 312 points. Milan, Monroe and Adrian rounded out the field of teams.
Chelsea started the meet in grand fashion Friday night with returning state champion Jake Burris scoring a new varsity and pool record point total of 297 points. Joe Smith, last year’s state runner up, took 2nd and also scored an outstanding 292 points. Jordan Smith was third with a career best of 240 points and Sean Lyons was 4th with his career best of 196 points.
The Bulldogs are strong in diving and their strength in the event will definitely separate them form many of the state’s top teams.
On Saturday, the Bulldogs started where the divers left off, winning the 200yd medley relay. Kurt Jolly, Philipi Lopes, Sam Almhiemid and Joe Mangner combined for a state qualification time of 1:42.31. Chelsea’s B relay took 4th place overall. Dylan Ousley, Zach Lee, Lee Argir and Carter Engler combined for a 1:48.98.
Chelsea made its 2nd state cut time in its 2nd event as Zach Lee, Carter Engler, Aunic Goodin and Joe Mangner blasted to a 1:33.73 to take 1st place. Chelsea’s B relay took 3rd place honors as Mitch Taylor, Collin Babycz, Joey Ingall and Nick Bremmer stopped the clock at 1:41.50.
In the 3 X 100 IM relay, Max Lonnemo, Philipi Lopes and Jacob Hartman swam a 3:02.74 to take 2nd place. Dylan Ousley, Preston Ewald and Collin Babycz took 4th place honors at 3:12.69.
Chelsea got back to their winning ways as the 500yd freestyle relay team of Joe Mangner, Jacob Hartman, Aunic Goodin, Kurt Jolly and Carter Engler combined for a 4:31.55. The B relay was also impressive as Conner Gilbreath, Nick Bremmer, Ben Thoms, Lee Argir and Jacob Burris took 3rd place overall with a 4:41.78.
Chelsea came right back in the 300yd backstroke relay with another win. Jacob Hartman, Kurt Jolly, Sam Almhiemid and Dylan Ousley cruised to a 2:53.02 and 1st place. Chelsea’s B relay also place as Ethan Prodin, Collin Babycz, Joey Ingall and Robert Maddison combined for a 3:23.21 and 5th place overall.
Chelsea came out again in the next event with power in the 300yd butterfly relay. Lee Argir, Kurt Jolly, Sam Almhiemid and Max Lonnemo took charge from the start of the race and won going away with a time of 2:52.49. Michael Geer, Preston Ewald, Jacob Hartman and Mitch Taylor captured 3rd place for the Bulldogs with a combined time of 3:05.34
In the 700 freestyle relay Joey Mangner, Aunic Goodin, Ben Thoms, Sam Almhiemid and Max Lonnemo captured 2nd place honors for the Bulldogs at 6:53.88. Chelsea’s B relay came up big as they took 3rd place over all. Collin Babycz, Carter Engler, Drew Deppner, Preston Ewald and Mitch Taylor clocked a 7:02.43.
With the meet in hand, Chelsea kept piling up impressive swims. The 300yd breastroke relay was up next and they did not disappoint. Zach Lee, Nick Bremmer, Philipi Lopes and Drew Deppner posted another win for the bulldogs at 3:18.41. The B relay earned 5th place points as Ethan Prodin, Sumner Oesterle, Lorenzo Melendez and Robert Maddison stopped the clock at 4:01.97.
The 600yd freestyle relay notched another win and sealed the win for Chelsea. Aunic Goodin, Ben Thoms and Philipi Lopes took 1st with a time of 5:48.04. The B relay also scored points taking 4th place overall. Lee Argir, Dylan Ousley and Drew Deppner clocked a 6:11.88.
In the last event, Chelsea scored 3rd place. The event is one that brings some of the best cheers of the day as swimmers must swim the first length underwater and then sprint back for each leg. Zach Lee, Joey Mangner, Jacob Burris and Ben Thoms went 1:47.78. Chelsea’s B relay was close behind for 4th place as Mitch Taylor, Joey Ingall, Drew Deppner and Preston Ewald clocked a 1:56.60.
Chelsea will next travel to Ann Arbor Skyline for the Mega Quad meet with Skyline, Birmingham Groves and Heartland High School all competing in what promises to be one of the more exciting meets in the state early in this season.
Chelsea, coming off its state runner up in Division III, will be tested in this meet and will find out quickly if they have what it will take to make another run at the state title.
