(Chelsea Update would like to thank coach Dave Jolly for the information in this story.)
Two days after the Chelsea High School Men’s Swim & Dive Team scored a commanding victory against Milan, the team traveled to Adrian and went into the meet with lineup to give some of the younger kids a chance to shine.
It went as planned, but Adrian was ready for the meet and pushed the Bulldogs hard.
Chelsea got off to a good start with a close win in the 200 Medley Relay. Sam Almhiemid, David Alday, Nick Burris, and Nick Deppner swam a season best time of 1:43.33. Dylan Ousley, Drew Deppner, Max lonnemo, and Jonny Mangner took third in 1:55.94.
Ben Thoms swam a solid 200-yard freestyle to win the event at 1:55.67. Tom Olsen was fourth in 2:11.30 and freshman Sam Beale was fifth in 2:11.76. The event would be a split on points and gave the Bulldogs and a 6-point lead going into the next event.
Adrian’s Ian Moran one of the SEC’s top swimmers won the 200-yard IM. Logan Simpson took second in 2:11.21 to post his season’s best time in the event. Manger was fourth clocking in at 2:23.12 and Dylan Ousley took fifth in 2:26.66. The lead was now down to four points going into the 50-yard freestyle.
Adrian came out in the next event and went first and second. Lonnemo earned third place at 24.02. Carter Engler was fourth in 25.39 and Zach McKinley was fifth in 27.14.
The meet was tied headed into diving.
Adrian won the 1-meter diving event and Joey Smith and Jacob Burris were second and third respectively.
Chelsea was now down by 2 point with the second half of the meet to go, and Jolly made some adjustments to the line-up.
Lonnemo swam a career best time to win the 100-yard butterfly. Lonnemo, who has become a top swimmer for the Bulldogs this season,stopped the clock at 58.62. Will Wickens was third with his best time of the season going 1:02.41. Chelsea and Adrian were now tied.
Mangner, Engler, and Goodin went 2,3,4 in the 100-yard freestyle to outscore the Maples, 9-7 in the event to take a 2-point lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the meet.
Mangner went 54.24, Engler went a season best at 54.94 and Goodin was clocked at 55.68.
Thoms and Austin Horn went 1-2 in the 500-yard freestyle. Thoms stopped the clock at 5:17.36 and Horn clocked another season best for the Bulldogs at 5:28.91. Drew Deppner was fourth overall with a season and career best of his own at 5:28.98.
Alday, Nick Deppner, Almhiemid, and Burris combined for a season best in the 200-yard freestyle relay at 1:32.46. Hartman, Thoms, Engler, and Goodin combined in the event to take third place at 1:39.88.
Simpson, a senior, swam another outstanding season best time taking second in the 100-yard backstroke at 1:01.42. Dylan Ousley was third overall at 1:05.28 and Zach McKinley went his season best at 1:11.26 to take fourth.
Tom Olsen won the 100-yard breast stroke with a strong 1:08.70 clocking. Drew Deppner took 2nd at 1:12.90 and Zach Ousley was fourth overall at 1:13.10.
Alday, Nick Burris, Nick Deppner, and Almhiemid combined again to set another season best. The talented quartet won the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:26.88. Lonnemo, Aiden Carry, Goodin, and Hartman combined for second place to seal the win for the Bulldogs.
The team is back in action this week with meets against Jackson and Skyline high schools.
