Senior’s record-setting swim wins set the pace for GHS at Small School Invite
A middle-of-the-pack team finish didn’t reflect several outstanding performances by the Grafton boys’ swimming and diving squad at the Small School State Invitational in
Shorewood last Saturday.
Although the Black Hawks had to settle for seventh place in the overall standings, they received a pair of wins from senior Al Nennig and two seconds in relay races.
Nennig raced to first in the 200-yard individual medley (1 minute, 56.26 seconds) and 100 backstroke (52.04). Both times broke his own team records.
Grafton got runner-up finishes from the 200 medley team of Bailey Bodart, Nennig, Kieran Paddock and Ben Gosselin (1:43.8) and the 200 freestyle team of Gosselin, Paddock,
Brad Kempka and Nennig (1:30.98).
“We did pretty well. I knew that we would be up against some strong competition,” said Grafton coach Mark Minz, whose squad was seventh with 183 points in an 18-team field.
“Al had a great day, and all our relays swam well.”
Among other local teams, Port Washington was 12th with 55 points.
Cedarburg won the overall title with 310 points, well ahead of runner-up Monona Grove (281). Madison Edgewood was third (265).
Grafton’s other top-10 finishes were a fourth by Killian Mielotz in diving (336.65 points), sixth by Zach Greenwood in diving (305.3), eighth by Kempka in the 100 freestyle (51.23)
and 10ths by Gosselin in the 200 freestyle (1:54.96) and the 400 freestyle team of Matt Salm, Tyler Kish, Bodart and Kempka (3:35.49).
Port’s top finish came from senior Alex Mehre, who placed sixth in the 100 butterfly (57.22).
The Pirates also got a 10th from Connor LaCosse in the 50 freestyle (24.06) and 11th from the 200 medley team of Perry Schaefer, Callum Toal, Mehre and LaCosse (1:53.31).
“I was pleased with 12th place,” Port coach Melissa Hoogester said. “We didn’t have any divers, so overall we did pretty well.”
Grafton 99, Port Washington 77
The Hawks overcame a strong challenge from host Port to win a North Shore Conference meet Jan. 24.
Port had six first-place swimming finishes to Grafton’s five, but the Hawks used their depth to claim a schooner-styled traveling trophy that goes to the winner of the teams’
annual dual meet.
The Hawks got wins from Nennig in the individual medley (a pool-record 1:59.2); Gosselin in the 200 freestyle (1:56.9); the 200 medley team of Ben Stewart, Nennig, Bodart and
Gosselin (1:48.45); the 200 freestyle team of Paddock, Kish, Gosselin and Nennig (1:35.59); and the 400 freestyle team of Nennig, Kish, Paddock and Gosselin (3:37.71).
Placing first for Port were Connor LaCosse in the 50 freestyle (23.82) and 100 freestyle (52.72), J.B. Nosko in the 500 freestyle (5:30.18) and 100 backstroke (1:13.75), Toal in the 100 breaststroke (1:13.75) and Mehre in the 100 butterfly (59.57).
The Pirates kept things close by sweeping the top three spots in the butterfly race. Diego Anderson was second (1:05.34) and Christian LaCosse was third (1:05.83).
Port Washington 98, Kiel 66
The Pirates won seven events and cruised at home in a nonconference meet Jan. 22.
Port’s five solo victories came from Mehre in the 100 butterfly (1:01.24) and individual medley (2:21.11), Connor LaCosse in the 50 freestyle (24.32) and 500 freestyle (5:29.69) and Nosko in the 200 freestyle (2:09.13).
The Pirates also got wins from the 200 medley team of Nosko, Toal, Mehre and Connor LaCosse (1:54.54) and 400 freestyle team of Mehre, Nosko, Toal and Connor LaCosse (3:48.21).
This week, Port and Grafton will participate in the conference meet at Whitefish Bay.
Diving will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, followed by swimming at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Image Information: PORT WASHINGTON’S Alex Mehre churned through the water for a first-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly during a North Shore Conference meet against Grafton. Photo by Sam Arendt
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