The last dual meet of the season provided the suitable backdrop for drama and the Bulldog swimmers didnt disappoint. Each event was closely contested and the outcome remained in jeopardy throughout. Not until the final race was completed were the results known. In sports, a tie is often depicted as an event equaling a kiss with your sister and in the Stow swim match with Wadsworth that cliche was closer to the truth than many knew. Stow swim coach Athena Millers sister, Kayla, is a member of the Wadsworth swim team. As a result of the 88 -88 tie, the true sister-kiss was accomplished.
The 200 yard Medley Relay was won by Wadsworth, but the Stow team (Shelbey Mitchell, SR; Jessie Lee, SO; Megan Kolke, SO; and Becca Kassinger, SO) powered to a second place finish in 2:01.04. Stow also finished in 4th and 6th place in the race. Wadsworths advantage was short-lived as Chelsea Simpson, JR (2:11.15), Emily Bauman, SR (2:23.92), and captain Lauren Stephenson, SR (2:25.39) finished 1st, 3rd, and 4th in the 200 yard freestyle race. Simpsons gritty performance was not to be denied as she refused to let the Grizzly swimmer catch her.
Wadsworth took the lead after the 200 yard Individual Medley, but breaking up the sweep was Jessie Lee who raced to a second place finish in 2:25.94. Haley Adkins and Kolke finished 5th and 6th. Stow was not as fortunate in the 50 yard Freestyle sprint as the Wadsworth team took all 3 top spots and Kassinger, freshman Rachael Moretti, and sophomore Clairissa Myatt had to settle for the remaining 3 positions.
Leave it to the seasoned star diver senior Mialy Wells to pick up 6 much-needed points by winning the diving competition. Mialys performance was competed at the Kent swimming pool and the results were instrumental in the eventual outcome.
Shelbey Mitchell pulled off a narrow victory in the 100 yard Butterfly in a time of 1:05.50. Her margin of victory was .19 seconds over her Wadsworth rival. Also demonstrating their determination was the effort showed by Kelly Palmer, SR (1:16.86) and Kylee Stone, JR (1:20.44) who finished 3rd and 4th for valuable points.
Every time that the Stow swimmers closed the gap in scoring, the Wadsworth team answered with another impressive race. The best Stow could accomplish in the 100 yard free was a 3rd place finish by Kassinger in 1:01.90. She was followed by Moretti and Palmer in 4th and 6th places.
Another impressive swim by Simpson and Bauman, in the 500 yard Freestyle, left Wadsworth in their wake with Simpsons winning time of 5:46.92. Bauman finished in 6:24.04, in second place. Amanda Mitchell finished 6th in the race.
The Stow team refused to give up. Relay teams in the 200 yard Freestyle Relay finished 2nd and 3rd. Stephenson, Simpson, Kolke, and Lee timed out at 1:54.54, and Adkins, Bauman, Palmer, and Myatt raced to 2:01.83.
The score close, every race was critical. In the 100 yard Backstroke, Shelbey Mitchell showed her mastery in a first-place time of 1:02.46. Kolke and Myatt added huge points by finishing 4th and 5th. The 100 yard Breaststroke was captured by Wadsworth, but Lee (1:15.61), Adkins (1:18.35), and Stephenson (1:26.17) held up their end of the bargain by taking 2nd, 3rd, and 5th to keep the scoring close.
It all came down to the 400 yard Free Relay. With the Stow swimmers slightly behind in the meet, Simpson, Adkins, Kassinger, and Shelbey Mitchell finished in first place. Stone, Libby Einsporn, JR, Colleeen Reed, SO, and Bauman finished 3rd. The combined points were enough to tie-up Wadsworth.
Coach Miller was all praise for her Girls team. Now, its all about getting ready for the beginning of the State Tournament, which begins with the Sectional Meet on February 13, at the Ocasek Natatorium on the campus of Akron University. Go Get Em Bulldogs!
1/22/10 Stow vs Solon (L, 61-124)
No Summary Available
1/15/10 Stow vs Cuyahoga Falls (W, 98-82)
The Lady Bulldogs won their first swim meet this season against Cuyahoga Falls on Friday, January 15, with a score of 98 to 82.
Medley relay teams Shelby Mitchell, Jessie Lee, Rachael Moretti and Becca Kassinger (2:02.28) and Megan Kolke, Haley Adkins, Kelly Palmer, and Clairissa Myatt (2:11.69) began the evening taking first and second place. Followed by the 200 yard freestyle with Lee (2:09.79) placing first, Lauren Stephenson (2:23.30) placing third and Amanda Mitchell (2:32.14) placing fifth.
Next an additional first, second and fifth place in the 200 yard IM with Shelby Mitchell (2:27.79), Kolke (2:43.85) and Palmer (2:49.16). In the 50 freestyle Moretti (27.92) scored third place and Myatt (30.34) fourth.
Mialy Wells dove strong and placed second then Kolke (1:14.18) took third, Kassinger (1:15.95) took fourth and Kylee Stone (1:20.78) took fifth in the 100 yard butterfly.
Shelby Mitchell retuned in the 100 yard freestyle to place second with a time of 58.31 and Adkins third with 1:05.00. The 500 freestyle was a good race for Lee with a personal best time of 5:51.88 taking first followed by Chelsea Simpson (5:52.27) in second and Emily Bauman (6:23.54) in fourth.
The 200 freestyle relay team Kassinger, Myatt, Colleen Reed and Moretti (1:57.57) took second and Kolke, Adkins, Palmer and Simpson (1:59.09) took third. The 100 yard backstroke gave Simpson her person best time of 1:09.70 and second place plus Bauman took fifth place with 1:19.55.
In the 100 yard breaststroke the women conquered first and second with Adkins (1:19.77) and Stephenson (1:25.43). The girls concluded with a first place 400 yard relay team consisting of Kassinger, Lee, Shelby Mitchell, and Moretti (4:01.85).
