Wednesday night, the Bridgeport High School Swim Team traveled to Parkersburg High; both boys and girls falling to the Big Red; the boys 87-79 and the girls 106-84. For the BHS boys, it was their first loss of the season. 

 

 “It was a tough meet. Parkersburg has an excellent, really big, very powerful team,” said Coach Jan Grisso. “I feel our kids did well for the most part, but they were just hard to beat.”

 

Bright spots in the dual meet included a handful of boys’ events. The Tribe’s Philip Malenich captured wins in the 200-free and 100-backstroke events and John Carter earned first place in both 50-freestyle and 100-butterfly. Also stacking up points for the boys was Luke Pinti, who captured a victory in the 100-breaststroke and a third place in individual medley. The relay team of Malenich, Carter, Kyle Malcolm and Marcel Rodriquez combined talents to win the 400-freestyle relay.

 

BHS girls’ standout Sarah Stallman pulled out a pair of second places; in the 50- and 100-freestyle events. Teammate Darian Spencer also earned to second-place finishes; in 100-back and 100-butterly. The Tribe’s Kaitlin Pinti was second in the 100-breaststroke event.

 

The Indian Swim Team is back in action Monday, taking on Fairmont Senior and Robert C. Byrd in a makeup meet to be held at the YMCA of Harrison County. Start time is around 6 p.m., Grisso said.

 

In addition to last week’s weather woes and not practicing on days school was canceled, the team met difficulty when water lines were frozen at the YMCA and swimmers had to travel to Salem University to practice. But on the upside, all her athletes are healthy and injury-free and everyone participated in Wednesday night’s competition.

 

Grisso said she did shake things up just a little, but doesn’t feel the changes had much of an impact on the second-place finish.

 

“I did play around with the bench, helping some of the kids,” she said. “So, some didn’t swim their best events, but I don’t think it would have made much different. Parkersburg was just really powerful.”

 

BHS travels to Parkersburg again Saturday to compete in the Penguin Invitational.

 

“There will be 10 teams – from all over the state,” Grisso said.

 

The Indians will face tough competition Monday evening also.

 

“Fairmont Senior girls are very, very good and though RCB is a smaller team, there are some very good swimmers,” Grisso said. “There seems to be equal talent throughout all three teams. It will be good competition.”

 

 The Harrison County High School Swim Championships will be 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, also at the YMCA of Harrison County. The following week, the Tribe moves into Big 10 and Regional competition.

 

Editor's Note: Pictured above are Spencer and Rodriquez.