Indians Ready to Make a Splash at State Swim Meet
By Chris Johnson on February 19, 2020 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
When it comes to competing for team titles in a sport like swimming, depth is just as important as talent.
Fortunately for the Bridgeport High School swim teams, there is plenty of both to go around.
The Indians are back in action on Thursday and Friday in the state swim meet at the Mylan Park Aquatic Center and figure to be a factor in the majority of the races as well as the chase for the team championships.
The boys, who captured the state title last season, haven’t lost a meet this year. The girls, who were the state runner-up in 2019, have only lost two meets — both early in the year when they were decimated by injuries and illness.
Of course, they just don’t hand out state titles and the Tribe will be up against the best of the best at the end of the week. But the Indians are ready for it and are bringing plenty of momentum with them to Morgantown.
“I’m real pleased with where we are at,” Bridgeport Coach Jan Grisso said. “The boys have been focused all year and I think they really want to go for that team title again and I think they can do it. The girls have worked so hard to overcome some things and have gotten better every week. I think they want it too. With the two meets they didn’t win, I truly believe had we been at full strength, we could have won them too.”
It’s difficult to contend for a team title in swimming without strong relay teams as they get double the amount of points compared to individual events. For example, a first-place finish in an individual race will get you 16 points toward your overall team score. A first-place relay team on the other hand gets 32 points.
The Indians qualified at regionals in all six relay races — three for the girls, three for the boys. All told, there will be at least one BHS swimmer in 18 of the total 22 events at the state meet. A total of 17 different swimmers will compete in at least one event, while 10 will be in the maximum of four events (two individual and two relay races or one individual and three relays).
The girls will have a Top 5 seed in seven events, while the boys have 11 Top 5 seeds.
Randy Keener will be the top seed in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke as well as one of the four competitors on the 200 medley relay team that will be the top seed. Joining him will Mason Titchenal, Luke Pinti and Reed Smith.
Also for the BHS boys, Marcel Rodriguez will be the top seed in the 100 freestyle.
A complete list of BHS swimmers competing in the state meet is as follows:
Girls
- Cheyanne Rohde (200 medley relay, 200 free relay, 50 free, 100 backstroke)
- Lilly Madden (200 medley relay)
- Darian Spencer (200 medley relay, 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 100 butterfly)
- Cheri Signorelli (200 medley relay)
- Maria Lacaria (200 free relay, 400 free relay, 200 free, 100 free)
- Marra Johnson (200 free relay, 400 free relay, 200 IM, 100 breaststroke)
- Hope Rieser (400 free relay, 100 free, 100 backstroke)
- Vaughn Vincent (100 fly)
- Brooke Wagner (100 breaststroke)
Boys
- Randy Keener (200 medley relay, 400 free relay, 200 IM, 100 backstroke)
- Luke Pinti (200 medley relay, 200 free relay, 200 IM, 100 breaststroke)
- Mason Titchenal (200 medley relay, 400 free relay, 100 fly, 100 free)
- Reed Smith (200 medley relay, 200 free relay, 200 free, 100 backstroke)
- Phillip Malenich (200 free relay, 400 free relay, 100 backstroke, 50 free)
- Marcel Rodriguez (200 free relay, 400 free relay, 50 free, 100 free)
- Reese Allen (200 IM, 100 breaststroke)
- Ryan Knapp (100 breaststroke, 200 IM)
The state meet will begin at 9:30 a.m. Thursday with girls preliminaries. Boys prelims will begin at 4 p.m. All finals will be on Friday with action starting at 9 a.m.
For a state meet psych sheet, complete with regional times for seeding purposes, CLICK HERE
Editor's Note: Top photo features Marcel Rodridguez, middle one is of Marra Johnson and the bottom one is of Mason Titchenal. All photos by www.benqueenphotography.com
