The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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Young Big Reds see success in Dexter
Program gets glimpse of future at Freshman-Sophomore meet
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: January 31, 2008
The coaching staff of the Milan boys' swim team thinks their team has a very bright future. Not surprisingly, the Big Reds' effort Saturday at the annual Dexter Freshman-Sophomore Invitational did nothing to change that.
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Two Milan freshmen and a sophomore came back with medals, and several Big Reds posted some of their best times of the season at the meet, which featured a deep field in which Milan was one of just two Division 3 teams in attendance.
"It's nice to see these kids have the same success as the rest of the team," said assistant coach Nancy Blanchard. "They work just as hard and don't always have the same success in dual meets, so it's great to see them match up with kids from bigger schools and do well."
Milan's success even came without some of their leading young swimmers, like freshman Tyler DiGesare, due to illness or other commitments.
But the Big Reds who were present shone, with four medal performances. Sophomore diver Cody Baran posted Milan's highest finish by scoring 148.90 and beating out 11 other divers for fourth.
Freshman Tyler Fisher swam 102.70 to take sixth in the 100-yard butterfly and 2:23.83 to finish 10th in the 200 individual medley.
Fellow freshman Dylan Shearer finished 11th in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:15.57 and 18th in the 200 IM in 2:29.37.
Shearer also had a strong performance as part of the 200 freestyle relay team, swimming a personal-best 25.84 in his 50-yard leg to help Milan to a time of 2:05.15 and 10th place.
Shearer was joined on the relay by Joe Martin, Steven Howell and Trevor Pratt, each swimming season bests at the meet.
"We're seeing some big time drops," Blanchard said. "For our guys, who are in their first swimming season, they're learning to dive and you can see it make a big difference."
Pratt, Shearer, Fisher, and Martin combined to swim the 200 medley relay in 2:11.68 to finish 12th, while Martin, Fisher, Pratt and Howell swam the 400 freestyle relay in 4:48.77 for 11th.
Howell would swim a 35.12 (55th) in the 50 freestyle and 1:18.19 (51st) in the 100 freestyle, just ahead of Pratt (1:18.23). Martin took 42nd in the 100 freestyle in 1:09.26.
Jan. 15
Milan vs. Tecumseh, Monroe
Milan traveled to Tecumseh Jan. 15 for a tri-meet against the host Indians and Monroe.
The Big Reds won one event, with Tim Hochradel taking the 500 freestyle in 5:17.04. Ian Pendleton posted finished second in 1:54.46 in the 200 freestyle and third in the 100 freestyle with a time of 51.64.
Hochradel and Pendleton each also helped the Big Reds take second in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:34.61 along with Kray Cornelison and Justin Beaudrie.
Other top-four finishes included John Nuckels, Hochradel, Fisher and Matt Smith (1:56.96, third) in the 200 medley relay; Beaudrie (2:00.50, fourth) in the 200 freestyle; Cornelison (23.76, third) in the 50 freestyle; Fisher (1:02.46, third) in the 100 butterfly; and Cornelison, Beaudrie, Smith and Pendleton (1:35.28, third) in the 200 freestyle relay.
Staff Writer Jerry Hinnen can be reached at 429-7380 or jhinnen@heritage.com.
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