The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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Eagles get revenge on Big Reds
Photo-finish losses send Milan to 108-78 defeat at Erie-Mason
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: February 22, 2007
Thanks to the recent spate of snow days at Milan High and a canceled meet against Adrian, the Milan swim team didn't get to practice much in the week leading up to the Big Reds' dual meet against Erie-Mason last Thursday.
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Head coach Dan Heikka said that wasn't the reason his team suffered a 108-78 defeat. But it also didn't help.
"Our practice schedule was in disarray," Heikka said. "We had some guys who hadn't swam at all until the meet."
The biggest reason, however, Heikka said, was that the Eagles were simply ready for the Big Reds after losing to Milan last season — only their second dual meet loss in a number of seasons.
"We swam at their pool, and they were ready for us," Heikka said. "It just wasn't a great meet for us."
In an attempt to keep up with the Eagles, Heikka made a few lineup changes that "almost" worked. In the 200-yard freestyle, Ryan Bordine swam 1:48.99, only .02 seconds behind Erie-Mason's first-place swimmer. In the 50 freestyle, usually dominated by Bordine (who swam the 200 freestyle instead), Ian Pendleton took second in 23.28 — all of .03 seconds behind the Eagles' first-place time.
"We just got touched out a couple of times," Heikka said. "It would have been a different meet if we'd won those two races."
Despite some of the frustration of the meet, as always there were some positive developments for the Big Reds.
Tim Hochradel swam under the state cut time in the 200 individual medley for the second consecutive meet, finishing in a first-place 2:12.01. The 200 freestyle relay team of Jason Schroeder, Pendleton, Kray Cornelison and Bordine took first in 1:34.28. Bordine, as usual, won the 100 freestyle (49.09).
Milan's less experienced swimmers had strong swims, as well. David Schwartz and Kyle Hodges each had lifetime bests in the 100 freestyle, John Nuckles posted personal bests in the 500 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, while Kyle Cornelison's 1:01.30 was also a personal best.
Zach Olson notched the team's best time in the 500 freestyle (5:28.07, good for second) while Matt Smith posted a personal best in the 200 freestyle and Trevor Pratt returned from injury.
One major development has been the improvement of Brazilian exchange student Leandro Gabrielzyk, who after strong performances on the second-place medley relay team and in the 50 freestyle (24.49) and 100 backstroke (1:07.21) is threatening to break into the 200 freestyle relay team, Heikka said.
"He had a good meet for us," Heikka said.
Other results of note include Cody Schmitt finishing second in diving with a score of 199.70; Justin Beaudrie grabbing two points with a fourth-place 2:25.98 in the 200 individual medley; and Cornelison, Smith, Olson and Gabrielzyk combining to swim 3:56.53 in the 400 freestyle for third place and two Milan points.
Milan's next scheduled meet is at the Ann Arbor Huron River Rat Invitational March 2.
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