Again, boys' swimming blazes ahead while girls are left in the dust

JAN 4, MONTGOMERY AQUATIC CENTER–

Once again, Blair boys' swimming dominated every event while the girls' team struggled to keep up with its Watkins Mill High School opponents. The boys beat the Wolverines 114-57, but the Blazer girls got a beating of their own, losing to Watkins Mill 112-58.

The boys took first in every event but one: they could not catch the Wolverines in the 200-yard freestyle. However, sophomore Ari Halper-Stromberg and seniors David Madej and Patrick Handler took second, third and fourth, respectively.

Senior Pete Johnson won the boys' diving event, which is becoming a habit of his, according to Coach David Swaney. "He throws hard dives. He can do a double and a reverse one-and-a-half," Swaney said.

The girls did not win any events, including diving, although several girls beat their personal best times. "Most of the girls are still improving," Swaney said. "But we have a long way to go to be competitive in Division I."

According to Swaney, the Blazers' combined boys' and girls' scores last year got the teams jointly promoted to Division I, which has been hard on this year's girls' team. However, the boys are faster than ever and, he said, have a chance at the county championship if they pass next week's test: Walter Johnson High School (WJ). "If the boys beat WJ, we can win the County," said Swaney.

The struggling girls' team will be left behind, though, especially with junior Abby Graber nursing tendonitis in her shoulder. Becuase she is the team's fastest backstroker and an important competitor in the girls' line-up, Graber's injury could be detrimental to the Blazers if she has to forfeit several meets. "There's a big hole if she's not there," said Swaney.