Blazers post historic times but fall to Vikings

SAT. JAN. 24-- MONTGOMERY COLLEGE TAKOMA PARK POOL

Three Blazers on the swim and dive team have combined to post four record-breaking performances in the past two weeks, resetting Blair's fastest times and highest scores in their respective events.

Sophomore Kelsey Dean swam a landmark 2:07.46 to break the 200 yard freestyle record on Jan. 17 against Sherwood. Against Whitman, her 2:27.22 time in the 200 individual medley earned her a place in Blair history but only a second place finish. The first three swimmers in the 200 medley all finished within two seconds of one another, which Dean says helped spur her to a time 1.5 seconds faster than her previous personal best. "I had a lot of competition on both sides," she said.

Freshman David Vuong surged to a 5:04.93 time in the 500 freestyle on Jan. 17., shattering graduated senior Ian McKinnon's record of 5:08.30. This Saturday against Whitman, in an admittedly slower pool, Vuong swam the same event in 5:11.38, losing to his first-place opponent by over five seconds.

Senior captain and diver Elizabeth Finn obliterated the four-dive record she set as a sophomore with a score of 165.20 on Jan.17 against Sherwood.

As the Blazers cruise toward the last two meets of the regular season with an 0-4 record, many swimmers are recording personal-best times and showing significant momentum down the stretch. After atrocious losses in their last two meets against Richard Montgomery (58-110) and Sherwood (56-113), the girls fell to Whitman with a markedly improved 75-96, their smallest differential yet.

Though few girls recorded dominant times, Blair earned more points this meet by placing second, third, and fourth in many events, according to senior captain Robin Hernandez.

The girls finished strong in the last race of the day, the 400 yard freestyle relay, during which both Blair and Whitman overwhelmingly demonstrated their spirit through clapping, cheering and the banging of cowbells. Blair's team of Dean, Hernandez, junior captain Kendra Williams, and freshman Sally Chang finished second in a race where the recorded times contradicted the apparent outcome. Whitman won with a time of 4:06.03 over Blair's 4:06.06, but both Swaney and Whitman's coach agreed that Dean had touched out her opponent. Dean swam an impressive 59.2 split, but Jill Hamilton, who swam the last leg for Whitman, caught Dean from behind with an incredible 55.88.

Sophomore Tyler Wilchek and junior captain Patrick Detzner each recorded personal best times in the 100 yard freestyle, with Wilchek clinching first place in 52.19 seconds, and Detzner nailing down a third place 52.84 finish. Wilchek, who improved his personal-best time by 0.4 seconds, attributed his added speed to a spurt of vigorous kicking near the end of the race.

Detzner, who won the 50 yard freestyle, was unimpressed with his 24.49 time. He attributes many of his first-place finishes this season to a coincidental lack of competition. "I've been getting really lucky," Detzner says. "All the fast people aren't swimming my events."

Senior Elizabeth Finn and sophomore Sam Silsbee each took first place in diving.

Swaney was pleased with the greatly improved times posted by sophomore Anna Chiplis and junior Ben Lutz. Chiplis's third place finish in the 100 fly with a time of 1:09:84 "came out of nowhere," he said. Lutz swam a personal-best 1:16:87 time to earn him fourth place in the 100 yard breaststroke. "Ben is pulling into the range of fast swimmers," says Swaney, who praised Lutz's tremendous work ethic.

The Blazers will face Watkins Mill next Saturday on Jan. 31, at 11:30 at the Olney Swim Center.