Good afternoon everyone,

Sorry for the delay with getting the Easton @ GPS results to you. Obviously, I've been busy with the invitational.

In any case, here we go... :)

We won!!

• GPS: 356
• Easton: 240

We now stand at 2-2, and with our final three dual meets next week all cramped in together, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, it will be challenging but exciting. We are in the unenviable position in that on a good day with the right combination of swimmers we can beat any team in the league, but conversely, on a bad day lose to almost any team in the league. We could go to 5-2 (3rd in the league), to 3-4 or even 2-5 in a couple of days. Our strength has always been our depth and balance, so definitely try to make all the meets next week if at all possible.

Meet Highlights

• 42% improvement rate & 68 personal best times achieved.
• 17 - 1st/2nd combos (like a 1-2 punch).

Bar none, Easton has more National and State qualifiers than any other team in the league, and across multiple age groups too. As a result, they score more points per swimmer than any other team in the league, but their weakness is their small size. The goal for us was to discern where they were vulnerable and hit them hard there. In other words, focus on moving up a few swimmers in key age groups to secure more 2nd & 3rd place points in relays (relay events we knew they could not fully cover). While at the same time doubling down in specific individual races to go 1-2 in potential weaker areas for Easton, even if this means taking a risk and sacrificing some events for us. The gamble was trading dependable 1-3 or 2-3 finishes and maybe just get 2nd, for a possible 1-2 elsewhere. In the end, with 17 1st/2nd combos, our kids definitely rose to the occasion and followed through for our strategy to work multiple times, resulting in a solid win. :)

Sportsmanship: For demonstrating honor, fairness, and appreciation towards competitors. This could be from shaking hands after a race, to conversations overhead by coaches between competitors, to any other observed actions that may fall into this category.

• Andy Romero, Baron Harrison, Emma Collins, Liam Reid, Britain Mazzetta

Team Spirit: For consistent and enthusiastic cheering.

• Autumn Kane, Chloe Sigafoos, Riley Devlin, Olivia Hill

Excellence

Ayanna Elston: For pumping up and inspiring all of our swimmers behind the blocks on their relays.

Marcus Oest: In the medley relay, it was tied in the backstroke, it was tied in the breaststroke, Easton took the lead in butterfly, in freestyle the Easton swimmer pushed off the wall first with a solid freestyle technique. But then Marcus finally got going, pushing his hands furiously past his thighs in a high cadence tempo, kicking fast..., catching-up, catching-up, catching-up, running out of room, will he make it in time ???!!! Then, finally, with a drive to the wall he placed us in 2nd to start the meet off with a surprise 1-2 win! A great way to start the meet in the very first event of the night. :)

Ashley Reichard & Alex Harlos:  Their goggles fell off, but they didn't slow down bit; they kept their cool when something didn't go right and kept swimming fast. As a result, Ashley helped us secure 3rd place in medley relay, and Alex secured 2nd place in the 50 Fly. Gobbling up all those 2nd & 3rd place points is one of the reasons we were able to have a solid win over Easton. 

Maika Alcoba & Ella Schuetz: Both were concerned about their Easton competitors in the 100 IM; AND both implemented a pre-planned race strategy flawlessly. In this case, both went out a little quicker than they might have previously, but the key was a 3rd lap push. The 100 IM (like most 100 yard races) is won or lost in the 3rd lap. If you wait for the 4th lap, it is too late. You either catch-up and gain momentum in the 3rd, or you expand your lead and shut down your opponents hopes of catching you. Both Maika and Ella implemented this strategy against Easton, and the results were:

• Maika: 2.5 second drop, personal best time, 3rd place upset by out performing a previously seeded faster opponent, allowing us to go 1-3 to mitigate Easton's strengths in other events.
• Ella: 6.1 second drop, personal best time, secured 2nd place, getting us a 1-2 wallop offset Easton's strengths in other events.

Full results are attached.

REMINDERS:

• Swima-a-thon - Tomorrow, Monday, DIFFERENT ARRIVAL TIMES, see attached.
• Declare attendance for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday meets.

See you on deck,

Coach Drake