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Comets swimmers, divers pursue return to state
(by Steve Novak - January 15, 2010)
Comets swimmers, divers pursue return to state
By STEVE NOVAK
Solon is a school that can boast about having both its boys' and girls' swimming and diving teams qualify for state finals last season. Rather than boast, however, the Comets are intent on repeating the process.
In the 2008-09 season, both the boys' and girls' teams won Division I district titles. It was the second straight title for the girls. For the boys, it was the first district crown in school history. Then, in the 2009 Division I state meet, the girls finished in sixth place, and the boys were ninth.
Although he lost 13 seniors to graduation, Solon coach Mike Davison said, among the 57 swimmers and divers on this season's team, many have multiple years of varsity experience.
In meets held so far this season, Solon has won both boys' and girls' dual meets against Shaker Heights and Medina. At the Northeast Extravaganza Invitational last month, the girls won the competition, and the boys were third. During last week's Northeast Ohio Conference meet, the girls and boys repeated their first and third finishes, respectively.
Both teams are stacked with athletes who have multiple years of varsity and postseason experience.
One example of the team's veteran experience is diver Michael Kreft. In the state finals last year, he finished second in the 1-meter diving, following up 2008's seventh place in the state championships.
Kreft, a junior, holds the school record at Solon in the 11-dive event. Combining mandatory and optional dives, the ratings of five judges are added for the score. Kreft's record score of 529 came at this year's Viking Invitational meet at Cleveland State University.
Kreft, like several other members of the Comets, began competing before high school. He said he entered his first diving competition when he was 12 years old.
Another veteran is senior Maryn Bieganski, who already has racked up more than 10 first-place finishes this season.
Last season, Bieganski was the district champion in both the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard freestyle. She owns the school record for the 100 fly with a time of 56.36 seconds, which she set in winning the district.
Bieganski's other events include the 100 backstroke and the relays. She was a member of the team's 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays that set Solon records last season.
Bieganski also started her aquatic career early. She said her mother put her in a swimming pool "when I was 1-year-old," and competitive meets began when she was about 6 years old.
Bieganski said that the team's performances this season give her a sense of confidence that both the boys and the girls can finish even higher at the state meet in March. "I think that overall we will be going even farther this year," she said. "This year, we have a little bit more depth. We're even stronger this year."
Another key member of the teams is junior Taylor Epstein, who dives for the girls' squad and has netted one first-place finish and three second-place finishes.
Senior Justin Bauer is one of the captains of the boys' team. His events include the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle and the 100 backstroke. During competition earlier this season, he had his personal best time of 51.10 seconds in the 100 freestyle.
Bauer said that, throughout the regular season, members of the team already are focused on improving their skills in preparation for the sectional, district and state meets. "For a lot of people, it's always in the back of their minds," he said. "It's what drives me to practice harder."
Bauer shares the team captain duties with fellow senior Terrence Wong, who won the 100 butterfly in last year's Division I district finals. He also was a member of the 400 free relay team which finished second at district.
Other veterans include senior Emily Schwartz, who holds a team record in the 100 freestyle, and juniors Jamie Gallagher and Dan Telljohann. Gallagher's specialties are the middle-distance freestyle races, and Telljohann races in the freestyle sprints.
The Comets' roster also has senior girls' captain Melissa Besman. Last year, she was a state qualifier in the 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle. Junior Annie Marquiss specializes in the shorter freestyle races, while fellow junior Katherine Mitchell focuses her efforts on the breaststroke.
Davidson said he has been very pleased with the team's diving, and he looks forward to more progress from the boys' team during the next two moths. "Our diving is exceptional. Our divers have won all of their meets so far," he said. "For the swimmers on the boys' side, we've still got some growing to do."
Kreft said all segments of the two teams work very well together. "Compared to last year, the unity is better this season," he said. "The unity between the swimmers and divers is really strong. We are two different sports unified as one. I don't think many other schools can say that."
Davidson said he expects the team's success to continue through the postseason. As to whether the teams can eclipse last year's state performance, he's not ready to say. "It will be interesting. But we'll have a lot for our team to be proud of. I am sure of that," he said.
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