By Sarah Stiel
Review Intern
With a 2-0 record early in the season it looks like the Lake Orion girls swim team is off to a strong start. Both wins were strong with the Lake Orion girls topping Troy Athens 115-75 and beating the Troy Colts with a score of 108-78. The colts meet saw the girls achieving 7 personal best times. The girls also put in a strong appearance at the Warrior Relay Invitational, where they placed 3rd.
Coach Darin Abbasse says this year’s team is very competitive. ‘They respond well to racing and there is more commitment to win all events rather than focusing on one event,? he said.
Tri-captain seniors Breana Deming, Chrissie Forrest and Nicole Kudla help provide leadership. Deming is one of the squad’s strongest sprinters. Forrest is a 3-year returning State and Oakland County qualifier. She’s also a member of the record-holding varsity 400 free relay and is a strong competitor in the 500 free. Kudla leads by example with strong performances in sprint freestyle and 100 butterfly. Like Forrest, she is a previous State and Oakland County qualifier.
Other seniors include Aubrey Campbell, Mary Fix, Melanie Hollander, Molly Jacobs, Cammie Lucas and Kathryn McClain. Aly Katz, another returning senior, is a speedy individual medley, 500 freestyle and backstroke competitor.
Notheworthy junior girls inclued Ronnie Booth, Amy Norman and Ellen Cavender. Booth has shown strength in the individual medley, backstroke and sprint freestyle and is a State qualifier in the 100 backstroke and medley relay. Norman is an Oakland County qualifier and is a very strong league competitor. Her events include 100, 200 and 500 freestyle. Cavender is a competitive mid-distance freestyler.
Sophomore swimmers include Annie JongeKrijg, Colby Pudlo and Kristin Kevnick. A first year swimmer, JongeKrijg is a sprinter in the 50 and 100 freesyle and has qualified for the Oakland County meet in the 100 butterfly.
Promising freshman members include Courtney McClear and Hannah Weglarz. McClear is a competitive freestyler and IMer. She qualified for the Oakland County in the 200 freestyle. Weglarz is a solid swimmer and good competitor in butterfly and backstroke.
With talented incoming and returning swimmers, it looks like this could be a great season for the Lake Orion girls swim team.