Coming off a championship year, the Lake Orion boys swimming and diving team will look to make a place for themselves in their new division, OAA I, this season.
‘We are returning five guys who went to the state meet, and they are probably our five best swimmers,? said coach Paul Fairman.
Returning are senior Pat Dodge, junior David Brown, sophomore Ricky Forrest, junior Andrew Kuehl and junior Garrett Ruhland.
Also back this year for the Dragons are sophomore Christian Frasher, senior Andy Marcinkowski, junior Nicholas Matthews, junior Nick Perkins, senior Kyle Sanda, junior Ben Busuito, junior Greg Chernoby and sophomore Matt Stiel.
Returning divers are junior Timothy Sementkowski and junior Kellen Malstrom.
‘We also have a new diver, Brandon Figurski, a freshman,? Fairman said. ‘He’ll be pretty good, I think. He’s an 11-year gymnast who’s converting to diving.
‘Marcinkowski returns after missing last year, he said.?
Overall, Fairman said his team, with 11 freshmen, is pretty inexperienced.
‘Of our swimmers, we have one who placed at the league meet,? he said. ‘We won the OAA II championship last season, and we were undefeated in duel meets, but now we’re in Division I.?
Fairman said his team could have a tough time keeping the duel meets close in OAA I this year.
‘We’ll have to take two out of our three relays to be competitive,? he said. ‘Our first swimmer in most events is strong, but we can’t back it up with anyone really solid, so we might double up on some events.?
Fairman thinks the Dragons will have a shot at being competitive in all their freestyle events, as well as butterfly and both freestyle relays.
‘Diving should be pretty good,? he said. ‘Better than last year. That should be our best event.
‘We’re waiting for some of the young guys to take some steps up,? he said. ‘Our five best returning guys all trained in the summer.?
Fairman said Forrest trained the hardest in the off season.
‘Most of the new kids we have, they are brand new to the sport,? he said. ‘They are very, very green. They remind me of the first team I had here.?
Fairman believes he will see some state qualifiers come out of this year’s squad.
‘It should be the returning five, plus one or two divers,? he said.
If any of the new swimmers qualify, Fairman said it will be a ‘unexpected pleasure.?