PWSL – Week 6

Dominion Valley Sharks vs. Braemar Blasters

Before beginning our weekly recap, the DV Sharks Swim Team would like to express our condolences to our friends and neighbors, the Piedmont Tsunamis. On Friday morning, the Sharks hosted a mini meet for our development swimmers, and we invited the Piedmont Tsunamis’ White Cap team to join us. We appreciated the Tsunamis assistance in organizing the event, and helping us to create such a fun, positive meet experience for our beginning swimmers. Little did we know that a few hours later, the Tsunamis would suffer a great tragedy. Since learning the news, our thoughts and prayers have been with the Tsunamis and the Tremols family.

On Saturday morning, the 2015 Red Division Champions Dominion Valley Sharks hosted the 2015 Blue Division Champions Braemar Blasters on the hottest day of the summer for an exciting end to the dual meet season. Temperatures soared on deck as some of the league’s fastest swimmers battled it out in the pool. The Blasters brought the speed and competition the team is known for, and inspired the Sharks to set a few new team records. In the end, though, the Blasters prevailed with a final score: 2,874 to 2,407.

These Dominion Valley Sharks set new team records in the following events:

• Olivia Ahearn, Hazel Klein, Ryan Maynard, Calum O’Shea: Mixed 8U 100 Medley Relay (1:23.81)
• Nathan Davis, Caleb Woodson, Ethan Chi, Connor McIntosh: Boys 11-12 100 Medley Relay (1:09.23)
• Emily Hetzer, Claire Schroeder, Savannah Nash, Danbi Rhee: Girls 15-18 200 Medley Relay (2:12.13) and Girls 15-18 200 Freestyle Relay (1:57.81)
• Calum O’Shea: Boys 8U 25 Back (19.59)
• Ethan Chi: Boys 11-12 50 Back (36.61)
• Savannah Nash: Girls 15-18 50 Free (28.26), Girls 15-18 50 Back (31.39) and Girls 15-18 50 Fly (30.43)

 

In addition to cheering for these fast swimmers, we celebrated the last swims of seven of our teammates: John Buggy, Kelly Deuser, John Fellenbaum, Calvin Nisson, Tyler Ramos, Lauren Reheuser, and Audrey Schroeder. Many of these Sharks have been with the team for a decade or more, serving as swimmers and coaches, and have made a huge impact on our team. They will be missed in the pool next year, but we look forward to seeing them on deck in the future.

Congratulations to all of the swimmers for working hard all season and achieving such great results, and thanks to the Braemar Blasters for bringing their high-energy swimming, competitive spirit, and unique brand of showmanship (what was in that pool water, anyway?) to Dominion Valley last weekend. Good luck to all the teams at Divisionals next week!

SOUTHBRIDGE SEALS SLIP TO SEA DEVILS

 

The Southbridge Seals traveled to the opposite end of the county to visit the Virginia Oaks Sea Devils for the final meet of the regular season on July 23. This contest between the Division 7 Sea Devils and Division 8 Seals was highly anticipated since both teams sported the best records in their respective divisions.  The Southbridge attempt to complete the sweep against Division 7 teams came up short, though, as the Sea Devils emerged victorious by a score of 2513-2281.

Fifteen Southbridge swimmers posted 33 “Top 25 Times” in the Prince William Swim League led by Jacob Lattanzi, Parker Juhlin, Aaron Hall, Kayley Benway, Macy Daly, and Jordan Mumford. Ten Seals relay teams posted PWSL “Top 15 Times” for the week.

More Seals continued to receive their first qualifying times in events making them eligible to swim those events next week at Divisional Championships. These swimmers are: Jimmy Riley – 25M Back; Abbie Becker – 100M IM; Dominick Giovinazzo – 100M IM; Pedro Burset – 100M IM; Anwesa Rajbhandari – 25M Breast; Lierin Simms – 50M Fly; Carson Hamblin – 25M Free; and AJ Fucito – 25M Fly.

“The swimmers continue to impress me with their hard work at the pool every day,” Southbridge head coach Greg Giovinazzo stated. “They’re progressing at such a fast pace and it has been enjoyable to watch.”

Southbridge wraps up its 2016 season July 30 at Lake Manassas in defense of their Purple Division championship where it will face off against the Lake Manassas Blue Dolphins and the Urbanna Otters.

The Seals are the official swim team of Southbridge on the Potomac located in Southbridge, Va., and includes swimmers from the Southbridge, Potomac Shores and other surrounding communities in southeastern Prince William County. They are the reigning PWSL Purple Division champions, claiming the title in 2015, 2014, and 2012.

 

DALE CITY AT BRIDLEWOOD

     The BWaves welcomed the Dale City Frogs to Bridlewood for the first time in a long time to close out the 2016 regular season with a bang. Before the meet, both teams joined together in commiserating the tragedy that befell the Piedmont Tsunamis and the Tremols family, lending thoughts, prayers, and donations to their extended PWSL family. We continue to extend our sympathies to those suffering so great a loss.

     As soon as the opening relays kicked off, the deck was buzzing with excitement and anticipation – and the 15-18 Girls relay team of Bridlewood did not disappoint. Reni Moshos, Erin Quinn, Kylie Stronko, and Katie Tillotson joined forces for the first time this season and started the meet off with a team record in the 200m Freestyle Relay, shaving almost 2 seconds off the current record to finish in a time of 1:55.53. The quartet reconvened for the 200m Medley Relay and calmly threw down a time of 2:05.69, breaking the PWSL standard of 2:06.35.

 

PHOTO CAPTION: The Bridlewood BWaves 15-18 Girls set a new PWSL record for the 200m Medley Relay on Saturday, 7/23 (Photo Credit: Colleen Corrado)

 

Ten-year old Christian Carroll also lowered his team record for the 50m Freestyle with a swim of 34.21. No other records were broken by either team, but the BWaves had plenty more to celebrate on Saturday, as they recognized their graduating class of 2016. Seniors Erin Burnett, Brooks Knight, Nathan Lowell, Emily Miller, Colin Morris, Reni Moshos,  Katie Tillotson, Sabrina Townsend, and Kyle Woolf took their final laps in the Bridlewood pool before heading off to college this fall. (Morgan Curington, another BWaves senior, missed the meet, but had her final home swim earlier in the season).

When all was said and done, the BWaves ended up on top, with a 3151.5-2044.5 victory. They closes their regular season with a record of 5-1 and are well positioned for next weekends Divisional Championships meet against the Victory Lakes Piranhas and the hosting Ridgewood Barracudas.