Comments (...)With 12 wins in 12 events, Morris defeated Plainfield 108-75 Tuesday evening at home in a battle of independent conference boys swimming and diving co-op teams.
Jake Beaudin, Jacob MacLean and Jackson Riley were double individual winners for the varsity Redskins, who got a victory each from Anthony Ascolani, Jimmy Meridieth and Joe Perez. Morris also swept the three relay races.
Those efforts helped make it a successful return to action for the Redskins, who last competed in a meet on Dec. 13. They have still lost just one dual on the season.
"It is almost hard to believe that we're doing as well as we are. We have so many younger kids," Morris varsity swimmer Alex Magers said. "I think we've exceeded (expectations)."
Bueadin's individual firsts came in the 50-meter freestyle, which he completed in 25.94 seconds, and the 100-meter freestyle, which he swam in 59.17 seconds.
In addition, Beaudin anchored two Morris relay wins. One was in the 200-meter freestyle, where Ascolani, Jordan Ramirez and MacLean combined with him for a time of 1:50.12. The other was the final event of the night, the 400-meter freestyle, in which the Redskins trailed early. Beaudin's team-low split time of 1:02.82 allowed him, Riley, Ramirez and Meridieth to win by more than five seconds and complete the perfect showing for Morris.
"I did think that it would be nice to win all of our races," Beaudin said. "What I was thinking (when he entered the pool) was that I wanted Morris to get the win, and I was going to do everything in my power to help my team win, and I prevailed."
Riley, Zack Harper, Ascolani and MacLean gave Morris a win in the other relay, the 200-meter medley, as well, with a time of 2:09.07. The Redskins' other winning times and scores were a 2:18.33 in the 200-meter freestyle and a 5:02.87 in the 400-meter freestyle from MacLean, a 2:42.19 in the 200-meter individual medley and a 1:11.12 in the 100-meter backstroke from Riley, a 155.70 in diving from Joe Perez, a 1:11.14 in the 100-meter butterfly from Ascolani and a 1:20.70 from Meridieth in the 100-meter breaststroke.
"Jacob MacLean swam great. He was excited to get back in the pool, and it showed," Morris coach Andrew Porth said. "Our top diver, Joe, has really come a long way."
Ramirez placed second in both in the 50 free, with a time of 28.32, and the 100 free, with a time of 1:04.71, and Angel Algarin's score of 97.60 was good for second in diving. Third-place Redskins were Ascolani in the 200 free (2:28.76), Meridieth in the 200 IM (2:42.56) and Kevin Sheridan in diving (78.45).
Fourth-place relay teams from Morris included Justin Lizalek, Meridieth, Magers and Stephen Motter in the 200 medley (2:23.10), Harper, Sheridan, Eric Vacca and Geoffery Lamaze in the 200 free (2:10.41) and Lizalek, Motter, Magers and Vacca in the 400 free (4:51.53). Lizalek was fourth in the 100 back (1:23.82).
JUNIOR VARSITY
Plainfield 71,
Morris 64
Jon Smyk, with a time of 33.24 in the 50 free, and Jacob Davids, with a time of 6:55.27 in the 400 free, were Morris winners.
Second-place finishers were Lucus Terhall, Adam Roseland, Drew Kirkman and Smyk in the 200 medley relay (2:51.06), Sam S. Rhodes, Riley Aukland, Matt Borgstrom and Smyk in the 200 free relay (2:19.46), Rhodes, Jacob Kosinski, Adam Roseland and Borgstrom in the 400 free relay (5:58.76), Aukland in the 100 back (1:41.04), Rhodes in the 50 free (33.54), Smyk in the 100 free (1:18.36) and Terhall in the 500 free (7:00.55).
