Tigers Swim Past Valley Vikings

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Anthony [email protected]

With eight swimmers on the boys team and 14 on the girls team, the Tippecanoe Valley Vikings didn't have much of a chance Wednesday at Warsaw.

Featuring a small roster, the Valley boys lost 132-41 and the girls fell 138-44 to the Warsaw Tigers at the Warsaw Community Pool.[[In-content Ad]]"I told our kids they had an amazing opportunity to come out and swim some amazing races tonight," first-year Valley coach Melanie Lowman said. "For the most part, they came out and did their best. I wouldn't say it's the greatest meet we've had all season, but we're coming off of having some time out of the pool over Christmas break."

Valley did get two first-place finishes out of senior Shelby Kitch, who won the 50 and 100 free events for the Lady Vikings, while Kenneth Surface and Zeke McSherry won the 50 and 100 free for the boys, respectively.

"We've got a group that's working together," Lowman said. "When you have a small team, sometimes that's difficult to bridge that hurdle. We've worked through that and made some improvements."

On the other hand, Warsaw's been cruising this season, as the boys now sit at 8-0 and the girls are 9-1.

"Usually after Christmas break, some kids aren't swimming as fast, and some are finally starting to get it," Warsaw coach Terry Aukeman said. "We had some good times and kids are stepping up. So, that's going to make for some interesting things down the line."

Warsaw won 10 events on the boys and girls side, with only Mitchell Gauger (200 IM, 100 back) and Rachel Haller (500 free, 100 breast) winning multiple individual events as Aukeman tried to put different swimmers in different events.

"In a meet like this, we try to mix it up and give some kids opportunities that usually don't get some opportunities," he said. "We have some big meets coming up, so we're trying to do some things to motivate the kids."

The Tigers' next three meets are all against Northern Lakes Conference opponents, starting at Concord Saturday, followed by Wawasee Tuesday and Northridge Jan. 14.

"Those are traditionally very good teams," Aukeman said. "The next three meets are going to be very interesting to see how we can do."

While Warsaw is vying to make a splash team-wise, Valley may have to focus more on individual success this season.

"Kenneth Surface, he's coming back from having a significant brain injury," Lowman said of the junior who suffered a concussion during the football season. "So, he's had some minor setbacks, but he, Gunnar (Kaiser) and Zeke McSherry have had all had great seasons."

Lowman has also noticed some good things from her girls.

"Molly (Wright), Megan (Scherzer) and Shelby Kitch are swimming amazing times too," she said. "They didn't prove that so much today, but they have swam some great times. Shelby Kitch is going after our backstroke record, and she's about a second-and-a-half off that.

Valley is at Bremen Saturday at 9 a.m.

BOYS - WARSAW 132, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 41

200 Medley Relay - 1. Warsaw (Andrew Cutshall, Ryan Herman, Michael Webb, Reid Swanson) 1:55.21, 2. Warsaw (Max Carter, Gavin McGrath, Dominick Cesaretti, Patrick Easter) 1:57.97; 200 Free - 1. Thomas Wack (W) 2:02.57, 2. Harrison Green (W) 2:08.79, 3. Gunnar Kaiser (TV) 2:14.56; 200 IM - 1. Mitchell Gauger (W) 2:15.48, 2. Wesley Craig (W) 2:23.97, 3. Herman (W) 2:24.09; 50 Free - 1. Kenneth Surface (TV) 24.61, 2. Zeke McSherry (TV) 25.46, 3. Tyler Arscott (W) 26.65; Diving - 1. Austin Highlen (W) 175.35, 2. Kellen Lemler (W) 115.65, 3. Mike Burke (TV) 95.50; 100 Fly - 1. Carter (W) 1:06.18, 2. Caleb Snyder (W) 1:07.85, 3. Webb (W) 1:07.93; 100 Free - 1. McSherry (TV) 56.37, 2. McGrath (W) 58.42, 3. Michael Meadows (W) 59.02; 500 Free - 1. Swanson (W) 5:24.76, 2. Cutshall (W) 5:27.98, 3. Cesaretti (W) 5:49.64; 200 Free Relay - 1. Warsaw (Green, Easter, Austin Swihart, Arscott) 1:42.22, 2. Tippy Valley (McSherry, Ethan McDonald, Kaiser, Surface) 1:43.41; 100 Back - 1. Gauger (W) 59.69, 2. Surface (TV) 1:09.69, 3. Nate Stone (W) 1:09.79; 100 Breast - 1. Snyder (W) 1:17.31, 2. Connor Schue (W) 1:18.96, 3. McDonald (TV) 1:20.22; 400 Free Relay - 1. Warsaw (Carter, McGrath, Stone, Cutshall) 3:49.60, 2. Warsaw (Andrew Thrasher, Meadows, Cesaretti, Craig) 3:56.46

Warsaw Record: 8-0

GIRLS - WARSAW 138, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 44

200 Medley Relay - 1. Warsaw (Cortney Elliott, Amy Wildman, Rachel Haller, Audrey Petro) 2:09.45, 2. Warsaw (Julianne Divine, Leah Moore, Marisa Vogel, Jenna Moore) 2:10.20; 200 Free - 1. Claire Wack (W) 2:06.48, 2. RaeAnne Dunnuck (TV) 2:09.82, 3. Audra Harman (W) 2:12.92; 200 IM - 1. Erica Gauger (W) 2:34.09, 2. Amanda Miller (W) 2:49.30, 3. McKenzie Haines (W) 2:50.04; 50 Free - 1. Shelby Kitch (TV) 29.63, 2. Emily Divine (W) 30.07, 3. Megan Scherzer (TV) 31.74; Diving - 1. Paige Mortakis (W) 138.30, 2. Ariel Werensly (W) 132.15, 3. Anika Schulz 117.95; 100 Fly - 1. L. Moore (W) 1:03.57, 2. Vogel (W) 1:12.72, 3. Ava Donovan (W) 1:15.13; 100 Free - 1. Jessica Sweatland (W) 1:07.56, 2. Cayla Johnston (TV) 1:08.52, 3. E. Divine (W) 1:08.60; 500 Free - 1. Haller (W) 6:02.00, 2. Sarah Hartle (W) 6:17.39, 3. J. Divine (W) 6:19.93; 200 Free Relay - 1. Warsaw (Katie Schenkel, L. Moore, E. Divine, Gauger) 1:56.84; 100 Back - 1. Kitch (TV) 1:08.30, 2. Elliott (W) 1:13.22, 3. Wildman (W) 1:14.41; 100 Breast - 1. Haller (W) 1:24.60, 2. Rachel Beery (W) 1:25.70, 3. Haines (W) 1:27.76; 400 Free Relay - 1. Warsaw (Emily Hickerson, Wildman, Miller, Petro) 4:16.41, 2. Warsaw (Meghan Boston, J. Moore, E. Divine, Gauger) 4:18.45

With eight swimmers on the boys team and 14 on the girls team, the Tippecanoe Valley Vikings didn't have much of a chance Wednesday at Warsaw.

Featuring a small roster, the Valley boys lost 132-41 and the girls fell 138-44 to the Warsaw Tigers at the Warsaw Community Pool.[[In-content Ad]]"I told our kids they had an amazing opportunity to come out and swim some amazing races tonight," first-year Valley coach Melanie Lowman said. "For the most part, they came out and did their best. I wouldn't say it's the greatest meet we've had all season, but we're coming off of having some time out of the pool over Christmas break."

Valley did get two first-place finishes out of senior Shelby Kitch, who won the 50 and 100 free events for the Lady Vikings, while Kenneth Surface and Zeke McSherry won the 50 and 100 free for the boys, respectively.

"We've got a group that's working together," Lowman said. "When you have a small team, sometimes that's difficult to bridge that hurdle. We've worked through that and made some improvements."

On the other hand, Warsaw's been cruising this season, as the boys now sit at 8-0 and the girls are 9-1.

"Usually after Christmas break, some kids aren't swimming as fast, and some are finally starting to get it," Warsaw coach Terry Aukeman said. "We had some good times and kids are stepping up. So, that's going to make for some interesting things down the line."

Warsaw won 10 events on the boys and girls side, with only Mitchell Gauger (200 IM, 100 back) and Rachel Haller (500 free, 100 breast) winning multiple individual events as Aukeman tried to put different swimmers in different events.

"In a meet like this, we try to mix it up and give some kids opportunities that usually don't get some opportunities," he said. "We have some big meets coming up, so we're trying to do some things to motivate the kids."

The Tigers' next three meets are all against Northern Lakes Conference opponents, starting at Concord Saturday, followed by Wawasee Tuesday and Northridge Jan. 14.

"Those are traditionally very good teams," Aukeman said. "The next three meets are going to be very interesting to see how we can do."

While Warsaw is vying to make a splash team-wise, Valley may have to focus more on individual success this season.

"Kenneth Surface, he's coming back from having a significant brain injury," Lowman said of the junior who suffered a concussion during the football season. "So, he's had some minor setbacks, but he, Gunnar (Kaiser) and Zeke McSherry have had all had great seasons."

Lowman has also noticed some good things from her girls.

"Molly (Wright), Megan (Scherzer) and Shelby Kitch are swimming amazing times too," she said. "They didn't prove that so much today, but they have swam some great times. Shelby Kitch is going after our backstroke record, and she's about a second-and-a-half off that.

Valley is at Bremen Saturday at 9 a.m.

BOYS - WARSAW 132, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 41

200 Medley Relay - 1. Warsaw (Andrew Cutshall, Ryan Herman, Michael Webb, Reid Swanson) 1:55.21, 2. Warsaw (Max Carter, Gavin McGrath, Dominick Cesaretti, Patrick Easter) 1:57.97; 200 Free - 1. Thomas Wack (W) 2:02.57, 2. Harrison Green (W) 2:08.79, 3. Gunnar Kaiser (TV) 2:14.56; 200 IM - 1. Mitchell Gauger (W) 2:15.48, 2. Wesley Craig (W) 2:23.97, 3. Herman (W) 2:24.09; 50 Free - 1. Kenneth Surface (TV) 24.61, 2. Zeke McSherry (TV) 25.46, 3. Tyler Arscott (W) 26.65; Diving - 1. Austin Highlen (W) 175.35, 2. Kellen Lemler (W) 115.65, 3. Mike Burke (TV) 95.50; 100 Fly - 1. Carter (W) 1:06.18, 2. Caleb Snyder (W) 1:07.85, 3. Webb (W) 1:07.93; 100 Free - 1. McSherry (TV) 56.37, 2. McGrath (W) 58.42, 3. Michael Meadows (W) 59.02; 500 Free - 1. Swanson (W) 5:24.76, 2. Cutshall (W) 5:27.98, 3. Cesaretti (W) 5:49.64; 200 Free Relay - 1. Warsaw (Green, Easter, Austin Swihart, Arscott) 1:42.22, 2. Tippy Valley (McSherry, Ethan McDonald, Kaiser, Surface) 1:43.41; 100 Back - 1. Gauger (W) 59.69, 2. Surface (TV) 1:09.69, 3. Nate Stone (W) 1:09.79; 100 Breast - 1. Snyder (W) 1:17.31, 2. Connor Schue (W) 1:18.96, 3. McDonald (TV) 1:20.22; 400 Free Relay - 1. Warsaw (Carter, McGrath, Stone, Cutshall) 3:49.60, 2. Warsaw (Andrew Thrasher, Meadows, Cesaretti, Craig) 3:56.46

Warsaw Record: 8-0

GIRLS - WARSAW 138, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 44

200 Medley Relay - 1. Warsaw (Cortney Elliott, Amy Wildman, Rachel Haller, Audrey Petro) 2:09.45, 2. Warsaw (Julianne Divine, Leah Moore, Marisa Vogel, Jenna Moore) 2:10.20; 200 Free - 1. Claire Wack (W) 2:06.48, 2. RaeAnne Dunnuck (TV) 2:09.82, 3. Audra Harman (W) 2:12.92; 200 IM - 1. Erica Gauger (W) 2:34.09, 2. Amanda Miller (W) 2:49.30, 3. McKenzie Haines (W) 2:50.04; 50 Free - 1. Shelby Kitch (TV) 29.63, 2. Emily Divine (W) 30.07, 3. Megan Scherzer (TV) 31.74; Diving - 1. Paige Mortakis (W) 138.30, 2. Ariel Werensly (W) 132.15, 3. Anika Schulz 117.95; 100 Fly - 1. L. Moore (W) 1:03.57, 2. Vogel (W) 1:12.72, 3. Ava Donovan (W) 1:15.13; 100 Free - 1. Jessica Sweatland (W) 1:07.56, 2. Cayla Johnston (TV) 1:08.52, 3. E. Divine (W) 1:08.60; 500 Free - 1. Haller (W) 6:02.00, 2. Sarah Hartle (W) 6:17.39, 3. J. Divine (W) 6:19.93; 200 Free Relay - 1. Warsaw (Katie Schenkel, L. Moore, E. Divine, Gauger) 1:56.84; 100 Back - 1. Kitch (TV) 1:08.30, 2. Elliott (W) 1:13.22, 3. Wildman (W) 1:14.41; 100 Breast - 1. Haller (W) 1:24.60, 2. Rachel Beery (W) 1:25.70, 3. Haines (W) 1:27.76; 400 Free Relay - 1. Warsaw (Emily Hickerson, Wildman, Miller, Petro) 4:16.41, 2. Warsaw (Meghan Boston, J. Moore, E. Divine, Gauger) 4:18.45
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