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NORTH WEBSTER - In the diving portion of Thursday's swim meet between Wawasee and Columbia City, the Warriors held an advantage over their opponents: There were no opponents.
Columbia City's boys and girls swim teams had no divers in the competition, but that didn't bother the Warriors as they completed their dives and ran away with the victories. The girls team upped their record to 6-2 with a 152-30 victory, while the boys pushed their record to 3-2 after defeating the Eagles 141-30.
"We haven't had to dive against anyone all week," said Wawasee boys and girls coach Roger Karns. "The kids still have to concetrate on their performance. It still counts. The judges score them the same way, there's no bonuses."
It appeared the Warriors were concentrating despite the lack of competition as they pushed each other and turned in one of their best performances. Dusty Lytle took first place for the boys with a diving score of 224.50. Hayley VanLue tallied a 111.80 mark to pace the girls.
"Dusty Lytle had his best dive and best score ever," said Karns. "Regg Beer is a 14-year- old freshman, and he scored 20 points above his personal best. For the girls we used this as an opportunity to let some younger girls dive. We're pleased with what we did."
Not only did Wawasee dominate in the diving, but they also dominated the swimming events, where there was competition. But the Warrior effort didn't indicate they had much competition.
In running away with both the boys' and girls' victories, Wawasee placed first in all 24 events, 12 for the boys and 12 for the girls.
To add insult to Columbia City's injury, the Wawasee girls also took second in all 12 events and managed to place first, second and third in eight of the 12 events.
The boys added 10 second-place finishes, allowing the Eagles to place second in only the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle relays. The Warrior boys also compiled eight third-place finishes that led to sweeping five of the 12 events.
The Wawasee girls were led by Laura Karns, who had two first-place finishes with relay teams as well as an individual first place in the 50 freestyle with her time of 26.33 seconds. Laura Lundin was also part of two first-place relay teams, and Amber Lyon placed first in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly.
Rafael Candelot paced the Warrior boys with first-place finishes in the 200 medley relay, 400 freestyle relay and the 50 freestyle. Bryan White won the 100 backstroke and 200 freestyle to go along with his first-place finish in the 200 medley relay. Rob Trame won two individual events and was a member of the 200 medley relay team. Adam Brown was a member of two first-place relay teams. Brown also took third place in the diving competition.
Wawasee's boys swimmers (3-2) will be in action again tommorrow at noon in the Wawasee Invitational. The girls (6-2) will accompany the boys at Northridge on Jan. 5.
GIRLS
Wawasee 152, Columbia City 30
200 Medley Relay - 1. Wawasee (Laura Karns, Jenna Rantz, Laura Lundin, Laura Coutinho) 2:01.35, 2. Columbia City
200 Freestyle - 1. Jane Wamsley (Wawasee) 2:16.40, 2. Tami Miller (Wawasee), 3. Amanda Alles (Wawasee)
200 Individual Medley - 1. Amber Lyon (Wawasee) 2:36.75, 2. Erica Auker (Wawasee), 3. Rantz (Wawasee)
50 Freestyle - 1. Karns (Wawasee) :26.33, 2. Butt (Wawasee), 3. Rebekah Judy (Col. City)
Diving - 1. Hayley VanLue (Wawasee) 119.90, 2. Megan King (Wawasee), 3. Misti Miller (Wawasee)
100 Butterfly - 1. Lyon (Wawasee) 1:11.80, 2. Auker (Wawasee), 3. Vangi Garcia (Wawasee)
100 Freestyle - 1. Coutinho (Wawasee) :53.82, 2. Gennie Brissette (Wawasee), 3. Janine Champoux (Wawasee)
500 Freestyle - 1. Cassi Wells (Wawasee) 6:47.94, 2. Draska Dervesivic (Wawasee), 3. Alicia Henderson (Wawasee)
200 Freestyle Relay - 1. Wawasee (Coutinho, Jill Mock, Butt, Alles) 1:50.28, 2. Wawasee, 3. Col. City
100 Backstroke - 1. Lundin (Wawasee) 1:03.99, 2. Sandy Drake (Wawasee), 3. Garcia (Wawasee)
100 Breaststroke - 1. Steph Shrivers (Wawasee) 1:19.63, 2. Mock (Wawasee), 3. Kim Spreen (Col. City)
400 Freestyle Relay - 1. Wawasee (Butt, Dervesivic, Karns, Lundin) 4:07.09, 2. Wawasee, 3. Col. City
BOYS
Wawasee 141, Columbia City 30
200 Medley Relay - 1. Wawasee (Bryan White, Rob Trame, Mike Oswald, Rafael Candelot) 1:52.02, 2. Wawasee, Col. City
200 Freestyle - 1. White (Wawasee) 2:13.50, 2. Ryan Wolfe (Wawasee), 3. Sam Korenstra
200 Individual Medley - 1. Oswald (Wawasee) 2:34.62, 2. Brad Wear (Wawasee), 3. Mike Taylor (Wawasee)
50 Freestyle - 1. Candelot (Wawasee) :24.49, 2. Chris Meyers (Col. City), 3. Jared Ganshorn (Wawasee)
Diving - 1. Dusty Lytle (Wawasee) 224.50, 2. Regg Beer (Wawasee), 3. Adam Brown (Wawasee)
100 Butterfly - 1. Brown (Wawasee) 1:03.28, 2. Paul Gilliam (Wawasee)
100 Freestyle - 1. Ganshorn (Wawasee) :55.56, 2. Meyers (Col. City), 3. Sky Speakman (Wawasee)
500 Freestyle - 1. Trame (Wawasee) 5:35.72, 2. Wear (Wawasee), 3. Wolfe (Wawasee)
200 Freestyle - 1. Wawasee (Brown, Trame, Speakman, Ganshorn) 1:51.47, 2. Wawasee, 3. Col. City
100 Backstroke - 1. White (Wawasee) 1:03.52, 2. Mike Taylor (Wawasee), 3. Ben Hursh (Col. City)
100 Breaststroke - 1. Trame (Wawasee) 1:09.91, 2. Oswald, 3. Korenstra (Wawasee)
400 Freestyle Relay - 1. Wawasee (Brown, Speakman, Candelot, Ganshorn) 3:52.02, 2. Wawasee, 3. Col. City
