What the Baldwinsville boys swim team has steadily built has proven remarkable, and the best stuff might still lie ahead.
The Bees, intent on contending for both Salt City Athletic Conference and Section III Class A honors this winter, got an impressive opening victory Thursday night, defeating Jamesville-DeWitt/CBA 98-85.
It all got going in the 200-yard medley relay, with B’ville seeing the quartet of Bailey Ludden, John Burns, Nick Schultz and Tristan Miranda going one minute, 46.83 seconds to pull away from the Red Rams’ 1:51.76.
Schultz went from there to winning the 200 individual medley in 2:10.58 as Quinn Gruppe was second in 2:21.38. Later, in the 100 breaststroke, Schultz tore to a time of 1:01.64, more than six seconds ahead of J-D/CBA’s Nathan Chen.
As for Ludden, he swept the sprints, going 23.65 seconds to beat out the Rams’ Conlan Rourke (23.79) in the 50 freestyle and then winning the 100 freestyle in 52.20 seconds, again with Rourke (52.97) in the runner-up slot.
Burns would swim the 100 butterfly in 58.16 seconds to top Chen (1:00.69) as Gruppe was third in 1:01.65. Miranda nearly won the 500 freestyle, his time of 5:25.17 just behind the 5:24.62 from J-D/CBA’s Nate Wales.
Another win came in the 100 backstroke, where Aidan Solomon, in 1:07.25, led a top-three Bees sweep that included Brennan Gruppe (1:09.76) and Mason Isbell (1:12.50).
Nate Durkin, in 2:01.61, beat out Burns (2:01.85) for second place in the 200 freestyle, but Burns returned in the 400 freestyle relay to help the Bees clinch the team title as he, along with Ludden, Schultz and Miranda, finished in 3:44.24. Quinn Gruppe, Harrison Meyers, Trevor Kantak and Harrison German were second in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:42.53.
B’ville is on the road twice more next week, going to West Genesee Wednesday and Weedsport on Friday leading up to a highly-anticipated Dec. 17 home opener against defending league and sectional Class A champion Liverpool.
