Now the West Genesee boys swim team has 33 victories in a row, dating back to 2008, as it went out on Wednesday and fought off Liverpool by a score of 102-84.
From the start, it was a close battle, as the Warriors inched ahead with a victory in the 200 medley relay, 1:42.90 to the Wildcats’ 1:43.78, with Liverpool also third in that event.
But WG would win the next five individual events. Tyler Zapisek, who swam with Matt O’Donnell, Jake Mullett and Ian Bushnell in that 200 medley relay, would claim his first race of the meet by swimming the 200 individual medley in 2:07.59.
Bushnell won a dramatic 50 freestyle, edging Liverpool’s Dan Hens, 23.38 seconds to 23.39, while Collin Zapisek stepped in to take the 200 freestyle in 1:51.33, with Mullett (1:57.24) in third.
The diving competition proved a turning point. Josh Byrne and Liverpool’s Dan Roche dueled for the title, and Byrne pulled out the victory, 246.9 points to Roche’s 239 points, with teammate Mike Donovan rising to third place with 179.95 points.
Then the Zapisek brothers returned to add more individual titles, as Tyler won the 100 butterfly in 56.69 seconds, with O’Donnell (57.12 seconds) completing a 1-2 sweep, and Collin pulling away to claim the 500 freestyle in 5:07.62. O’Donnell would earn his own victory in the 100 backstroke in 1:01.67, where Joe Amedro (1:03.80) was third.
To stay out in front, the Wildcats needed wins in both of the remaining relays, and got them. Bushnell, Mullett, Ciarla and Collin Zapisek claimed the 200 freestyle relay in 1:34.15, with Byrne, Jeff Hotaling, Ken Brill and Mike Mellen third in 1:40.46.
Finally, in the 400 freestyle relay O’Donnell and Ciarla joined the Zapisek brothers for a victory in 3:38.02, while Brill, Mellen, Sean Castro and Tyler Halsey were third (3:58.64). Bushnell was second in the 100 freestyle in 52.27 seconds, while Mullett claimed second in the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.77.
WG is back in action on Thursday night, when it visits Baldwinsville.
