Rarely in its history had the Baldwinsville boys swim team proven itself able to keep up with the long-established power programs due to its smaller roster and lack of a diving component in road meets.
However, when meets are at Baker High School and diving points are not scored, the Bees could beat anyone, as it proved last Monday night when it took on Jamesville-DeWitt/CBA and knocked off the Red Rams 51-42.
It all got started in the 200-yard medley relay, with B’ville’s quartet of John Licciardello, Nick Schultz, Alex Hiltbrand and Bailey Ludden roaring to first place in one minute, 44.17 seconds, well clear of J-D/CBA’s 1:52.19.
Right after, Ludden was victorious in the 200 freestyle in 2:02.90, moving on to take second place in the 100 freestyle in 52.98 seconds, just behind the 52.89 by the Rams’ Conlan Rourke.
Hiltbrand got two victories, starting in the 50 freestyle where he zoomed to first place in 22.72 seconds to Rourke’s 23.96, and continuing with a top time of 56.80 seconds in the 100 butterfly as John Burns (1:04.32) finished second.
Schultz earned his lone title in the 100 breaststroke, winning in 1:02.91, while Licciardello needed 5:24.45 to pull away from J-D/CBA’s Nate Wales (5:34.38) and win the 500 freestyle. Schultz also was second in the 200 individual medley in 2:10.44.
During the 200 freestyle relay, B’ville had Licciardello, Ludden, Schultz and Hiltbrand finish in 1:34.41 to the Rams’ 1:42.54. Evan Bohman took second place in the 100 backstroke in 1:03.92 as J-D/CBA’s Chris Bushnell won in 54.87 seconds.
B’ville then rested until Friday night’s meet at Auburn, where it had to earn full points again, but did so with relative ease and blasted the Maroons 102-46.
Hiltbrand turned to the 200 IM, where he prevailed in 2:11.13 before posting 1:10.97 in the 100 breaststroke. Schultz was victorious in the 100 butterfly in 1:00.52 and needed 1:05.66 to edge Ludden (1:06.67) in the 100 backstroke.
But Ludden was on top in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:30.91 to Bohman’s 5:35.24. Burns would go 2:04.20 in the 200 freestyle as Licciardello zoomed to first place in the 50 freestyle in 24.16 seconds and then won the 100 freestyle in 52.59 seconds, with Harrison Myers (59.59) in second place.
In the 200 freestyle relay, Liccardello, Hiltbrand, Schultz and Harrison German got first place in 1:37.86 after Hiltbrand and Bohman joined Quinn Gruppe and Tristan Miranda to swim the 200 medley relay in 1:58.60. German and Licciardello paired with Ludden and Gruppe to go 3:45.05 in the 400 freestyle relay.
This busy stretch for B’ville would continue Monday against Mexico before another key early-season meet takes place Friday night, where the Bees visit West Genesee.
