Having not competed at home since Dec. 17, the Baldwinsville boys swim team was happy to return there in order to maintain the six-meet win streak it had built in December.
The Bees hosted Weedsport last Monday night and, despite having swam in the Yeti Invitational at Webster Schroeder just 48 hours earlier, had plenty in reserve for this meet, defeating the Warriors 55-38.
On Senior Night, Alex Hiltbrand earned a berth in March’s state championship meet in the 100-yard butterfly, his time of 53.30 seconds well clear of the 53.95 qualifying standard and also breaking a Baker High School pool record.
Just before that, B’ville nearly qualified for the state meet in the 200 medley relay. Hiltbrand, John Licciardello, Nick Schultz and Bailey Ludden went 1:41.39, just off the 1:40.67 it needed to assure its place in that state meet on Long Island.
Elsewhere, Licciardello cruised to first place in the 200 individual medley in 2:13.65, with Eric Smith (2:25.64) second as Licciardello swam the 100 backstroke in 59.95 seconds.
Ludden would beat the field in the 100 freestyle in 50.31 seconds, with Harrison Myers posting 56.54 seconds. Schultz, already qualified for the state meet in the 100 breaststroke, swam that race in 1:01.14.
Tristan Miranda nearly won the 200 freestyle, his time of 2:02.67 just behind Weedsport’s Joe Wloch (2:02.08). Miranda also was second in the 500 freestyle in 5:35.48 as Brennan Gruppe posted 5:38.42.
To cap off the meet, Hiltbrand, Ludden, Licciardello and Schultz got through the 400 freestyle relay in 3:22.04 as Miranda, Burns, Meyers and Harrison German swam the 200 freestyle relay in 1:44.50.
After the weather postponement of last Thursday’s meet with Pulaski/Sandy Creek, B’ville faces Fulton on Wednesday night and, on Friday, takes part in the Salt City Athletic Conference championships at Nottingham, the same venue where the Section III meet takes place in mid-February.
