ONONDAGA COUNTY – What’s already proven to be a terrific season for the Baldwinsville boys swim team only got better in the last week of the regular season, even beyond the pair of wins it earned.
Not only did the Bees prevail 94-80 to move to 7-3 on the season last Tuesday night, but junior sprint specialist Mikey White earned a berth in March’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships in the 50-yard freestyle.
White needed to go 22.19 seconds to meet the state qualifying standard – and that’s exactly the time he posted, assuring a spot in the March 3-4 state meet to take place at Ithaca College.
Matt Lange finished first in the 200 freestyle in a quick 1:50.07 and, in the 100 freestyle, would challenge White, finishing in 50.55 second as White prevailed in 49.26 and Mason Stever (57.15) was third.
Lucas Clay would claim the 100 butterfly in 1:04.59 and finish third in the 100 breaststroke in 1:07.28, while Keenan Smith beat the field in the 200 individual medley in 2:23.78 as Colin Szkotak won the 500 freestyle in 6:03.66.
Alex Nicita got second in the 100 backstroke in 1:09.56, edging Zach Sauro (1:10.18) for that placement, and, with Webster, Clay and Danny Sima went 1:52.23 in the 200 medley relay behind Syracuse’s 1:52.08. Lange, Webster, Lucas Clay and Ian Clay swam the 400 freestyle relay in 3:53.36.
Back home Friday to face Mexico in the regular-season finale, B’ville honored its seniors, and then went on to defeat the Tigers 49-43.
And the big highlight came in the 200 freestyle relay where one of those seniors, Ben Webster, paired with White, Lange and Nicita to go 1:30.01 and, by doing so, place itself in the state meet in that event, having swam 1:31.75 in that event earlier in the week.
Four seniors – Webster, Szkotak, Eljiah Bettinger and Zach Ehrig – had the honor of swimming the first race, the 200 medley relay, and winning it in 1:58.51.
Later, Smith would take the 200 IM in 2:23.42 to the 2:26.12 from Mexico’s Stefano Magro, with Szkotak second in the 500 freestyle in 5:55.09, edged by the 5:54.87 from Magro.
A close 200 freestyle saw it go to the wire as White won in 1:48.32 to Lange’s 1;48.36. In the 100 freestyle, White, in 49.12 seconds, beat Lane’s 49.53.
Nicita won the 50 freestyle in 25.54 seconds, while Lucas Clay had a quick 100 breaststroke time of 1:04.80. Jayden Miranda was second in the 100 backstroke in 1:04.80 and Treygan St. John went 1:08.64 for second in the 100 butterfly.
To close out the meet, Nicita, Miranda, Lange and Clay posted a 400 freestyle relay time of 3:36.49 as now the Bees would prepare itself for the Feb. 15 Section III Class AA championships at Nottingham.
