Panthers three-peat as EWC champions
KIEL – The Plymouth Panthers overcome some obstacles as they earned their third straight Eastern Wisconsin Conference boys swimming and diving championship at the Kiel pool Saturday.
PHS had an excellent team performance with 22 of its 26 entries contributing team points. The four who didn’t place all had personal-best times.
“All in all, a great team effort by a great team and ultimately a very satisfying win in the face of a tough week. It shows that our kids know how to step up,” said Panther head coach Clare Sedlacek.
“I am very proud of every member of our team. We had a great conference meet.”
The Panthers were without a key swimmer in senior Jesse Gambrell who was sick.
The Panthers, led by double-winner Brian Linzmeyer, scored 144 points and Kiel was second with 125. Linzmeyer won the 100-yard backstroke with a career—best 57.33 seconds and the 100 freestyle in a season-low 51.94.
Plymouth’s other winners included junior Josh Suchon in diving with a career-best 382.30 points; the 200 medley relay in 1 minute, 45.48 seconds; and junior Andrew Connor in the 100 breaststroke in 1:08.44. The relay unit included Linzmeyer, Connor, and seniors Jeff Pagel and Alex Krueger.
“The divers had a fantastic day with each of them attaining career-high scores and earning first, second and third place for Josh Suchon, Franz Tadych, and Zach Strege, respectively,” said PHS diving coach Dave Kuckuk.
“Josh’s score earned him the place of sixth all-time in the EWC – surpassing Tim Kuckuk [Dave’s son] by just .6 of a point.”
A follow-up article on the EWC meet will appear in Thursday’s Review.
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
Plymouth……..………….………………….144
Kiel……………………………………..………...125
Two Rivers…………………………………….…71
Chilton/Valders………………………………..45
PLYMOUTH PLACE-WINNERS
Diving – 1. Josh Suchon, 382.30; 2. Franz Tadych, 241.35; 3. Zach Strege, 239.50.
200 medley relay – 1. Brian Linzmeyer, Andrew Connor, Jeff Pagel, Alex Krueger, 1:45,48.
200 freestyle – 4. Connor, 1:59.76; 5. Jack Brody, 2:02.49; 7. Cameron Collard, 2:05.60.
200 individual medley – 2. Pagel, 2:12.98; 5. Wendell Strutz, 2:22.42.
50 freestyle – 2. Krueger, 23.77; 3. Cormick Hnilicka, 24.18; 5. Mason Rishel, 25.42; 7. Mitch Tourner, 25.86.
100 butterfly – 2. Pagel, 57.93;
100 freestyle – 1. Linzmeyer, 51.94; 4. Hnilicka, 53.66; 6. Collard, 55.51.
200 freestyle relay – 2. Hnilicka, Pagel, Collard, Krueger, 1:36.82.
100 backstroke – 1. Linzmeyer, 57.33; 3. Brody, 1:03.34; 5. Strutz, 1:05.78.
100 breaststroke – 1. Connor, 1:08.44; 3. Adam Bunke, 1:11.38; 4. Josh Hunter, 1:13.70
400 freestyle relay – 2. Hnilicka, Connor, Krueger, _________ L_i_nz_m__ey_e_r_, _3:_3_2_.7_6_.____
