Girls Win Division 1 Championship, Boys 2nd, Bulldogs first Overall

On February 4, the Girls and Boys Varsity Swim and Dive Teams faced off against the best of Montgomery County in a very fast and very deep Division I Championships.  For the fourth year in a row, the teams combined to score more points than any other combined team in the Division.   The Bulldog Swimmers and Divers scored 861 points slightly more than 100 points than the Walter Johnson Wildcats scored.  With 443 points, the Girls (4-1) also won their meet.  The Wootton Patriots were second with 416 points.  The defending County  and Metros Champions, the Whitman Vikings, came in third with 392 points.    As a result the Girls are the Champions of Division 1.

The Boys (5-0) came in second by just 10 points.  The Walter Johnson Wildcats outscored the Bulldogs 428-418.    Both teams were well ahead of the Patriots, Vikings and Blair Blazers who were in a very exciting race for third.  The Boys finished second in the Division.

At the Division Champions, the deep Bulldogs were able to bring only 36 of their swimmers and divers, leaving behind many talented athletes.  Because of their deep talent, each Bulldog contributed importantly to the Bulldogs' success even against the outstanding competition.  Every single swimmer and diver scored in every event.  Every boy swimmer qualified for Metros.

The Bulldogs" amazing divers gotup very early to get the Bulldogs off to a great start. Kali Becker won the Diving and Jackie Stanton and Mashel Hashem finished third and fourth.  The three girls scored a huge 51 points and gave the Bulldogs a 35 point lead over the Vikings and Patriots.    A little later the swimmers kept up the momentum.  In the first swimming event, the Medley Relay, Shannon Ridge, Elizabeth Gelbaugh, Emily Andrews and Alicia Tiberino came in second just behind the Patriots very fast team.  Then the deep Bulldogs impressively put all three swimmers in the top 6 in the 200 Free.   Natalya Ares, Elaina Gu and Bridget Dromerick scored another 50 points by placing 1,2 and 6. And the Bulldogs were well on the way to winning the meet.

Natalya Ares also won 100 Fly in a best time.  She was the only Bulldog girl swimmer to win an individual event.  In contrast, the Vikings won five out of the eight individual swimming events.  Once again, the Bulldogs relied on their extraordinary depth to win the Divisional Championship Meet.  In six out of the nine events, the Bulldogs put at least two athletes  in the top six.  After the Diving and the 200 Free, the Bulldogs next put two in the top six in the 50 Free.  With season-best times, Michelle Illig and Bridget Dromerick moved up to 2nd and 3rd.  And Rachel Caplan also got a best time and beat her seed for additional points.  In the next event, the 100 Fly, Natalya Ares and Emily Andrews went 1-4.  The 100 Free was the third event in a row where two Bulldogs finished in the top six.    Alicia Tiberino and Michelle Illig placed 3rd and 5th.  Later, Alicia and Shannon Ridge were 4th and 5th in the 100 Back.  And Ada Lopacynski moved up her seed in the back as well.

With two seconds in the distance free events. Elaina Gu was second in scoring for the Bulldogs.  From an outside lane, Elaina moved up to second in the 500 Free in a best time.  Grace Pereles and Taylor Fisher also get best times in that event.  The best times and improving their seeds were critical to the Bulldogs' success.  In the 200 IM, for example,  both Shannon Ridge and Emily Andrews beat their seeds with best times.  Laurie Wei got a best time in the 100 Fly and Hannah Lee got a best time in the 100 Breast.    The future looks good for the Bulldogs as freshmen Elizabeth Gelbaugh and Christina Poerstel went 5-7 in the 100 Breast.

Perhaps the two most exciting events of the meets were the Freestyle Relays.  Spectators at the Bulldogs-Vikings Dual Meet were not surprised.  In each relay, the lead-off and anchor swimmers for the very fast Vikings had won four individual events at the meet, including three of the four freestyle events.   Fortunately, the Bulldogs also have many fast freestylers.  In the 200 Free, Bridget Dromerick, Michelle Illig, Elaina Gu and Natalya Ares out-touched the Vikings by just .08 of a second for first.    In the final 400 relay, the Vikings just out-touched the Bulldogs.   Alicia Tiberino, Michelle Illig, Bridget Dromerick and Natalya Ares finished in second by just three tenths and almost 8 seconds ahead of third.

The Boy Divers also got the Bulldogs off to a great start.  Not surprisingly, Tim Faerber finished in first with almost 70 more points than the second place diver.  Thus, a Bulldog won both the Girls and Boys Diving. Ryan Coran and Andrew Marders were 8th and 9th.  

The Bulldogs next victory came when Harrison Gu won the 200 IM.    All three swimmers were in top six as Steve Ge and Sammy Lee came in 4th and 6th.    Steve moved all the way up from 9th.  Harrison won both his individual events.   In the very last individual event of the meet,  Harrison moved up from third to win the 100 Breast in a very close race against some fast breaststrokers.  Collin Stanhope swam a best time and also moved up places.

Austin Cole was the other Bulldog to win a race.  Austin won the 50 Free.  The Bulldogs had two in the top six as Odin Soevik was 5th. Both were best times.   Austin finished second in his other race, the 100 Free.    He was again joined by  Odin who moved up his seed with a best time.

Like the Girls, the Boys relied on their considerable depth.  At least two Boys finished in the top six in four of the eight swimming events.  Eric Eig and Kevin Gu were 3rd and 5th in the 100 Fly in best times.  Kevin moved up from 7th.  Sammy Lee and Todd Erickson moved up their seeds to finish 2nd and 5th in the 100 Back.  Calvin Tran also beat his seed in that event.

Early in the meet, Steve Ge had moved up from 9th to 4th in the 200 IM.  Because he had not swum the 500 Free all season, he was technically seeded last.  He lapped the first heat and finished 5th in the very fast 500 field.  Andy Rosenthal also moved up his seed in that event by getting a best time.

The deep Bulldogs were also helped out by their relay swims.   Sammy Lee, Steve Ge, Joey Bieda and Austin Cole placed 2nd in the 400 Free Relay.  Because of their many fast sprint freestylers, three different swimmers joined Austin on the third place 200 Free Relay:  Odin Soevik, Kevin Gu and Colin Asbury.    And Sammy Lee, Harrison Gu, Eric Eig and Odin Soevik were 4th in the Medley Relay.

The Bulldogs next face off against the best public and private school swimmers at the traditionally fast Metros.  Then the Bulldogs get to try something new at Regionals and States.  Their depth is going to be increasingly less important at these meets so they are going to need to continue to get best times to suceed.

 

Reach for the Wall Covers Churchill-Wootton Meet  

RFTW lists Austin Cole as one of only two Montgomery County Swimmers to watch this weekend at Divisionals.  It also recaps the exciting meet against Wootton.  To read the article, please click here:  http://reachforthewall.com/2012/02/0...-champs-begin/

 

Gazette has pictures from Churchill-Wootton Meet

To view the pictures, please click here:  http://clicked.gazette.net/mycapture...istSubAlbums=0

Bulldogs Class of 2012

 

 

Bulldogs Finish Dual Meets at Top of Division I

Everyone was greatly anticipating the meet between the Lady Bulldogs (4-1) and the undefeated Wootton Patriots.   They had to wait a long two weeks thanks to the ice storm.  Two years ago the Patriots and Bulldogs unfortunately were unable to make up their  meet that was cancelled due to snow.  This year everyone was excited that the two powerhouses would get to race and dive against each other at the Germantown Aquatic Center.  The Girls had not lost an event  since 2011 but they were not able to keep that streak going against the very fast Patriots.  In the opening event, the Patriots demonstrated just how good they are.    The Patriots went a blistering 1:49 to beat a stacked Bulldog team.  The Patriots then won the first two individual events.    The Bulldogs kept the meet close by going 2-3 in both events. (Bridget Dromerick, Elaina Gu, Shannon Ridge and Emily Andrews).    Natalya Ares got the Bulldogs first win in the final event of the first half, the 50 Free.  Michelle Illig finished 3rd. 

Going into the Diving, the Bulldogs were down 35-29.  Kali Becker and Mashal Hashem went 1-2 in the Diving and the Bulldogs had closed the gap to just one point.    In the first event of the second half, Natalya Ares won her second event of the meet.  Emily Andrews and Laurie Wei took 3rd and 4th and suddenly the Bulldogs were up by 5.  Natalya was the only Bulldog swimmer to win an event.   The Patriots won the final four individual events:   the 100 Free, 500 Free,  100 Back and the 100 Breast.  The deep Bulldogs went 2-3 in the Frees and the Back and 3,4,5 in the Breast.  (Alicia Tiberino, Michelle Illig, Elaina Gu, Alicia Tiberino, Shannon Ridge, Diana Yin, Elizabeth Gelbaugh, and Christina Poerstel).  Sprinter Bridget Dromerick had stepped it up to swim the 200 and 500 Distance Free combo.  Even though they won only two swimming races, the Bulldogs were down by just 3 points going to the Final Free Relay -- thanks to their depth and great diving,    The Bulldogs' depth proved too much for the Patriots in the final relay.  Bridget Dromerick, Emily Andrews, Elaina Gu and Michelle Illig won going away.  But the Bulldogs still needed the B relay to score.  Grace Pereles, Cosette Melcher, Rachel Caplan and Allison Srour finished in third.  In the end, the Bulldogs won 87-84. At 4-1 both the Bulldogs and Patriots are at the top of Division I.  The powerful Whitman Vikings are just one victory behind.

The Class of 2012 Boys had not lost a dual meet in their four years.  They finished their career undefeated as they beat the Patriots 97-72.  Every senior contributed to the victory including team manager Sam Coran who swam the 50 Free.  Just like the Lady Patriots, the Patriots showed that they were going to be a formidable foe in the opening event.  Against every other Division I opponent, the Bulldogs had gone 1-2 in the Opening Medley Relay.  The Patriots, however, beat both Bulldog Relays.  The deep Bulldogs nonetheless went 2,3,and 4. Harrison Gu managed the only win in the first half, taking the 200 IM.   Sammy Lee came in third.

At the end of the first half, the Boys were down 34 to 30.  Like the Girls, the Boys had won only one event but had kept the meet close with their depth.  For example, Chris Wysocki, Joey Bieda and Jack McGuire and Odin Soevik, Colin Asbury and Kevin Gu went 2-4-5 in the 200 and 50 Frees.

Tim Faerber  and Sam's brother Ryan Coran went 1-3 in the diving and the Bulldogs were finally winning.   And Austin Cole hadn't swum an event yet.    In the first event of the second half, Eric Eig, Kevin Gu and Andy Rosenthal went  1,3,4 in the fly to outscore the Patriots 11-5.  Austin Cole finally got to swim and won both the 100 Free and 100 Back. Colin Asbury, Sammy Lee and Todd Erickson also scored in those events.   Chris Wysocki came from way behind to win the 500 Free.   More than even the victories, it was the 2nds, 3rds, 4ths and 5ths  that made the difference.  For example, the Bulldogs took sixth only in two events all morning.  The Bulldogs finished their dual meet season by winning the 400 Free Relay (Joey Bieda, Colin Asbury, Chris Wysocki and Austin Cole). The Bulldogs finished 5-0 in dual meets.  They will face a considerable challenge from the Patriots, the Walter Johnson Wildcats and the rest of Division I.  In the championship meets, the Bulldogs won't be able to rely on their remarkable depth as much. 

As the final dual meet of the season, the Bulldogs honored their seniors.  A year ago, Coach Van Tassell told the Observer that the Class of 2010 was the best graduating class that he had ever had.  While the Class of 2010 was amazing, some thought that the Class of 2012 might turn out to be even better by the time that they graduated.  They are certainly the biggest class ever.  And they are probably the best graduating class that Coach Roddy  has ever had.    Regardless, they are an extraordinarily special class.  They are amazingly deep and fast.  As freshmen, they had an immediate impact propelling the Bulldogs to the top of County and the Washington area.  In their freshman year, the Bulldogs were undefeated and the Division I Champs and County Champs.  The Girls won Metros, the first time in over ten years that a public school had won.  Together the Girls and Boys scored more points than any other team at Metros that year.  The Boys have placed higher in Metros every year, finishing second last year, ahead of every public and private school in the County.  The Boys are undefeated in Dual Meets finishing 21-0.  The Girls are 18-3, losing the last two meets by a total of a just six points.  While the Class of 2012 has been contributing to the the team, the Bulldogs have been remarkable at Championship Meets.

Metros
Junior Year:  Girls 3rd  Boys 2nd
Sophomore Year:  Girls 3rd Boys 3rd
Freshman Year:  Girls 1st Boys 4th

County Championships
Junior year Girls 2nd Boys 1st Combined 1st
Sophomore Year Girls 2nd Boys 3rd  Combined 2nd
Freshman year  Girls 1st Boys 1st Combined 1st

Division I Divisionals
Junior Year Girls 2nd Boys 1st   Combined 1st
Sophomore Year Girls 2nd Boys 1st Combined 1st
Freshman Year Girls 1st Boys 1st Combined 1st  

They won all three Division I Relay Carnivals and won two County-wide Diving Relay Carnivals.

  And they are not done yet.  Good luck at Divisionals, Regionals, Metros and States.

While the class is blessed with many extraordinary athletes who have qualified for Olympic Trials, Nationals, Junior Nationals and Sectionals, it is perhaps their depth that is most remarkable.  Other teams have swimmers and divers going to those events but none has so many.   It is the speed of the C Relays, the exhibition swimmers  that truly separates the Bulldogs from other teams.   Congratulations to:  Natalya Ares, Colin Asbury, Joey Bieda, Danny Campbell, Sam Coran, Eric Eig, Todd Erickson, Timmy Faerber, Taylor Fisher, Chloe Hand, Sammy Lee, Nicole Leung, Olivia Parven, Shannon Ridge, Andy Rosenthal, Eric Shiang, Odin Soevik, Allison Srour, Collin Stanhope, Katy Verboncoeur, Laurie Wei, and Chris Wysocki.  You will be missed.

The Bulldog swimmers and divers appreciated counting Athletic Director Dave Kelley among their fans.

 

Washington Post previews Wootton-Churchill Meet

In the January 19 edition, the Washington Post previews the upcoming meet between two swimming and dive powers, the 4-0 Wootton Patriots and the 3-1 Churchill Bulldogs.  The article highlights swimmers Natalya Ares, Elaina Gu, and Alicia Tiberino, and divers Kali Becker and Jackie Stanton. The article was reprinted on Reach for the Wall:  http://reachforthewall.com/2012/01/1...on-one-battle/

Potomac Patch also previews Meet and Tim Faerber

To view the articles, please click here:  http://potomac.patch.com/articles/ch...#photo-8931610

 

 

Bulldogs Keep Winning

 

On Saturday, January 14, the Churchill Bulldogs faced off against Division I newcomer, the Blair Blazers.  For the fourth meet in a row, the Boys started the meet by taking first and second in the opening Medley Relay.  Sammy Lee, Collin Stanhope, Eric Eig, and Odin Soevik won and Todd Erickson, Harrison Gu, Andy Rosenthal, and Kevin Gu placed second.  In the first individual event,  the 200 Free,  Joey Bieda, Chris Wysocki and Colin Asbury swept.  And the Boys (4-0) were well on their way to defeating the Blazers 122.5 to 48.5.   Harrison Gu (200 IM) and Austin Cole (50 Free) won the remaining events of the first half.  Tim Faerber returned to win the Diving. 

The Diving did not slow down the swimmers.  Eric Eig, Andy Rosenthal and Eric Shiang resumed the winning by sweeping the 100 Fly.  Then,  Austin Cole (100 Free) and Harrison Gu (100 Breast) won their second events of the meet.  In the end, the Boys won eight out of the nine individual events as Sammy Lee won the 100 Back. 

Like last week,  Bulldogs' A Relay faced a battle in the Final Free Relay.  Like last week,  Austin Cole anchored the relay to guarantee victory.  This week he was joined by the boys who swept the 200 Free:  Colin Asbury, Joey Bieda and Chris Wysocki.  And this time it was the Bulldogs B Relay who challenged the Bulldogs A Relay.  Eric Eig, Andy Rosenthal, Steve Ge and Odin Soevik came in second. 

The Girls have not lost a race since December 17, 2011.  Against the Blazers, the Girls (3-1) again won every single individual and relay race on their way to a 127-44 victory.   Shannon Ridge, Elizabeth Gelbaugh, Elaina Gu and  Michelle Illig won the opening Medley Relay.  Natalya Ares followed the relay victory by winning the first individual event, the 200 Free.   The Girls then swept the next five events:   Elaina Gu, Christina Poerstel and Laurie Wei in the 200 IM, Alicia Tiberino, Michelle Illig and Bridget Dromerick in the 50 Free,  Kali Becker and Jackie Stanton in the Diving, Natalya Ares, Laurie Wei and Allison Srour, in the 100 Fly, and Alicia Tiberino, Michelle Illig, and Bridget Dromerick in the 100 Free.  The deep Bulldogs actually took the first five places in the 100 Fly (Nicole Marders and Sara Ewel) and the first four in the 200 Free (Cosette Melcher)

Then Elaina Gu won her second event of the morning, the 500 Free. Natalya Ares and Alicia Tiberino were also double event winners (and Michelle Iliig and Bridget Dromerick joined in Alicia in sweeping both sprint Free events).  Shannon Ridge won the 100 Back.  In the last individual event, the Girls swept their sixth event of the meet.  Christina Poerstel, Elizabeth Gelbaugh and Diana Yin went 1,2,3 in the 100 Breast.    The Girls completed their sweep of all the events by taking the 400 Free Relay (Alicia Tiberino, Bridget Dromerick, Shannon Ridge and Natalya Ares).

 

Gazette Profiles Captain Tim Faerber  

To view the article, please click here:  http://www.gazette.net/article/20120...mplate=gazette

 

Both Bulldog Teams Beat Barons

On a surprisingly warm January day, the Bulldogs Swim and Dive Teams were a little less surprisingly blistering HOT.  The Girls apparently did not rest over break, as they returned to dominate the BCC Barons.  Scoring just eight points less than the maximum, the Girls (2-1) won 134-37.   The Girls demonstrated their incredible depth by sweeping both Relays.   Shannon Ridge, Elizabeth Gelbaugh, Laurie Wei, Elaina Gu, Ada Lopacynski, Christina Poerstel, Sara Ewel, Bridget Dromerick, Hannah Kelly, Diana Yin, Nicole Marders, Rachel Caplan went 1,2,3 in the Opening Medley Relay.   Michelle Illig, Elaina Gu, Alicia Tiberino, Natalya Ares, Rachel Caplan, Grace Pereles, Emily Andrews , Bridget Dromerick, Kriza Sy, Taylor Fisher, Cosette Melcher and Allison Srour swept the final relay. 
 

In addition to the Relays, the Girls swept five indivdual events.  The Girls got their first sweep in an individual event in the final event of the first half.  Alicia Tiberino, Michelle Illig, and Hannah Kelly swept the 50 Free. In the next event,  Jackie Stanton and Mashal Hashem swept the diving.  The Girls also swept the final three individual events. The Bulldogs should be good for a long time as four freshmen helped them sweep the 500 Free  (Elaina Gu, Taylor Fisher, Grace Pereles)  and the 100 Breast (Elizabeth Gelbaugh, Diana Yin, Christina Poerstel).   In between, the deep Bulldogs took first through fourth in the 100 Back (Alicia Tiberino, Shannon Ridge, Ada Lopacynski, Alison Srour).  Natalya Ares (200 Free and 100 Fly) and Alicia Tiberino (50 Free and 100 Back) were double event winners.   In addition to Jackie, Elaina, and Elizabeth,  Bridget Dromerick (100 Free) and Shannon Ridge (200 IM) won events.

The Boys (3-0) beat the Barons 114-57.   For the third week in a row, the Boys took a commanding lead by going 1-2 in the Opening Medley Relay.  Sammy Lee,  Harrison Gu, Colin Asbury and Odin Soevik won and Todd Erickson, Mark Richardson, Andy Rosenthal, and Harry Criswell finished second.  The Barons responded by going 1-2 in the first individual event, the 200 Free.   The Bulldogs' seemingly unlimited supply of boys proved too much in the end.  As a result, they dominated the final three individual events.  Chris Wysocki, Andy Rosenthal, and Joey Bieda went 1,2,4 in the 500 Free.  Sammy Lee, Todd Erickson,  and Colin Asbury swept the 100 Back,  In the final individual event,  Mark Richardson, Steve Ge and Collin Stanhope went 1,2 and 4 in the 100 Breast.  The Boys also swept the 50 Free (Austin Cole, Colin Asbury and Collin Stanhope).   Austin Cole was a double event winner  (50 and 100 Free).  Harrison Gu won the 200 IM.  The Boys showed their incredible depth as almost every  Bulldog in a scoring lane earned a Metros qualifying time. 

Although the meet was no longer in doubt, perhaps the most exciting race of the meet was the final free relay.  The Bulldogs faced a very strong Barons team.  Eric Eig got the Bulldogs off to a slight lead.  Joey Bieda and Chris Wysocki were able to maintain the lead against the fast Barons.   As a result, anchor Austin Cole dove in slightly ahead but was facing the Barons superstar who had earlier won the 100 Fly and 200 Free.  Austin battled the Barons star and got his hand on the wall first even though the Barons went so fast that they set a Barons team record.  The Divers' new "Cruise Director" Tim Faerber got off the ship long enough to direct the diving with help from Kali Becker.

RFTW both previewed and covered the meet between two of the fastest teams in the County.

To view RFTW's coverage of the meet, please click here: (http://reachforthewall.com/2012/01/0...l-sweeps-b-cc/)

For the preview, please click here: (http://reachforthewall.com/2012/01/0...ionship-hopes/)

 

Bulldogs Split with Vikings

 

Against the Whitman Vikings on Saturday, December 17, the Bulldog Boys (2-0) demonstrated how totally dominating they can be when at full force.   The meet started with the Medley A and B Relays, each anchored by a Soevik brother, going 1-2.  Todd Erickson, Harrison Gu and Eric Eig joined Odin on the winning relay.   Danny Campbell, Collin Stanhope and Kevin Gu and Njord were right behind them.  In the next event, the 200 Free, the Bulldogs swept (Steve Ge, Joey Bieda and Chris Wysocki).  Then Harrison Gu and Sammy Lee went 1-2 in the 200 IM.  In the final event of the first half, the 50 Free, the Vikings entered one of their best swimmers.  However, Austin Cole went a lifetime best to win the event and the Bulldogs outscored the Vikings by going 1,3,4. 

The Vikings got no rest during the diving as they had to face Olympic Trials Qualifier Tim Faerber.  The Bulldogs went on to win every single event in the meet.    An impressive seven different athletes won an event.  The very deep Bulldogs also never finished last in a race.   As a result, the Bulldogs won 117 to 54.   Eric Eig, Austin Cole, Chris Wysocki, Sammy Lee and  Harrison Gu won events in the second half.    The Boys finished the meet by winning the free relay (Odin Soevik, Joey Bieda, Colin Asbury and Austin Cole).

Everyone was eagerly anticipating the match up between the Viking and Bulldog Girls.  They have won the last three Metros Championships.  Last year's meet was a thriller as the Vikings won by just five points.  Even the Gazette rated them as the best two public schools in the County.  This year's meet did not disappoint.  In the end only a single point separated these two amazing teams.  

As the anchor of the Bulldogs free relay in last year's meet, Natalya Ares, the Bulldogs own  Jason Lezak, dove in way behind but managed miraclously to catch the Viking inside the flags to pull out the win.  That victory was not quite enough to give the Bulldogs a win in the meet.  This year Natalya again dove in way behind in the free relay.  Mindful of last year's heroics and spurred on by Coach Roddy, the crowd roared as Natalya closed the gap on the Viking anchor.  This time, however, the lead was too big even for Natayla and she couldn't quite catch a very fast Viking.  The Girls (1-1) lost by the smallest of margins 86-85.

Also like last year, Natalya was the only swimmer who was able to win an individual race against the Vikings' large supply of fast swimmers.  Just like last year, Natalya won both the 200 Free and the 100 Fly.  Even though they won only two individual swimming events, the Bulldogs kept the meet so close thanks to their amazing divers, strong relays, great swimming and depth.  Kali Becker and Jackie Stanton swept the diving.  Shannon Ridge, Christina Poerstel, Emily Andrews and Bridget Dromerick won the Medley Relay.    Elizabeth Gelbaugh dropped 12 seconds since last  week and went a lifetime best by a second to outtouch a Viking for second in the breast.   Both the Bulldogs B and C Free Relays beat the Vikings B relay.    The meet should keep the Bulldogs motivated to keep training over the holiday break for the Championship Meets as those meets will reward speed over depth.

 

 

 

Girls and Boys Win Against Walter Johnson Wildcats

At the Gaithersburg Aquatic Center on December 10, the Churchill Girls (1-0) were up by a mere three points over the Walter Johnson Wildcats going into the final Free Relay.  Cosette Melcher, Grace Pereles, Rachel Caplan and Michelle Illig won the relay to secure the victory for the Bulldogs.    Nicole Marders, Taylor Fisher, Kriza Sy and Olivia Parven took third so that the Bulldogs ended up winning by nine points, 90-81.

The opening Medley Relay set the tone for the victorious Bulldogs.  Although the Wildcats won the relay, the Bulldogs went 2,3,4.  (Ada Lopaczynski, Diana Yin, Sara Ewel, Hannah Kelly, Nicole Leung, Christina Poerstel, Laurie Wei, Allison Srour, Chloe Hand, Hannah Lee, Nicole Marders, Evi Liu).  And it was the Bulldogs' depth that propelled them to victory.  The Bulldogs won only three out of the nine individual events.  Michelle Illig led the Bulldogs.  Before anchoring the winning final critical relay, she won both the 50 and 100 Free.  The Bulldogs excel at any distance of Freestyle as Taylor Fisher won the 500 Free.  Thus, it was the many seconds and thirds that made the difference.  For example, the Bulldogs also outscored the Wildcats in the 200 IM and the 100 Breast even though the Wildcats took first in both of those events.

The Churchill Boys took first and second in the opening Medley Relay and never looked back (Todd Erickson, Kevin Gu, Collin Stanhope, Odin Soevik, Colin Mackey, Mark Richardson, Eric Shiang, Njord Soevik).  The Boys (1-0) beat the Wildcats 103 to 68. 
 

Sprinter Colin Asbury demonstrated that he can swim any distance by winning the first individual event, the 200 Free.  The Bulldogs went on to win the next four events:  Todd Erickson (200 IM), Odin Soevik (50 Free), Tim Faerber (Diving), Eric Eig (100 Fly).  Like Michelle,  Todd Erickson won both his individual events (200 IM and 100 Back) and was on a winning relay.  The Bulldogs finished as strong as they started.  Mark Richardson won the final individual event, the 100 Breast. And Odin Soevik, William Spivack, Eric Eig, and Colin Asbury won the final Free Relay.

Congratulations to Alicia Tiberino's little brother Matthew who was a member of a relay team that set a National Age Group Record while the Bulldogs were winning their first meets.

 

 

                    Bulldogs Prepare for 2011-12 Season
                    with Scrimmage against Poolesville

 

Welcome to the Churchill Bulldog Swim and Dive Team's 2011-2012 Season.  A new coach (Welcome Coach Roddy!!!), new final meet, new rules about the suit  (good bye to pink and blue suits) but hopefully the same great results.

Although the 2010-11 Churchill Boys were the undefeated County Champions and finished second at Metros ahead of every other public and private school in the County, the Montgomery County Gazette did not highlight the Boys in its preseason review.    Despite being mostly ignored by the Gazette,  the 2011-12 Bulldogs looked very strong against a very large Poolesville team (although admittedly it is a little difficult to judge from a preseason scrimmage against a non-division foe).    The all-senior team of Sammy Lee, Collin Stanhope, Eric Eig and Todd Erickson got the 2011-12 season off to a great start by winning the opening Medley Relay.  The Bulldogs then went on to sweep every individual event in the first half of the meet:   the 200 Free (Chris Wysocki, Andy Rosenthal,  Jack McGuire), the 200 IM (Harrison Gu, Sammy Lee, Joey Bieda) and the 50 Free (Odin Soevik, Colin Mackey, Bryan Kirks, Edward Yao).  Although they didn't score the diving in the scrimmage, the divers lead by Michigan-bound  "Coach" Tim Faerber should continue to be a strength of the team.   After the diving, the Bulldogs maintained their winning ways by taking all the individual events in the second half as well:  100 Fly (Eric Eig), 100 Free (Austin Cole), 100 Back (Todd Erickson), and 100 Breast (Steve Ge).  The Bulldogs swept the 100 Free (Austin Cole, Colin Asbury, Njord Soevik, Ben Moore, Danny Campbell).   Having swept both sprint freestyle events, it was not too suprising that the Bulldogs also swept the 200 Free Relay (Joey Bieda, Odin Soevik, Colin Asbury, Austin Cole, Harrison Gu, Harry Criswell, Eric Shiang, Collin Stanhope, Ben Moore, Calvin Tran, Jack McGuire, Steve Ge, Drew Gerber, Jimmy Song, Kevin Gu, Njord Soevik).

The Churchill Girls looked equally awesome.  It appears that the Bulldogs have another fantastic freshman class. Elaina Gu won the first individual event, the 200 Free.   Kali Becker looked very impressive on the diving board.  And Rachel Caplan and Elizabeth Gelbaugh finished 2-3 in the Breast.  And many other freshmen scored.  Of course, the Bulldogs are also blessed with many fast upperclassmen.  Emily Andrews (200 IM), Natalya Ares (50 Free),  Alicia Tiberno (100 Free),  and Shannon Ridge (100 Back) all won events.   Like the Boys, the Girls swept the 50 and 100 Free and the 200 Free Relay.  Perhaps many of these Bulldogs will join Tim Faerber at Michigan and swim for sprint coach Mike Bottom. (At least Michigan still has a swim and dive team!)  Natalya Ares, Michelle Illig, Hannah Kelly, and Allison Srour swept the 50 Free.  Alicia Tiberno, Bridget Dromerick, Kriza Sy, Olivia Parven, Evi Liu, and Olivia Stanhope  swept the 100 Free.  The Bulldogs were so fast in the 200 Free Relay that apparently no one caught their names.  Perhaps the official team suit should be pink and blue with their names on their backs.  The verstile Bulldogs also swept the 200 IM (Emily Andrews, Elizabeth Gelbaugh, Emily Jin).  Early in the meet, Shannon Ridge, Diana Yin, Natalya Ares,and Nicole Leung won the Medley Relay.

Next week the Bulldogs face off against the traditionally strong Walter Johnson Wildcats.  Because  both teams will be missing many swimmers to PVS meets, the meet also won't necessarily be a true indication of the strength of the two teams.    Bulldogs Fans may have to wait two weeks to determine whether the Gazette should have highlighted some of the Bulldogs many fast boys.

Previous Seasons have now been saved as separate pages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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