With some of the largest numbers in the history of the program, the Lake Orion girls swimming and diving team is fueled up for this season’s competition, which began Aug. 31.
Returning seniors for the Dragons are: Hannah Price, Erin Sutton, Lacy Phillips, Amanda Halliday, Nathalie Cornet, Ellen DeParo, and Natalie Spisak.
Returning juniors are: Emily Childers, Morgan Cook, Nikki Dolan, Stephanie Humes, Megan Keber, Alex Kudla, Perry Mitchell, Emily Roesch and Molly Wilcock.
Returning state swimmers from last season are Mitchell, Roesch, Cornet, Sutton, Price and Spisak. Returning divers for the team are junior Brianne Eluskie and sophomore Taylor Liechty.
‘Last year we finished sixth out of six overall, in dual meets,? said coach Darin Abbasse. ‘At our league meet, we finished fourth in OAA II, so we ended up fifth overall.?
Abbasse said his team is ‘looking great? early in the season.
‘We graduated three seniors,? he said. ‘We have picked up several swimmers, freshmen and upperclassmen, who have chosen to walk onto the team.?
The Dragons are going to be strong in freestyle events this year, Abbasse said.
‘The majority on our team are strong in freestyle,? he said. ‘In the sprint freestyle and backstroke, we’re very deep. Probably our strength will consist of Mitchell, Sutton, Price, Spisak, Cornet, Dolan, Kudla and Roesch.?
With the addition of some strong freshmen to the team, Abbasse also looks for Emily Loerch, Kylee Buchholz, and Angela Ilenich to have good seasons.
‘We have a transfer student, Diana Slavin, from Sterling Heights Stevenson, who will be a strong competitor for us,? he said.
Eluskie and freshman diver Jenna Dorey should also help the team, Abbasse said.
‘Our expectation is to win our division,? he said. ‘Both in dual meets and the league meet. The morale is great…during the time off, several swimmers became more committed to training year-round.
‘We’re up to 51 (on the team) from 35 last year,? Abbasse said. ‘We’re all well-balanced in Division II. It will be a battle.?
Lake Orion will go up against tough competitors in Rochester, West Bloomfield, Troy Athens and Andover.
‘They are all very competitive programs,? Abbasse said. ‘Every one of those meets will come down to the last couple of races.?