Rarely can a team classify itself as being ‘developing? and still be one of the state’s best.
But that’s the case at Lake Orion High School, where winning and losing during the dual meet portion of the season seems of little concern to coach Paul Fairman’s boys swim team.
Fairman concurred with senior Garrett Ruhland’s analysis that the squad is a ‘big meet team.?
‘Obviously we have three or four really good guys and a lot of others trying to get better,? Fariman said.
‘We’ve got a developing team,? Fairman said. ‘A few years from now the team will be much stronger.?
With this in mind the team fell 109-77 to OAA Division I opponent Birmingham Seaholm on Jan. 12.
Ruhland was victorious in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events and junior Ricky Forrest was a winner in the 500-yard freestyle.
But the moment of the night came on the diving board, where junior Brandon Figurski broke his own pool record from one year ago.
It was Figurski’s first dual meet of the season. He finished second at the state meet last year.
Figurski said his goal is to win at states this year, but it won’t be an easy task to accomplish.
‘It’s definitely stiffer competition then last year,? he said.
The second half of the meet was highlighted by the freestyle relays.
After losing in the 200-yard event by less than half a second, the team of Forrest, Ruhland and seniors Dave Brown and Andrew Kuehl came back to win the 400-yard event by almost five seconds.
Fairman was pleased that many of his guys are hitting their top times this early in the season. He believes the team will only get stronger as the season hits its stretch run.
‘I’m not worried at all that their times will fall,? he said.