Clarkston’s lionesses of the pool didn’t need a mouse to remove a thorn from their paws on Oct. 13 in a 130-56 win over Royal Oak.
More of an annoyance than a problem, Clarkston was previously unable to qualify their 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams for the state tournament ? but both made state cuts at home against Royal Oak.
On the 200 relay, sophomore Alyssa Vela, a state qualifier in the 50 and 100 freestyle, teamed with junior Amanda Hassett, sophomore Kaitlyn Hassett and freshman Christine Seiple for a time of 1:44.71 ? a hair’s breadth under the Division I state cut time of 1:44.99.
In the 400 relay, Clarkston did not cut their time so close to the state time of 3:51.59, finishing in 3:50.17. Junior Kandice Keen teamed with both Hassetts and Seiple to earn the state berth for the Wolves in the 400.
With a 7-0 record, Clarkston swimming is enjoying the best season in school history. Both the 200 and 400 freestyle relay times were, in the words of Clarkston Coach Kenwyn Chock, ‘obviously school records.?
With a win at Stoney Creek in their final dual meet of the year on Oct. 20, Clarkston will have the inside track on the OAA Division III league title going into the league meet. The Wolves host the league meet from Nov. 2-4.
‘We’ll hopefully be undefeated going into the league tournament,? said Chock.
In between their final dual meet and the league meet, four individual swimmers in seven events and Clarkston’s 200 and 400 freestyle relays as well as the 200 medley relay are taking part in the MISCA meet at Eastern Michigan University, the site of the state finals.
?(MISCA) is top notch competition, a step above the county meet. They will see teams we will see at states and would not ordinarily have a chance to see,? said Chock.
The MISCA meet only accepts swimmers with a top-60 time in their county. Vela will swim in the 50 and 100; Keen represents in the 500 freestyle and 200 IM; state qualifier Molli Simpson will swim the 100 breaststroke; and Seiple will swim the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.
Clarkston’s meet on Oct. 18 against West Bloomfield finished too late for this edition of The Clarkston News. Though a loss to OAA II dwelling West Bloomfield would have blemished the Wolves overall record, the results will have no effect on Clarkston’s standings in Division III.