The Lowry High School swim team started the season with a trip to South Tahoe last Saturday and finished with mixed results.
The men’s team notched a victory over South Tahoe 97-81, but the women’s team went down hard to the Vikings 159-36.
“The entire team looked strong at what is typically a tough meet, and I am impressed that the boys won because South Tahoe is about twice our size,” said LHS coach Shelby Ruff. “In the past we would win with numbers, and now we are winning with speed.”
The Lowry men finished with seven firsts, three seconds, three thirds, and one fourth place in their win over South Tahoe.
Charles Gonin won the 500 Freestyle, while Ashton Kalkoske took the 50 Freestyle, Hunter Lewis won the 100 Freestyle and the 100 Backstroke for the Buckaroos, and Aidan Maher was first in the 200 Freestyle.
Gonin, Lewis, Maher, and Tristan Miller teamed up in the 200 Medley Relay to finish first, as did Gonin, Evan Jeppsen, Ashton Kalkoske and Maher in the 400 Relay.
Gonin scored a silver medal in the 100 Butterfly, Jeppsen took second in the 50 Freestyle, and Miller did the same in the 500 Freestyle. Third place honors were given to Jeppsen in the 200 Freestyle, Kalkoske in the 500 Freestyle, and Miller in the 50 Freestyle. Maher finished fourth in the 50 Freestyle.
The Truckee High School men’s team took down a different South Tahoe team 191 to 57, and a third South Tahoe men’s team defeated Incline High School 106-30.
In the other two women’s matches Truckee took down South Tahoe 168-96, and Incline suffered a 158-26 loss to South Tahoe.
The Lowry women’s swimming squad could only manage one first place finish at the meet, with Tara Higley taking the 500 Freestyle. Higley also garnered a second in the 200 Individual Medly. Adaya Goldblatt grabbed silver in the 100 Freestyle and the 100 Backstroke, while Grady Mackie took third in the 100 and 200 Freestyle.
Ruff concluded, “Everyone qualified for regionals, so now they can focus on dropping those times or qualifying in additional events.”
