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By KIM TRANELL Times Leader Sports Correspondent
Friday, January 28, 2000 Page: 3B
HANOVER TWP. – Dallas swim coach Matt Stretanski likes to see his team get
pumped up.
Going into Thursday’s meet against Hanover Area, he was concerned two snow
days might affect his team’s enthusiasm, as well as its performance.
“The snow kind of takes the wind out of your sails,” he said. “The kids
haven’t been in the water since Monday, so we needed to find something.
Somebody had to step up a little.”
And that’s exactly what they did.
The Dallas girls used their depth to pull out a 92-91 victory over Hanover
Area, while the Dallas boys defeated the Hawkeyes 100-72 Thursday at Hanover
Area High School.
The girls meet was close from the beginning, with the lead shifting almost
every event and no more than six points separating the two teams.
Dallas jumped out to a five-point lead following the diving competition.
Erin Cooper took first place with a score of 208.85, and Colleen Murphy placed
second for the Mountaineers.
The Hawkeyes used strong performances in the next two events to go ahead,
including Maria Whitman’s first-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle that
set a new school record with a time of :59.01.
“I’m glad she swam it today at home,” said Hanover assistant coach Jim
Qualters. “I knew it was going to come eventually.”
Even with record-breaking times, however, Hanover could not hold on for the
win. Dallas overcame Hanover’s talent by filling up the lanes in every event,
which was one thing the Hawkeyes didn’t have the ability to do.
“We were short a girl today to due an injury, and that hurt us a little,”
Qualters said.
Although Hanover won both remaining relays, Dallas finished first in each
of the remaining individual events. Shannon Gaffney took first in the 500
freestyle, Lacey Cooper won the 100 backstroke, and Erin Allardyce finished
first in the 100 breaststroke to secure the win.
“We’re proud of them, to get in the water after two days and win a big
meet like this,” said Stretanski. “They did a good job.”
Stretanski was equally pleased with his boys team.
Hanover was ahead until Arie Vankuyk’s first-place finish in diving put
Dallas in the lead. Hanover had no entries in the next race, the 100
butterfly, and Dallas easily widened their lead and put Hanover out of reach.
“I knew what they had. They didn’t have a good number,” Stretanski said.
“Again, we relied on depth and some strong races to help pull it out.
Perhaps the strongest race came from Dallas’ Matt Schweitzer. Although it
didn’t affect the outcome of the meet, Schweitzer set a new school record in
the 100 freestyle, recording a time of :51.71 during the leadoff leg of the
400 freestyle relay. He also won the 100 backstroke for the Mountaineers.
Hanover turned in an impressive amount of first-place finishes for a team
its size. The Hawkeyes were led by Matt Snyder and Brad Moyer, who each won
four events, and Justin Garruba, who was a triple winner.
“We’re short on numbers this year, and out of the kids we do have we have
a couple first-year kids,” said Qualters. “They turned into really good
swimmers, and our veterans are always coming through.”
Although Stretanski was pleased with the outcome, he was still concerned
about getting his team ready for three big meets in the next week.
So, urged by his team, he climbed onto the diving board and completed a
one-and-one-half somersault.
“I have got to do something to get them pumped up,” he said. Boys Meets
Hazleton Area 108 Scranton 63
SCRANTON – George Maue recorded four firsts to power Hazleton Area past
Scranton.
Chris Jones and John Jenkins added three victories apiece for the Cougars
and and Arthur Ortiz won diving.
Brendan Gerrity led Scranton with three firsts. Wyoming Valley West 137 Elk
Lake 44
PLYMOUTH – Corey Welch, Brian Keating and Mike Chesterfield each recorded
four victories to lead Wyoming Valley West past Elk Lake. Bishop Hoban 70 West
Scranton 23
WILKES-BARRE – Vince Ginocchetti, Luke Bartlinski, and Mike Son each
finished with three firsts to lead Bishop Hoban past West Scranton.
Chris Pisano won diving for the Argents.
Kyle Brazen scored a pair of firsts for the Invaders. Abington Heights 102
Tunkhannock 81
CLARKS SUMMIT – Abington Heights earned nine first-place finishes as it
defeated Tunkhannock. Bill Striepeck and Jim Armbruster each led Abington
Heights with four first place finishes. Girls Meets Wyoming Seminary 61
Wyoming Area 41
KINGSTON – Tricia Rado and Kourtney Koslosky each registered four firsts to
lead Wyoming Seminary past Wyoming Area in girls swimming.
Lindsay Mazzacco, Erica Benjamin and Kristin Clay were triple-winners for
the Blue Knights, and Alana Anzalone won diving.
Ashley Hindmarsh scored a first for the Warriors. Hazleton Area 112
Scranton 73
SCRANTON – Rachael Shewack scored four first-place finishes to lead
Hazleton Area past Scranton.
Lisa Sheaman was a triple winner for the Cougars, and Melia Baretta won
diving.
Eileen Garvey took two first for Scranton. Wyoming Valley West 153 Elk
Lake 30
PLYMOUTH – Wyoming Valley West took first, second, and third place in every
individual event and 1-2 in all three relays as it defeated Elk Lake.
Shana Welch took first place in four events while Danielle Chipego, Kelly
Chamberlain and Selina Cooney each earned three first place finishes for the
Spartans. Ainsley Maloney won diving. Abington Heights 118 Tunkhannock 67
CLARKS SUMMIT – Lindsay Baillie registered four firsts to power Abington
Heights past Tunkhannock.
Heidi Thran had three firsts for Abington Heights, and Lindsay Krushinski
won diving.
Alexis Ames scored a first for the Tigers.