SWIM & DIVE: Pioneer Edges Saline in Clash of Top Ranked Programs

Saline came up a little short in a clash of the Titans in the Saline High School pool Thursday.

The 4th-ranked Hornets hosted top-ranked Pioneer. The favorites swam away with a narrow victory, winning 96-90.

This kind of competition is nearly unheard of during the dual-meet season. How many dual meets ever see five swimmers beat the state-cut time in the 200-IM? It was a feat repeated in the 100 backstroke.

In the very first event, you knew something was up when two 200-yard medley teams from the same school beat the state-cut time - easily.

The meet began with Pioneer winning the 200 medley relay in 1:36.46. Saline teams finished second and third, both beating the state cut time. Ethan Bill, Issac Adanin, Diego Valdes swam the race in 1:37.43. Ty and Connor Lauritzen, Nick Twigg and Nathanyel Sarment were third in 1:39.64.

Pioneer’s Edward Zhang won the 200-yard free in 1:43.64. Saline senior Dennis Ozil (1:43.91) was second.

Adanin, a freshman, won the 200-yard IM in 1:55.37. Valdez was right behind him (1.56.02). Connor Lauritzen was fourth in 2:00.38.

Pioneer’s Christopher Leduc was second in the 50-yard freestyle (22.06). Jonah Bentley was second in 22.42. Sarment was fourth and Will Loveland was fifth.

Pioneer’s Gabriel Mercier put on a show in 1-meter diving, winning with 309.6 points. Saline’s Drew Miller was second (201.5) and Carter Mitton was third (198.75). Joseph Rosales was fifth (189.25).

Valdez won the 100-yard fly in 51.04 seconds. Twigg was third and Loveland was fifth.

In the 100-yard free, Ozil won in 47.64 seconds. Sarment was third and Bentley was fourth.

Pioneer’s Cam Kline won the 500-yard free (4:52.49). Sophomore Jack Mallon was third.

Pioneer won the 200-yard free relay (1:28.64). Saline’s teams finished second and third. Bentley, Valdes, Sarment and Ozil bested the state cut time.

Pioneer’s Jensen Wood won the 100-yard backstroke in 5:3.87. Bull was third (54.92), Twigg was fourth (55.40), and Ty Lauritzen was fifth (55.92).

Zhang won the breaststroke for Pioneer in 58.84 seconds, edging Adanin (59.02) and Connor Lauritzen (59.34).

Saline won the 400-yard freestyle in 3:21.28. Ozil, Twigg, Connor Lauritzen and Adanin swam for the Hornets.

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