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The Tigers and Vikings swam in their last dual meet of the season against each other Thursday night at the Texas A&M Student Rec Center Natatorium. Consol dominated the team competition as expected, but the lack of a tight team race was only part of the reason the swimming showdown offered less drama than those in football, basketball, baseball and softball.
Although it was Senior Recognition Night, the meet served primarily as preparation for the big meets to follow, starting with the District 13-5A event in two weeks.
Consol has been on a training regimen designed to produce the best results at district, regional and state, but the Tigers used their talent, depth and experience to easily win both team competitions. The Consol boys claimed a 301-102 victory over the Vikings, and the Lady Tigers won 293-79.
"I'm really, really pleased," Consol coach Ryan Goodwyn said. "There were several kids swimming lifetime bests, or really close to it, with really no rest. We beat them up over Christmas break. They're still responding well and swimming fast. There were several swims where I didn't expect the kids to go nearly as fast as they did."
During a break in the meet, the seniors from both teams were honored, with Goodwyn praising the first group of swimmers to spend four years in his program.
Mike Ortiz, Bryan's first-year coach, has a young team to work toward the day when he can see a class all the way through.
"My kids right now are the heart and soul of what I want to accomplish in building a team," Ortiz said. "Most of them are freshmen and sophomores. I believe as long as we keep up the same work ethic, it will be exactly what I want.
"I felt that this was the best performance they've given me all year. Approximately three-quarters of the team have dropped their times, and I'm very excited about that."
Consol won each of the relay events and all but two individual races. Bryan senior Megan Young finished first in both of her individual events, taking the 100- and 200-yard freestyle races. The Vikings also got a first place from Matthew Kelly in boys 1-meter diving, in which only Bryan competed.
The Tigers had three swimmers take two individual events. Sean O'Shea won the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. Alice Sui topped the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke, and Stacie O'Shea captured the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.
Consol's other individual event winners were Jack Burley, Brett Cast, Benjamin Jackson, Alec Kenerley, Kim McDonald, Ben Munster, Stephen O'Shea and Michelle Schuett.
"Kim McDonald's 500 freestyle was a real highlight for me, because she has really stepped up her intensity in training this year, and it's good to see it start to pay off for her," Goodwyn said.
"Ben Jackson and Stephen O'Shea, two of my faster guys, when they were broken down, it was showing. I'm glad to see that they're starting to come back and look more like what we need them to be at the end of the season."
Goodwyn also praised the performance of freshman Caleb Appleton, who had several lifetime bests with a top finish of third in the 100 backstroke.
For Bryan, Ortiz lauded the efforts of Cullen Tolmsoff and Briana Criaco. The Lady Vikings got a second place from Criaco in the 100 butterfly and a fourth in the 500 freestyle. Tolmsoff was third in the 100 breaststroke and fourth in the 100 freestyle. Cody Smith and David Godinez both had a second and third for Bryan.
• Larry Bowen's e-mail address is larry.bowen@theeagle.com.
