Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Mark Frost, Chronicle Editor
A young Glens Falls boys swim & dive team that graduated nine seniors last year exceeded expectations at this weekend’s Section 2 swim meet at Shenendowa, finishing a close second to Division 2 champion Ravena.
Of Glens Falls’s 15 sectional qualifiers, 12 were first-timers; four are 8th graders.
Eighth-grader Will Schwenker won two individual sectional titles — 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke.
“Going into the final leg of the relay, they were trailing Queensbury’s 200 free relay, but Will Schwenker’s anchor 50 free split of 22.91 gave Glens Falls the win,” an observer told The Chronicle.
Schwenker also swam on the 400 Free Relay Team that finished second to Ravena as all four Glens Falls swimmers — Fountain, Bowman, Schwenker and his fellow 8th grader Owen Johnson — all swam a leg that was their personal best.
Owen Johnson was also runner-up in the individual 100 backstroke and fourth in the 500 free.
Liam Anderson and Jack Rougeau are Glens Falls’ other two 8th graders who made sectionals.
Glens Falls Coach Kevin Crossman told The Chronicle, all four of the team’s 8th graders “made ‘waves’ at the championship, accounting for 1/3 of the team’s individual points excluding relays.”
As for Will Schwenker, Coach Crossman said in the team’s “already storied program,” he “achieved a feat no other Glens Falls swimmer has ever achieved, winning an individual sectional title as an 8th grader….not only one win, but a second individual win, with the added bonus of a relay.
“To see an 8th grader with these accolades so young is merely impressive. And he works for every bit of it and is a student of the sport — which I am most proud of. Additionally, he has a personality that is infectious and welcoming to his teammates. Truly a humble young man that I am fortunate to coach!”
The coach noted prior “legendary swimmers like Andrew Kirkpatrick 1986-1989 and Matt Distler 2007-2010 each won [sectional crowns] freshman through their senior years.”
Queensbury won the sectional title in the 200 Medley Relay with Tim Knill, Eamon Linehan, Rory Murphy and Maddox Brodt. They were runner-up in the 200 Free Relay.
Maddox Brodt was sectional runner-up in both the 50 and 100 Freestyle.
Queensbury 8th Grader Mitch Muldner was 3rd in the 200 IM and 4th in the 100 Breaststroke.
Queensbury senior Eamon Linehan was 2nd in the 100 breaststroke, and senior Rory Murphy was 3rd in the 50 free.
