Last week, the Lakers met the Wildcats at the PEIF for the final meet of the regular season before the GLIAC Championships. The team had a successful day in the pool, as both the men’s and women’s teams put on a show.

On the men’s side, Wyatt Dickman continued to establish himself as a leader for the group by claiming first place in the 100 individual medley (IM) and backstroke, setting a pool and team record for the medley event with a time of 51.10. He would also assist the winning 200 medley relay with a 25.54 in the breaststroke leg, as well as championing the skins event.

The rest of the senior group also had some great performances, including Javier Peña Reyes, who came in first in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:02.28, and James Werwie, who placed second with a time of 1:04.04. Werwie also led off the winning 200 medley relay team with his 25.99 backstroke.

Leo Nolles’ impact was also felt at the PEIF as he broke the 50 freestyle pool record with a time of 20.06 as the lead of the 200 freestyle relay. That same freestyle team, consisting of Nolles, Gabriel Fulconi, Daniel Khmara and William LaCount, also went on to break the pool record for the relay.

On the women’s side, the seniors led the way as Becca Burrows won the women’s skins event, 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke. Burrows also won a silver on the 50 butterfly and anchored a dominant, record-breaking 200 freestyle relay team consisting of Burrows, Mia Strazny, Elena Curti and Joanne Arbic.

Zoe DeKievit also had a great day with two first-place finishes in the 100 butterfly and 50 breaststroke. She also finished third in the 50 freestyle skins events and 100 backstroke. DeKievit was also a member of the first-place 200 medley relay team, alongside Strazny, Ella Houwers and Arbic.

Camilla Carbone also took first in the 100 backstroke, and Alyssa Bloser dominated the 100 IM.

The meet was filled with tearful and celebratory passages delivered to the seniors by their underclassmen teammates. It made for a competition full of bittersweet goodbyes, hopeful glimpses toward the future and even some confetti… which later had to be cleaned out of the pool. The seniors, leading their fellow Wildcats, look ahead to the GLIAC Championships on Feb. 19 with confidence as they bid their farewells.