Otters drop heartbreaker to Fauquier Frogs

By Becky Hofmann
Special to the Review

Published: July 11, 2008

In the closest Orange Otters meet in league history, coach Joe Fischer noted that many of the kids really stepped up Saturday, June 28, and should be very proud of their performances. There were too many great swims to mention, and he was amazed at the number of very close races.
In the end the Otters lost by just four points, the closest meet in league history, with a score of 629 to Fauquier Swim Club’s 633.
It was a meet that featured many very close races and could have easily gone either way. In the first eight events, the Frogs out-touched us twice for first place by less than .10 seconds. The battle continued right to the end and in event 59, FSC’s time of 1:04.53 to Orange’s time of 1:04.91 sealed the victory for them.
While disappointed with the final results, Joe Fischer was not disappointed in the effort most of the Otter swimmers put in and the way the swimmers conducted themselves throughout the meet. The Orange Otters have three more meets this summer and Fischer is hopeful that all the swimmers will do everything they can to have a great second half season.
A number of the six and under boys who swam in the eight and under events, collectively earned 13 points, when typically the six and under swim for exhibition and not for points. In the 15 and older category Kyle Willis swam in his first meet. Coach Joe asked Kyle to swim the 100 IM. He did not want to, but said if the team needed him to he would. He swam the event and did a great job. Allison Kenyon posted best times in every event of the day. Larissa Neilan, Taylor Reuss and John Marquis simply gave it their all in each and every race. Thirteen-year-old Justin Barden secured a pool record in the 50 fly with a 27.07 before having to withdraw from the meet due to illness. And there are many other great racers including but not limited to:
Six and under: Colton Moriarty, second 25 fly; Jack Stelter, third 25 back and Camille Thionville, first 25 back.
Eight and under: Jenna Faulconer, third 25 free; Evan Fenwick, third 25 free; Katie Hofmann, first 25 fly, first 25 free, second 25 breast, first 25 back; Megan Hofmann, third 25 fly, second 25 free, third 25 breast, second 25 back and Lily Moriarty, first 25 breast.
Nine-10: Annie Cluff, third 25 fly; Connor Fenwick, third 25 fly, first 25 free, third 50 free, second 25 breast; Gary Hofmann, second 25 fly, third 25 free, first 50 free, first 25 breast, third 25 back; Grace Kendall, second 25 fly, third 25 back; Kassidy Marshall, second 25 free; Alix Neilan, first 25 fly, first 25 free, first 50 free, third 25 breast and Katie Stipe, third 25 free, third 50 free, first 25 breast, first 25 back.
11-12: John Marquis, first 50 fly, second 50 free, second 100 free, first 50 breast, first 50 back; Larissa Neilan, second 50 fly, second 50 free, third 100 free, first 50 breast, second 50 back, third 14 and under IM; Ana Reuss, third 50 fly and Taylor Williams, third 50 breast.
13-14: Justin Barden, first 50 fly, second 50 free; Ryan Hofmann, third 50 fly; Drew Kelliher, third 50 back; Grace Newman, third 50 fly, third 50 free, third 100 free, second 50 breast; Dylan Stipe, third 100 free, third 50 breast, first 50 back, second 14 and under 100 IM; Julia Yurasits, second 50 fly, second 50 free, second 100 free, third 50 breast, second 50 back.
15 and over: Shane Reuss, first 50 fly, first 50 free, first 100 free, second 50 back; second 100 IM, Taylor Reuss, third 50 free, second 50 breast, third 50 back; third 100 IM, Heather Sullivan, second 50 fly, third 50 free, second 100 free, third 50 breast, first 50 back, first 100 IM; Liz Yancey, third 50 fly, first 50 breast, third 50 back, third 100 IM.