Seahawk Swimmers Turn In Strong Meets At States

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s varsity swim teams closed out a remarkable season with a strong finish in the state championships, placing high as teams in their respective meets and collecting several individual honors.

The Decatur girls finished fifth overall among the 28 schools represented in the state championship meet, while the Decatur boys finished 13th among the 29 schools in their state championship meet.

On the girls’ side, Hailey Williams finished seventh overall in the 200 free, while Molly Wooten was 16th. In the 50-meter free, Madison Tinus was fifth. Williams was sixth in the 500 free. Carly Deickman was fifth in the 100 breaststroke, while Maria Zweifel was 18th. Deickman was also 16th in the 200 individual medley, while Zweifel was 18th. Marley Rakow was 13th in the 100 free, while Tinus was 15th. Stephany Smith finished 21st in the 100 butterfly.

In the relays, the team of Williams, Deickman, Smith and Tinus finished fifth in the 200 medley relay. Rakow, Zweifel, Smith and Tinus finished seventh in the 200 freestyle relay; and Rakow, Wooten, Tinus and Deickman finished eighth in the 400 freestyle medley.

On the boys’ side, Decatur’s Andrew Gottfried had a strong meet, finishing fourth in the 100 butterfly and eighth in the 200 individual medley. Dalton Warren was 13th in the 100 backstroke, Jake Lathroum was 20th in the 100 breaststroke, Chris Poole was 22nd in the 50 free and 23rd in the 100 free. In the relays, Warren, Kevin Williams, Gottfried and Poole finished sixth in the 200 medley relay. Dustin Berkey, Tucker Cordial, Poole and Gottfried finished 15th in the 200 freestyle relay.