Swimming: River Rats make some noise as hosts of the Huron Relays
By Margaret Baker
Wherever you were on Friday night, Aug. 23, it was certainly not as loud or as hot as the Huron Ratatorium, where the Huron River Rat Women’s Swim/Dive Team played host to seven other area swim/dive teams for the annual “Huron Relays.”
And although the meet doesn’t quite have an egg and spoon race in the water or a hula hoop event, it does feature events not seen in regular-season competition, such as the 200 Breast, Fly, and Back relays, the 4 X 200 Free relay, a two-person combined score “Diving Relay,” and the 4 X 100 IM contest.
Competition for the top three spots was fierce and close. Ann Arbor Pioneer took first place honors (434), followed by Saline (426) and Northville (420). Dexter (344) was 4th, Huron and Brighton tied for 5th (304), and Skyline (262) finished 6th ahead of 7th place South Lyon East (180).
The highest finishes for the Rats in swimming were in the 200 Breaststroke Relay, with sophomores Ayaka Sakamoto (34.08) and Cali Streeter (36.90), senior Anna Leone (33.30), and sophomore Emma Kaipainen (35.03) touching in 5th, and the 200 Free relay, where the speedy squad of junior Annaliese Streeeter (24.72), sophomores Zannah Baker (25.93) and Kathryn Hemmila (26.80), and junior Emily Tran (25.48) were 4th (1:42.93), just behind Brighton’s Gabby Mainhardt, Victoria Schreiber, Jillian Gray, and Kayla McCall (1:42.21).
On the diving board, Huron junior Annie Costello dominated the “Diving Relay” event with the highest individual score. She and relay teammate, senior Sami Ruud, then combined scores to win the event, giving the Rats their one first place for the evening.
The Rats, again coached by Andrea Stanczyk and JZ Zakrajsek on the swim side, with Vicki Kimball and Dick Kimball on the board, next face Dexter away on Saturday, Sept. 7 at noon.
