AquaCats are too much for Piranhas

The Paola Piranhas welcomed back long time team members Rachel Schmidt and Bridget Kennedy on Saturday, June 27, just in time for the Piranhas to travel to perennial league power Harrisonville. Schmidt and Kennedy showed little rust, as both hit the water with no practice time, but posted some of the best times in the league this season in their respective events. But the return of the two girls in the 15 and over age group, and the return of Trey Taylor, who also racked up numerous points in the Boys 13-14 age division, was not enough, as the AquaCats proved too much for the Piranhas with a 375-157 victory. Once again it was the Piranhas sparse numbers in the lower age groups which sealed their fate, as Harrisonville racked up point after point in the 8 and under and 9-10 age groups. In addition, the AquaCats garnered 85 out of 100 points in the relays, with 15 and over girls with Lea Hauldren and Jendra Teuscher joining Schmidt and Kennedy to swim to victory in the 200 meter Medley Relay and the 200 meter Freestyle Relay.

Schmidt and Kennedy along with Teuscher swept the 50 meter Freestyle in their age group, with Hauldren placing sixth. Kennedy and Teuscher finished first and third in the 50 meter Butterfly, with Kendal Diebold coming in sixth in the event. Kennedy and Teuscher finished first and second in the 50 meter Breaststroke, with Hauldren picking up the fifth place ribbon in the event. Schmidt showed she will be a force to be dealt with in the 50 meter Backstroke, as she posted the fastest time so far this season, while blowing the field away by over seven seconds.

Kaylee Farmer and Katie Jo Kirk continue to dominate the Girls 13-14 age group, with Farmer placing second in the backstroke and butterfly to go along with a first place in the freestyle where she out touched Kirk, to take the race by just over one half second. Kirk followed her second place finish in the freestyle with first in the breaststroke and a dominating, six second victory in the 200 meter Individual Medley.

Patrick Kennedy turned in another good performance in the Boys 13-14 age group, taking first in the 200 meter IM, first in the 50 meter backstroke and first in the 50 meter breaststroke. Trey Taylor returned to the water for the Piranhas and posted a first place finish in the 50 meter Freestyle to go along with third place finishes in the 50 meter butterfly and the 200 meter IM.

Jared Auten and Alex Weatherbie continued to duel at the top of the Boys 15 and over age group, with Auten picking up first place finishes in the 200 Meter IM, and the 50 meter butterfly while finishing second to Weatherbie in the 50 meter freestyle. Weatherbie added a first place finish in the 50 meter backstroke and a second in the 50 meter breaststroke to round out his individual events for the day.

While the Piranhas have a lack of numbers in the younger age groups, the swimmers they do have a posting some good times this season. John Hart in the 8 and Under boys picked up a third place finish in the 25 meter freestyle, as did Tyler Fletcher in the 9-10 boys 50 meter freestyle. Lindsay Rausch finished third in the Girls 11-12 50 meter Freestyle.

In the butterfly, Amanda Meeks picked up a third place in the Girls 8 & Under 25 meter event. Delaney Taylor (Girls 9-10, 50 meter), Conrad Diebold (Boys 9-10, 50 meter) and Whitney McDaniel (Girls 11-12, 50 meter) all picked up second place ribbons in their event. Mason Diebold added a third place finish in the girls 11-12, 50 meter butterfly.

The 11-12 Girls dominated the 50 meter Breaststroke, as Whitney McDaniel, Taylor Williams, Morgan Laudan, and Lindsay Rausch swept the top four places. In the Girls 9-10 age group, Ashley Everhart picked up a third place ribbon.

In the Backstroke, John Hart finished third, in the girls 8 & under division, Ashley Everhart finished third in the girls 9-10 age division, Tyler Fletcher finished third in the boys 9-10 age group, and Brittany Wellman picked up a second place ribbon in the girls 11-12 age group.

Conrad Diebold (boys 9-10, 100 meter), Taylor Williams (girls 11-12, 200 meter), and Jacob Henry (boys 11-12, 200 meter) picked up a second and a third place ribbon in their Individual Medley events.

The Piranhas, along with the rest of the league teams will take next Saturday off for the Independence Day holiday, and then will return to the pool as they host the Butler Torpedoes on Saturday, July 11 at the Paola Family Pool.