by Mike Stirling
Just as the Tri-Valley High School swim season draws to a close, a group of future Scotty swim stars took to the blocks for Tri-Valley Middle School as the seventh and eighth graders took aim on representing the Dresden school and community.
Muskingum Recreation Center (MRC) in Zanesville was the venue for the debut for five boys and seven girls, some of whom will be on Coach Christi Holmes roster next October as she prepares her squad for the Tri-Valley 2019-2020 swim season.
First off the starting blocks was the mixed 200 Yard Medley Relay team of Alex Dale, Mazie Mallett, Emma Lewis and Abri Mallett. Each swimmer swam a separate stroke for 50 yards. When the water quit swirling the Jr. Scotties had finished in third place just about .5 seconds out of the second spot. A second group consisting of Eli McDonald, Ryleigh Crooks, Kendyll Buckner and Katie Davis touched in 6th place for the Scotties out of 14 entrants. In all, an impressive start for the young swimmers.
Next up was the 200 Yard Freestyle where the Dawgs were represented by Emma Lewis. Lewis did not disappoint as she finished in fourth place for the Dresden squad.
A total of five swimmers competed in the 50 Backstroke for the Scotties. Top finisher was Abri Mallett who came in third place with a personal best of 39.22. She was followed by teammates Nora Dunn, Eli McDonald, Katie Davis and Hayden Weck all of whom were swimming in the event for the first time.
Showing off all four strokes (free, breast, butterfly and back), four swimmers swam the 100 Yard Individual Medley (25 yards per stroke). Top finisher for Tri-Valley was Mazie Mallett who finished second followed by Emma Lewis, Alex Dale and Kendyll Buckner. All four Scotties ‘dropped’ time in the even and continue to improve.
Seven Scotties competed in the field of 58 swimmers in the 50 Yard Freestyle event. Touching first for Tri-Valley (and finishing in fifth place overall) was Abri Mallett. Abri was followed by teammates Mazie Mallett, Nora Dunn, Eli McDonald, Kendyll Bickner, Katie Davis and Hayden Weck.
Two Scotties entered the 100 Yard Freestyle event. Swimmer Alex Dale finished in tenth place for the Jr. Dawgs in his first swim at this distance and was followed by teammate Katie Davis. Davis was also swimming this event for her first time.
Abri Mallett was the lone entrant in the 50 Breaststroke where she touched the pad in sixth place and improved her previous best time by nearly 2 seconds. Eli McDonald touched in third place in the 100 Backstroke followed by Hayden Weck.
In the two final individual events, Scotty Mazie Mallett was a third-place finisher in the 50 Butterfly. Close behind was fellow Tri-Valley swimmer Kendyll Buckner. Lady Scotty Emma Lewis was the only swimmer from the Dresden squad to swim the 100 Breaststroke where she dropped 3 seconds from her previous best time.
To cap the evening, the team of Alex Dale, Eli McDonald, Nora Dunn and Ryleigh Crooks put together an impressive swim to finish in second place in the 200 Free Relay followed by the Tri-Valley foursome of Mazie Mallett, Kendyll Buckner, Emma Lewis and Abri Mallett who captured fourth place in that event.
In all, Tri-Valley swimmers performed well. For many, this was their first official swim competition so nerves were a little thin. Experience, however, was gained as the swimmers look forward to upcoming meets.