By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – If first counted most, Bedford North Lawrence was golden. The Stars won almost every event, except two. And one of those, a point-heavy relay, cost the Stars a dual-meet win.
The submarining Stars, hoping to avoid Bloomington North’s depth charges, were outmanned – quite literally – as the Cougars escaped with a 96-87 victory over No.8 BNL in the boys meet. North swept to a 117-63 triumph in the girls meet on Thursday night.
The difference came down to depth. North had more bodies to dump in the deep end, and that proved crucial when the Cougars claimed the top two spots in the 200-yard freestyle relay. That was a 10-point swing the Stars just didn’t have the manpower to make up.
BNL didn’t sink without a fight. Jacob Werley won twice, as did Andrew Swenson and Dayson Sorrells. The Stars won the other two relays. It wasn’t the blues that got them, it was the reds and whites, the seconds and thirds that added up to offset BNL’s individual talent edge.
“It was a little bit frustrating,” Werley said.
“I was super happy with everyone,” BNL coach Terry Tlustek said. “Everyone swam season PRs, they were all charged up. But the depth just wasn’t there.”
Werley claimed the 200 freestyle (1:47.28) and 100 free (47.70), Sorrells splashed to the wall first in the 50 free (22.77) and 100 breaststroke (1:06.22), and Swenson was superior in the 100 butterfly (53.98) and 100 backstroke (54.20). They were cruising in style, concentrating on tempo and technique.
“I felt really good,” Werley said. “It’s going to be a long season. I just want to drop time every meet. That’s my goal.”
BNL’s other wins came from Skyler Bates (218.15 in diving), Alexander Swenson (5:20.52 in the 500 free), the 200 medley relay (1:43.60) and 400 free relay (3:25.85).
North’s Jack Koceja stopped BNL’s individual event sweep by taking the 200 IM in 2:09.24.
In the girls meet, Ursula Patton recorded two victories for the Stars, touching first in the 200 free (2:04.92) and 500 free (5:34.10).
“I was really focusing on trying to fix my turns,” Patton said. “I usually go slower into the turns. I feel I did that better.
“And not being in my own head, not focusing on what everyone else was doing, swimming my own race, instead of racing against someone else. I usually take into account what everyone else is doing and get psyched out.”
Teya Tabbal (2:23.45 in the 200 IM and 1:06.14 in the 100 butterfly) and Lucy Mitchell (57.17 in the 100 free and 1:11.54 in the 100 breaststroke) were double winners for the Cougars.
The Stars will return to action on Dec. 14 at New Albany.
