Indian swimmers win SMISL championships

Tecumseh's varsity boys swimming and diving team won the Southern Michigan Independent Swim League relays to kick off its 2008 competitions and the Indians capped off their regular season by picking up the title as hosts of the SMISL championships on Saturday, March 1.

After Tecumseh's first place finish in the meet's final event, the Indian swimmers celebrated a well-deserved championship victory by tossing Tecumseh coaches Pete Zuk and Rusty Eubanks into the community pool. In the final scoring, Tecumseh tallied 432 points for the title while runner-up Erie Mason finished with 348 points. Adrian placed third with 213 points and was followed by Ypsilanti (174), Dundee (162), Riverview (47) and Lincoln (19).

Coach Zuk was named SMISL Coach of the Year while senior captain Scott Yarbrough was named swimmer of the meet after earning individual wins in the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke. It was the first time coach Zuk's team won the event in his seven years as the Indians leader.

The SMISL meet began with diving on Friday, Feb. 29. Erie Mason's divers, Mac Dobbs and Chris Heid, finished first and second while Tecumseh senior diver David Gensch achieved a personal best score of 296.75.  THS junior Derek Kupicz finished 10th for the Indians.

Tecumseh opened the meet in grand fashion by winning the 200-yard medley relay in an SMISL record time of 1:42.73. Nick Dillon, Yarbrough, Andrew Eubanks and Ryan Sloan teamed up for the victory, outpacing second placing Dundee by less than four seconds.  Tecumseh's B relay of Dane Grimm, Adam Heath, Jonathan Collins and Greg Park finished seventh in the race.

Four Indian swimmers placed in the top seven placements in the 200-yard freestyle.  Erie Mason’s Bryan Andrews won the event, setting a SMISL record with his time of 1:47.52. For the Indians, Bip Cline finished second in 1:53.12 while Sloan was third in 1:54.25. Patrick McAran placed fifth (1:58.02) for Tecumseh while teammate Austin See finished seventh (2:02.13).  

The Indians then had Andrew Eubanks win the 200-yard individual medley in a time of 2:12.03. Tecumseh's Jonathan Collins was third (2:18.89) while Alden Eubanks placed fourth (2:20.55) and Adam Heath 11th (2:28.42).   

Erie Mason's Tyler Dusseau won the 50-yard freestyle and was followed by Dundee's Andy Meyer.  Tecumseh's Jordan Lillie finished third (23.4) while Grimm was 10th (24.5).

In the 100-yard butterfly the Indians again placed four swimmers in the top seven finishing positions. Ypsilanti's Max Marsh won the event and was followed by Tecumseh Lillie in a time of 56.12.  Andrew Eubanks, Neil Palmer and Jonathan Collins finished in fourth, fifth and seventh place, respectively.

Yarbrough overcame Erie Mason's swimmer in the final length of the 100-yard freestyle to pick up his first individual win of the meet in a time of (50.16). McAran finished seventh in the race while Greg Park placed 10th and Alden Eubanks 12th.

Tecumseh's distance swimmers earned four of the top six spots in the 500-yard freestyle. Erie Mason won the event while Tecumseh's Cline finished second in 5:10.91. Dillon placed third for the Indians (5:11.17) while Sloan placed fourth  (5:16.65) and Austin See sixth (5:29.69).

The Indians won the last four events of the meet beginning with a victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay.  Lillie, McAran, Cline and Palmer teamed to win the event in 1:33.74. Tecumseh's B relay team of Park, Alden Eubanks, See and Grimm finished sixth.   
Palmer finished first in the 100-yard backstroke (58.2) while Dillon placed second (59.6).  Grimm placed ninth for the Indians.

Yarbrough outdistanced his nearest competitor by eight seconds to win the 100-yard breaststroke and set both a new pool and SMISL record in a time of 59.44. Health finished 10th (1:12.83) for THS.  

Although the championship was already secured by their previous performances, the Indians' 400-yard freestyle relay team of Andrew Eubanks, Lillie, Palmer and Yarbrough won the event well ahead of the other teams with a season best time of 3:22.88.  Placing second in the event was Tecumseh's 'B' relay team of Cline, Sloan, McAran and Dillon.

 
The championships concluded the regular season and the Indians now focus on the upcoming Division III state championship meet in Holland on March 7-8.  Eight Tecumseh swimmers will participate in individual events at the state meet and the Indians have three relay teams also entered. Dillon, Lillie, Palmer and Yarbrough each return for their fourth straight state meet and will be joined by juniors Bip Cline, Andrew Eubanks and Ryan Sloan. Freshman Patrick McAran completes the Indians' list of individual entrants.

Senior David Gensch qualified for this week's Diving Regional and looks to qualify for the state meet.