SPORTS

ORHS swimmers win two meets; some qualify for KISL and State cuts

Allen Etheridge
Special to The Oak Ridger
Colin Suddeth swims in a past meet.

Oak Ridge High School Swimming has already compiled a 4-0 early-season record, and along the way a large number of swimmers have already made Knox-area Interscholastic Swim League (KISL) and/or State cuts, qualifying them to compete in late-season championship meets. All qualifiers are in individual events (K for KISL and S for State cut):

  • Tais Brown (200 Free-1:53.19 (K/S); 100 Fly-53.71 (K/S); 100 Back-58.16 (K/S))
  • Mason Fischer (200 IM-2:21.29 (K/S); 100 Breast-1:13.52 (K/S))
  • Sidney Ozcan (200 Free-2:27.81 (K); 200 IM-2:40.58 (K); 100 Fly-1:12.45 (K); 100 Back-1:12.08 (K))
  • Charlie Burge (100 Breast-1:35.72 (K))
  • Finn Thornton (100 Breast-1:35.50 (K))
  • Claudia Trabalka (100 Back-1:27.10 (K))
  • Ella Kendall (200 Free-2:07.73 (K/S); 100 Fly-1:02.46 (K/S))
  • Quentin Vanatta (200 IM-2:27.13 (K); 100 Fly-1:04.88 (K); 100 Back-1:12.08 (K))
  • Boru Kneiser (200 Free-2:35.15 (K))
  • Dylan Hodge (200 Free-2:10.83 (K); 100 Fly-1:04.37 (K); 500 Free-5:44.72 (K))
  • Amelia Hodge (200 IM-2:32.54 (K); 500 Free-6:07.31 (K); 100 Back-1:12.47 (K); 100 Breast-1:15.34 (K/S))
  • Sarah Cherry (100 Breast-1:25.97 (K))
  • Rachel Branham (100 Back-1:21.66 (K))
  • Stephen Zhukov (500 Free-4:50.43 (K/S))
  • Rosalee Wenhame (500 Free-5:41.62 (K/S); 100 Back-1:08.54 (K))
  • Natalie Steger (200 IM-2:31.75 (K); 100 Fly-1:15.43 (K); 500 Free-6:12.59 (K); 100 Back-1:10.62 (K))
  • Andrew Chou (200 IM-2:01.59 (K/S); 100 Back-57.27 (K/S); 100 Breast-1:03.90 (K/S))
  • Colin Suddeth (200 Free-2:08.32 (K); 200 IM-2:22.84 (K); 100 Breast-1:10.08 (K))

Some of the swimmers hit these early marks as the Wildcats opened up their home season with a tight 171-151 victory over Knox Catholic at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on Thursday, Nov. 18. Although city COVID-19 restrictions prohibit fans from watching up close, the meet was broadcast on the Wildcats’ YouTube channel, and fans could see promising results as Oak Ridgers won 15 events:

Mason Fischer swims in a past meet.
  • Girls’ and boys’ 200 Medley Relays (G-Wenhame, Fischer, Kendall, A. Hodge and B-Suddeth, Brown, Zhukov, Chou).
  • Girls’ and boys’ 200 Free (G-Kendall and B-Brown)
  • Boys’ 200 IM (Chou)
  • Girls’ and boys’ 50 Free (G-A. Hodge and B-Zhukov)
  • Girls’ and boys’ 100 Fly (G-Kendall and B-Brown)
  • Boys’ 100 Free (Zhukov)
  • Boys’ 500 Free (D. Hodge)
  • Boys’ 100 Back (Chou)
  • Girls’ 100 Breast (Fischer)
  • Girls’ and boys’ 400 Free Relays (G-Wenhame, A. Hodge, Steger, Fischer and B-Zhukov, Chou, D. Hodge, Brown)

The rest of the swimmers hit their marks on Sunday, Nov. 21, at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville as the team followed up with a tri-meet against Berean Christian School and the STEM Academy of Knoxville. On only three days’ rest, Oak Ridge won convincingly with 196 points to 120 for STEM and 89 for Berean.

Tais Brown swims in a past meet.

ORHS winners:

  • Girls’ and boys’ 200 Medley Relays (G-Wenhame, Fischer, Kendall, Steger and B-Suddeth, Brown, Zhukov, Chou).
  • Girls’ and boys’ 200 Free (G-Kendall and B-Brown)
  • Girls’ 200 IM (Fischer)
  • Boys’ 50 Free (Zhukov)
  • Girls’ and boys’ 100 Fly (G-Kendall and B-Brown)
  • Girls’ 500 Free (Wenhame)
  • Girls’ 200 Free Relay (A. Hodge, Ozcan, Cherry, Kendall)
  • Girls’ and boys’ 100 Back (G-A. Hodge and B-Chou)
  • Girls’ and boys’ 100 Breast (G-Fischer and B-Suddeth)
  • Girls’ and boys’ 400 Free Relays (G-Wenhame, A. Hodge, Steger, Fischer and B-Zhukov, Chou, D. Hodge, Brown)

According to Coach Chad Hodge, “We have some great swimmers and great kids. I’m happy with how we are competing at meets. Out of 66 total events, we have won 48. Our Girls’ and Boys’ 200 Medley Relay teams and 400 Free Relay teams haven’t been beaten yet.”

While the swimmers’ early marks are encouraging, Hodge is also realistic about area competition: “I’m concerned we will think we are where we need to be when we aren’t there quite yet. We face two of the top five teams in East Tennessee in our next two meets (Maryville and Hardin Valley), and they both can put any team in its place.”

Members of the Oak Ridge Swim team cheer on teammates at a past meet.

Looking at the expanding roster of strong athletes, Hodge sees big things on the horizon for Oak Ridge Swimming, but is also realistic about how to get there: “We better get to practicing more regularly and vigorously or reality is going to set in for us. We can’t settle for good enough, and we have to see the big picture,” which is how ORHS stacks up against the best in the area or the state.

Hodge said, “We can’t let the holidays or complacency stop us from our goals. The little things we do now and up to late January and early February will dictate how we finish our season.”