SCS City Meet Wrap up Macomb Daily 02 14 09

Lake Shore makes its point

Saturday, February 14, 2009 6:13 AM EST

By John Hetzler, Macomb Daily Sports Writer

Two big finishing kicks equaled one big victory for Lake Shore's swimming and diving team.

Senior captains Brian Damm and Tony Szep swam strong anchor legs in the final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, to help Lake Shore rally to win the St. Clair Shores City Championship by one point over host South Lake on Friday night.

"It feels great," said Damm, who also won the 100 freestyle. "I'm really proud of the guys."

Both South Lake's A and B teams led over Lake Shore's two squads going into the final 100 yards of the 400 free relay.

But Damm and Szep closed the gap over the final four lengths to edge out South Lake's B squad and help Lake Shore's B and A teams to second- and third-place finishes, respectively, and give the Shorians the city crown.

"When I first went in, they were ahead by about a full body-length," Damm said. "When I looked at the scoreboard, I was just really excited."

Lake Shore finished with 255 points to repeat as city champion and keep the wooden kickboard given to the winning team. South Lake placed second with 254 points, and Lakeview, which got a triumph from Joseph Niemiec in diving, was third with 111.

Despite the second-place showing in the tri-meet, South Lake still could claim a victory.

Because both the Cavaliers and Shorians compete in the same division, the meet also was scored as three dual meets. South Lake won both of its duals, including a 92-78 decision over Lake Shore.

With that victory, South Lake improved to 4-1 in the MAC Gold to tie for the dual-meet championship with Lake Shore.

"Right now, it's bittersweet," South Lake coach Jim Bunting said. "They feel like they lost today because they lost the city championship."

South Lake, though, had several stars on Friday, led by double winners in sophomore Dillon Marble and senior Max Woerfel.

Marble won the 200 freestyle with a time of two minutes and 1.69 seconds, and he prevailed in the 500 free with a time of 5:34.06.

Woerfel took the 200 individual medley in 2:15.01, and he won the 100 butterfly in 58.32 seconds.

"Max has been the go-to guy the whole season," Bunting said.

In addition to Marble and Dillon, sophomore Joe Crachiola captured the 50 free in 24.07, and Nick Patricca prevailed in the 100 backstroke in 1:01.29.

South Lake also swept all three relay events. Patricca, Austin Killgore, Woerfel and Tyler Arnold posted a winning time of 1:49.95 in the 200 medley relay; Arnold, Brian Micallef, Crachiola and Marble teamed for a 1:40.19 in the 200 freestyle relay; and Crachiola, Micallef, Patricca and Woerfel won the 400 freestyle relay in the 3:44.93.

In the end, though, Lake Shore proved to have just enough depth and just enough finishing kick.

"We take it meet by meet," Shorians coach Paul Devito said. "But we were really trying to get the kids hyped up for this."

Damm rallied over the final 25 yards to win the 100 freestyle in 52.91 seconds, Szep won the breaststroke in 1:06.18 and both came through in the clutch in the final event.

"It feels great," Szep said. "We all worked hard. I expected a good meet. All the guys swam well."

ST. CLAIR SHORES CITY CHAMPIONSHIP

Lake Shore 255, South Lake 254, Lakeview 111

200 MEDLEY RELAY: South Lake (Nick Patricca, Austin Killgore, Max Woerfel, Tyler Arnold) 1:49.95. 200 FREESTYLE: Dillon Marble, SL, 2:01.69. 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY: Woerfel, SL, 2:15.01. 50 FREESTYLE: Joe Crachiola, SL, 24.07. DIVING: Joseph Niemiec, Lakeview. 100 BUTTERFLY: Woerfel, SL, 58.32. 100 FREESTYLE: Brian Damm, LS, 52.91. 500 FREESTYLE: Marble, SL, 5:34.06. 200 FREESTYLE RELAY: South Lake (Tyler Arnold, Brian Micallef, Crachioloa, Marble) 1:40.19. 100 BACKSTROKE: Patricca, SL, 1:01.29. 100 BREASTSTROKE: Tony Szep, LS, 1:06.18. 400 FREESTYLE RELAY: South Lake (Crachiola, Micallef, Patricca, Woerfel).