Romeo Observer March 13 2008

Romeo swimmers and divers who competed in this year's state meet are, front row from left, Max Lennon, Mike Elliott, Devon Compeau, Matt Ruman, middle row from left, Mike Glinski, Max Hensel, Derek Raska and Tyler Laurain Head Coach Kendall Peake, left, and Diving Coach John Pearson, right, are standing in the back.
(Photo courtesy of Denise Laurain)

Romeo able to send a record 8 to State Meet

The Romeo High School swimming and diving team set a new record for Romeo. This year six swimmers and two divers from Romeo attended the state swimming and diving meet held at Oakland University on March 7-8.

This is the most qualifiers Romeo has ever had for a state meet. In fact, Romeo had the mostqualifiers in the MAC Red division. Romeo had eight total while Eisenhower, L'Anse Creuse North and Dakota were next with two each.

This is also the first year Romeo has had all three relays qualify for the state meet. The 200 yard medley relay and the 400 yard free relay from Romeo have never qualified until this year.

Senior Derek Raska qualified for six individual events - the 200 yard free, 200 yard IM, 100 yard fly, 100 yard free, 500 yard free and the 100 yard breastroke. He was also on all three qualifying relays.

The state meet only allows a swimmer to enter two individual events and two relays or one individual event and three relays. Therefore, Raska chose to enter the 200 yard free (1:46.80) and the 500 yard free (4:48.00) events. He also swam a leg on the 200 yard medley relay and the 200 yard free relay.

Another first for Romeo is having a swimmer qualify for the 100 yard backstroke. Tyler Laurain qualified in the 100 yard backstroke (57.25) this year and swam on all three relays. The qualifing 200 yard medley relay (1:43.09) consisted of Laurain, Mike Glinski, Devon Compeau and Raska. Swimming in the 200 yard free relay (1:32.40) was Max Hensel, Compeau, Laurain and Raska. Another qualifying event, the 400 yard free relay (3:25.00) was swam by Matt Ruman, Laurain, Compeau and Hensel.

Romeo recently had another first in diving. Senior Mike Elliott is the first Romeo diver to take first place in the Regional diving meet. The Regional meet was held at L'Ance Creuse North on March 4. Elliott's first place at Regionals not only qualified him to dive at the state meet, but also gave him consideration for All American. Max Lennon placed 13th at Regionals, placing him as the first alternate diver at the state meet.

At the state meet, Romeo medaled in the following events:

In the 200 freestyle relay, the team of Laurain, Compeau, Hensel and Raska placed 15th. In the 200 medley relay, the team of Laurain, Glinski, Compeau and Raska placed 9th with a new school record of 1:40.39

Elliott and Raska both earned All State honors. Elliott placed 7th in diving, while Raska placed 7th in the 200 freestyle and 6th in the 500 freestyle.

As a team Romeo placed 12th in the State, the highest finish ever for Romeo in a swimming state finals meet, and the highest place by a Macomb County team at the D1 State Meet since Henry Ford II placed 6th in 1996.

(Information provided by Denise Laurain and Assistant Coach John Pearson.)