MOUNT VERNON – The Mount Vernon swim team is loaded with young, raw talent.
The challenge this season has been getting them in the water and getting a look at what they can do. It’s a rebuilding year, but the Yellow Jackets have enough swimmers coming back to help the new ones.
“We’re still trying to hammer out our lineups,” Mount Vernon coach Samantha Williams said. “We had some setbacks along the way. There was (Mount Vernon YMCA) pool maintenance. We were also under (COVID-19) quarantine for 12 days. We had our first meet last Tuesday (at Shelby, Dec. 1); prior to that, we had only been in the pool 11 times.”
The Jackets are strong in the sprints. The girls have senior Skylar Hill and Junior Bre McCluskey back this season. Hill placed first in the 100 butterfly and second in the 200 freestyle at Shelby. McCluskey was second in the 100 butterfly, and both contributed in the relays. Despite their performance, Mount Vernon’s girls lost to Shelby, 108-60.
Returners Anna Rhodeback and Julie King are good backstrokers. The Jackets also added freshman Rylee Jarosz, who is a strong breaststroker, placing second in the 100 at Shelby.
The boys, who lost to Shelby 85-34, return juniors Will Laymon and Ethan Brooks, two of the Jackets’ best sprinters. Brooks was fourth in the 100 breaststroke and third in the 200 freestyle at Shelby. Freshman Steve Brazeal performed well against Shelby, placing second in the 200 freestyle and third in the 100 breaststroke.
“On the boys side, we have a lot of just freestyle,” Williams said. “Ethan Brooks and Bryan Sabula both swim breaststroke. After that, it's about building up the rest of our boys to try and learn other things.”
For both the boys and girls, just getting in the pool has been a plus.
“We’re just trying to pick up our practices,” senior captain Jordan Schisler said. “We’ve been working a lot and getting into shape. We've been doing cardio and a lot of speed work. We're just trying to fortify our technique and make sure that we are using it to our advantage.”
Schisler was fifth in the girls’ 100 freestyle at Shelby.
“My biggest Improvement would have to be in my physical shape,” Schisler said. “Last year was my first year swimming, so I got a real shock as to what high school swimming is like. I did some club swimming, but not like this. I feel my technique is a lot better.”
The Jackets are still working on a lineup of distance swimmers.
“I would anticipate seeing more long-distance swimming from Liz Cline, who is a junior,” Williams said. “She dabbled in that a little bit last year.”
