By Murray Gleffe, Correspondent
ASHWAUBENON-The Ashwaubenon Jaguar boys swim team is coming off a historic season in which they finished 2nd overall as a team at the WIAA State Tournament.
A few key pieces of that puzzle are gone, with the graduation of Max White, Daniel Jablonski and Eric Van Dyck.
Head Coach Jim Merner, “Our expectation is to be as good as we can be with the swimmers we have in place. We are not a deep team, so a lot of swimmers will have to compete in multiple events. I feel like by the end of the season, we have a chance to be much better, but dual meets (in conference) will be a challenge.”
The Jaguars do return standout Joe Stone who finished 5th in the 100 Yard Back, 11th in the 100 Yard Free, and was part of the 400 Free Relay team that finished 3rd at State.
Additionally, Mark Teske is back for his senior season; one in which he qualified in the 200 and 500 Yard Free races (finished 5th and 6th) down in Madison.
“Teske and Stone are awesome guys. Stone has a chance to get the school record in the 100 yard back and I feel like Teske will be right there in the 500 at State. They are great leaders on the team and we hope to build around them this year,” adds Merner.
Sophomores Spencer Klika and Joe Steffel, and Senior Kole Kolinski hope to take a big leap forward in keeping the Jaguars near the top of the FRCC conference.
Kolinski, meanwhile, hopes to step into the shoes of the departed seniors to swim multiple events himself at the varsity level.
Merner, “ I feel like Bay Port and GB United will be the top two teams in Conference. Bay Port has a lot of seniors, and GB United has the Neverman boy and a top transfer that came into their program.”
2017-18 Ashwaubenon Jaguar Boys Swimming Roster (As of Nov. 14)
Freshman- Hunter Mellinger, Peter Steinhoff, Jacob Hanson, Dade Sundberg-Aitken, Nick Messamore
Sophomores-Collin Gill, Spencer Klika, Joe Steffel, Terrel Thunder
Juniors-Adam Cecchi, William Mortell, Kevin Garcia Espinoza, Ryan Van Dyck, and Dylan Landsinger
Seniors-Anthony Boyd, Joe Stone, Mark Teske, Kole Kolinski, Matthew Farley, Tanner Mellinger, Alex Stanko
2017-18 Ashwaubenon Jaguar Boys Swimming Schedule
Nov. 30 vs Appleton West 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 5 at Manitowoc 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 8 at Appleton West Invite 5:00 p.m.
Dec. 16 at Appleton North 12:00 p.m.
Dec. 19 vs Sheboygan North 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 30 at Sauk Prairie Invite 1:00 p.m.
Jan. 4 at GB United 5:30 p.m. (Southwest High School)
Jan. 6 Ashwaubenon Invite 10:00 a.m.
Jan. 9 vs Sheboygan South 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 12 at Appleton North Invite 5:00 p.m.
Jan. 16 at Pulaski 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 25 vs Bay Port 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 3 Conference Meet at Sheboygan South 9:00 a.m.
Feb. 10 WIAA Division 2 Sectionals at Cedarburg HS (TBD)
Feb. 16 WIAA Division 2 State Tournament at Madison Natatorium (TBD)
