The Mohonasen/Schalmont boys swim team targeted 2009 as its breakthrough year.
Mission accomplished.
Two individuals and one relay team won their events to help Mohonasen/Schalmont place second at last Saturday’s Section II, Division I (large school) championships at Niskayuna High School. The Rotterdam-based team finished with 266.5 points, it’s highest total in its six-year history.
I think this is great because this is the best team I’ve been part of, said senior Nate Resila. `The progress we’ve made, and this being the biggest team (in terms of number of swimmers) ` I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished.`
`This is nice. It’s a culmination,` said Mohonasen/Schalmont coach Bill Mottola.
The first breakthrough came in the 100-yard butterfly when junior Michael Dugan pulled away for a three-second victory over Shenendehowa’s Shayne Buckley, making Dugan the first Mohonasen/Schalmont boy to win a Sectional swimming title.
The second breakthrough came in the 200 freestyle relay. Mohonasen/Schalmont waged a battle with Shen for first place that wasn’t decided until Dugan out-touched Troy Nichols to give Mohonasen/Schalmont its first relay title. The team of Dugan, Resila, Devin Hallam and Robbie Briskie finished with a time of 1:29.14, less than one second ahead of Shen.
`I knew Troy (Nichols), and I knew he could go fast,` said Dugan. `I just gave it all I had.`
`He’ll do anything to win. He’s a competitor,` said Mottola.
Resila sealed Mohonasen/Schalmont’s second-place finish by winning the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:01.36, a half-second ahead of Shen’s Michael Bidwell.
As happy as Resila was to win the race, he was happier to see Briskie also secure a top-five finish. Briskie placed fourth in a time of 1:05.11.
`There was a bunch of Shen kids (in the top five), but Robbie was in there, too,` said Resila. `I was happy to see him finish up there.`
There were more accom-plishments for Mohonasen/Schalmont’s swimmers. Dugan and Resila both qualified for the state meet with top-five finishes in the 50 freestyle, and the 200 medley relay team of Dugan, Resila, Hallam and Briskie placed second to Shen in a time of 1:39.35 to gain a berth for states.
`Three of those guys (Dugan, Hallam and Resila) swim year-round, so that helps us tremendously,` said Mottola.
Mohonasen/Schalmont’s quartet of state meet qualifiers get three weeks to prepare for their next meet March 6 and 7 on Long Island, which will give them a little time to appreciate the history they made.
`We’ve been looking forward to this for the past couple of years,` said Dugan.“
