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TUESDAY December 16, 2003 - Subscribe - Contact Us Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels December 11, 2003 Call it a splash By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings In a meet where neither the Ashland High boys' or girls' swim teams trailed, the Grizzlies drowned visiting Klamath Union to open their league competition. "We have talent all across the strokes," 16th-year head coach Neil Foley said. "We swim fairly well in all the events." Wednesday evening, Ashland swam so well, the girls won every race and the boys captured all but two. The Grizz girls downed the Pelicans 151-47, while the boys earned a 157-56 victory at the McNeal Pavilion pool on the campus of Southern Oregon University. Ashland swimmer Michelle Smith comes out of the water for a breath during a heat Wednesday in the win over Klamath Union. Denise Baratta | Ashland Daily Tidings "This was a meet that we did well at," Foley said. "What I'm trying to do is put together our people and have us swim so we can score the maximum number of points." The girls Although this was the first competition of the year, Foley's intentions were evident. On the girls' side, Ashley Roda, Jesse Bright and Michelle Smith each won two individual events and contributed to two victorious relay teams. "Senior Michelle Smith leads our girls' team," Foley said. "She's a two-time conference champ in the 50 free and 100 free." Smith won one of her marquee events - the 50-yard freestyle - then won the 100 butterfly easily, as Roda cruised to victories in the 200 free and 100 free. Bright nabbed first place in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke before all three teamed up to smoke KU in the 200 free relay and 400 free relay. "I think our girls stand a chance of taking a strong second at district," Foley predicted. In two months, the Grizz girls will duke it out with the top teams in the Southern Oregon Conference: Roseburg, South Medford and North Medford. Until then, it's figuring out exactly how to play the cards. "The team gets along well," Foley said. "The team works well together." The boys The Grizz boys had things a little rougher on Wednesday against KU. "They've got a really solid swimmer in Marcus," Foley said. "But the rest of our guys, we're deeper all around." The Ashland boys won eight of 10 events, beating the Pelicans by more than 100 points. "Our strongest swimmer is a senior, Arron Nelson," Foley explained. "Arron placed well at state last year in the 50 free and 100 free." On Wednesday, Nelson won both of those events, while sophomore Ben Dawson countered with a double win of his own. Dawson won the 200 free and 500 free. "We have the strongest boys' team by far," Foley said, citing Dawson, Travis Bishop, Kyle Humphry, Nathan Jessop Jeff Bruto and Nick Benedetti as key to the success of the boys' team. "Roseburg hasn't lost conference in the past 16 years, but I think we're gong to beat them this year. That's our goal." Getting there With the conference championships scheduled for February, the Grizzly swimmers have time to work out the kinks so they can finally beat perennial-SOC powerhouse Roseburg. "Both the girls' and boys' teams are stronger this year," Foley said. Part of the strength the teams enjoy comes from the Grizz water polo program, which keeps kids in the pool during the fall sport season. "They really have a symbiotic relationship," Foley said. "Some of the water polo players who were here this fall are really making huge improvements." With this first contest out of the way, the swim team will take a short break for the winter holidays, then pick up competition in January. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Road Cams