Muskego sails away with title at Rocket

Muskego-The championship portion of the boys swimming and diving season is just beginning, as far as Muskego coach Larry Milton is concerned.

His Warriors got off to a fine start on Saturday by winning the Rocket Invitational at South Milwaukee with 442 points. Muskego was well ahead of second-place New Berlin (319) and easily beat Southeast Conference rival Kenosha Bradford (260).

The Warriors won six events, with Joe Szczupakiewicz, Patrick Walsh and Jon Roberts each involved in three of them.

Szczupakiewicz claimed the 500 freestyle in 4 minutes, 47.82 seconds, while Walsh prevailed in the 200 freestyle with 1:48.18 and Roberts in the 50 freestyle at 22.19 seconds.

All three swam with Thomas Stigler to win the 200 medley relay with 1:42.58 and with Joe Paquette to take the 400 freestyle relay at 3:23.03.

Paquette grabbed the other first place in the 200 individual medley with 2:04.38.

Muskego also seized five second places: Szczupakiewicz in the 200 freestyle (1:49.1), Stigler in the 200 IM (2:11.36), Paquette in the 100 butterfly (56.2), Walsh in the 500 freestyle (4:49.2) and Roberts in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.96).

Taking third were Stigler in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.95) and Paquette, Clayton Cesarz, Nick Spoerk and William Sharp in the 200 freestyle relay (1:39.43).

Coming in fourth were Tyler Schrank in the 200 IM (2:15), giving Muskego three of the top four in that event; Allan Prichard in the 100 butterfly (1:00.02) and Matt Gilson in the 100 backstroke (1:00.06).

Capturing fifth were Cesarz in the 100 freestyle (53.83), Gilson in the 500 freestyle (5:13.73) and Schrank in the 100 backstroke (1:01.71). Spoerk took sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.39), while sevenths were snared in the diving with Brian Bullard and the 100 freestyle with Sharp (55.74). Prichard came in eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:03.27).

The Warriors also routed Franklin, 124-62, on Jan. 3 to move to 4-0 in Southeast duals. The 200 medley unit of Szczupakiewicz, Stigler, Walsh and Roberts won in 1:43.44, breaking a 33-year-old school record by 0.35 seconds. This was the fourth school record set by Muskego this season.

"Cesarz is coming around as a versatile swimmer, and Paquette is showing his ability as a flyer and freestyler," Milton said. "Our divers, Bullard, Nick Tretow, Liam Klotzbach and Ryan Beczkiewicz, are really helping our team scores.

"Others that are supporting us are Noah Golden, Ryker Sharp, Andrew Holten and Matt Simono."

The Warriors are next at Waukesha North for a dual today at 4:30 p.m.