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Borvendeg helps Butler
swimmers top Mars
January 7, 2020 Other High School Sports
Butler's
Laura Goettler competes iin the 200 individual medley against Mars during the
Golden Tornado's sweep.
HAROLD AUGHTON/BUTLER EAGLE
BUTLER TWP — A swimmer is not usually tasked
with swimming the 50 and 500-yard freestyle events. Speed and endurance are
normally split up amongst multiple competitors.
Butler sophomore Ben Borvendeg hit the water
for both in a meet against Mars and emerged with a pair of victories.
He topped the field in the 50 with a time of
21.98 seconds and took the 500 in 4:56.13 at the Butler pool.
Borvendeg normally swims the 50 and 100
freestyles, earning a medal in the former by placing fifth at the WPIAL meet
last year.
“We've been moving some different guys into
that 500,” said Butler coach Dave Bocci. “When you want to see how a guy can do
in a different event, it has a domino effect. Tanner Vietmeier usually swims
the 500, but we wanted to see how he could do in the 100, so that opened the
500 up for Ben.
“It was a bit of a different combination for
him, but it gave him a chance to stretch out his swim.”
Neither move hurt the Golden Tornado as
Vietmeier won the 100 freestyle in an 85-72 win over the Planets.
“I'm not used to the 500,” said Borvendeg.
“It'd been about three years since I swam it. I found out at practice (over the
weekend) that I would be swimming it and I'm glad I did. It gave me a chance to
work on my technique.”
Borvendeg anticipates a move back to the
familiar 100 and Bocci has high hopes moving forward.
“I think he's capable of finishing in the
top three at WPIALs in both of his events, possibly putting himself in position
to win,” he said.
Borvendeg also swam a leg on two relays that
finished with the top time, the 200 medley and 400 freestyle.
Butler juniors Sam Deemer (200 IM,
backstroke) and David Bocci (200 freestyle, butterfly) both earned two
victories in individual events.
Butler's boys improved to 2-0 while Mars
slipped to 1-5.
Girls
Butler 102, Mars 84
Though the Planets suffered their first
defeat of the season, the team has much potential and freshman Riley Connelly
is a big reason for the optimism.
She placed first in the backstroke (1:04.77)
and swam a leg on the winning 200 freestyle relay team.
Though new to varsity swimming, Connelly has
nearly a decade of swimming under her belt. She currently swims for
Pine-Richland Aquatics outside of high school.
“She works hard and is coachable,” said Mars
coach Todd Slobodnyak. “She's quiet, but leads by example and has a lot of
potential.
“The backstroke and breaststroke are her two
best events. I anticipate her making WPIALs in both.”
That's the goal.
“I want to get those WPIAL cuts and go from
there,” said Connelly. “I've fallen off a bit in the breaststroke and I think
the back is my best event.”
The girls' meet featured two double-winners
in individual events — Butler's Abbie Griffith (200 freestyle, butterfly) and
Laura Goettler (200 IM, 500 freestyle).
The Golden Tornado girls are now 2-0 and
Mars is 5-1.
Both Butler and Mars compete Thursday, the
Tornado at North Hills and the Planets at Pine-Richland.
Girls
Butler 102, Mars 84
200 medley relay: 1-Butler (Abbie Griffith,
Laura Goettler, Ellie Weiss, Savannah Holt) 1:57.87
200 freestyle: 1-Griffith (B) 2:04.3
200 individual medley: 1-Goettler (B)
2:06.93
50 freestyle: 1-Caroline Stamper (M) 27.14
1-meter diving: 1-Paige Williams (B) 219.55
100 butterfly: 1-Griffith (B) 1:01.38
100 freestyle: 1-Savannah Holt (B) 58.8
500 freestyle: 1-Goettler (B) 5:21.98
200 freestyle relay: 1-Mars (Megan Smith,
Sarah Hooper, Riley Connelly, Stamper) 1:46.99
100 backstroke: 1-Connelly (M) 1:04.77
100 breaststroke: 1-Smith (M) 1:11.69
400 freestyle relay: 1-Butler (Goettler,
Griffith, Weiss, Holt) 4:04.28
Boys
Butler 85, Mars 72
200 medley relay: 1-Butler (Sam Deemer,
Gideon Goettler, David Bocci, Ben Borvendeg) 1:40.89
200 freestyle: 1-Bocci (B) 1:48.25
200 individual medley: 1-Deemer (B) 1:59.89
50 freestyle: 1-Borvendeg (B) 21.98
1-meter diving: 1-Rachel Ronczka (M) 154.5
100 butterfly: 1-Bocci (B) 52.97
100 freestyle: 1-Tanner Vietmeier (B) 53.27
500 freestyle: 1-Borvendeg (B) 4:56.13
200 freestyle relay: 1-Butler (Goettler,
Tanner Frankenstein, Tanner Vietmeier, Bryce Dryden) 1:39.04
100 backstroke: 1-Deemer (B) 54.85
100 breaststroke: 1-Goettler (B) 1:05.37
400 freestyle relay: 1-Butler (Bocci,
Deemer, Vietmeier, Borvendeg) 3:26.84