Souderton boys, Hatboro-Horsham girls earn wins in regular-season finale
HORSHAM — With most of the work already put in, the Souderton Area boys braced for one final push by rival Hatboro-Horsham.
“You get kinda nervous when it comes down to the last race,’ said Big Red’s Brendon Loux, “but I’m glad that we came out and got the win to finish off the regular season.’
Loux, who earlier had a pair of individual wins and a relay victory, helped Big Red notch a second-place finish in the 400 free relay to lock up a 94-92 win in the Suburban One League Continental Conference match-up while the Hatter girls were solid all around, winning 110-76 to cap off the dual-meet schedule at a packed Simmons Elementary School Natatorium Tuesday afternoon.
Much of Souderton’s strategy on the boys side revolved around one key figure.
“It just all depended where (Hatboro’s) Michael Thomas was put in,’ Loux said afterwards with a smile, “and our relays did well — took two out of three.’
Thomas took the 200 IM, the 100 breast, and had a 45.95 split on the winning 400 free relay, but victories by Souderton’s 200 medley foursome, anchored by Cristian Musterait, and 200 free relay, anchored by Loux, helped propel the Indians past the Hatters.
Loux was first in the 200 free and 100 fly while Musterait touched first in the 50 and 100 free, as Souderton heads towards the postseason — and its taper — with anticipation.
“At this point in the season, your time isn’t gonna be the best, but at states is when it really matters,’ Loux said. “I’m excited for the taper to come — excited to start swimming fast again.’
Big Red battled through and also got a win from Matt Holcombe in the 100 back. In addition to Thomas’ heroics, Hatboro placed first on the diving board with a 235.40-point effort by Nick Zumpino and Andy Thomas took the 500 free, but Souderton consistently came up with valuable seconds and thirds.
“They’re always a great team to swim and we always look forward to Hatboro,’ Indians coach Caitlin Warren said. “This is always a meet where you take a couple risks and you hope they work out.’
The Hatboro girls began the meet with a victory in the 200 medley relay and never stopped. Haley Sutton swam on both the winning 200 medley and 200 free relays and took the 100 back to help the Hatters pull away.
“The girls swam great today,’ Hatters coach Kip Emig said. “Our girls team just has an ability to get going and they just thrive off of one another.
“Their medley relay time (1:52.79) was out of the world right now for where we are in the season with training, and to be able to go that fast against (Souderton’s) best relay, I was like ‘ wow, we’re onto something today.”
