Perhaps the biggest race at the Country Club pool on Tuesday night involved Mother Nature and the threat of rain and thunder storms, but the humans prevailed as the Wavemakers were able to squeeze in their final meet of the season against the Ringgold Tiger Sharks.
The Wavemakers are the newest kids in the Chattanooga Area Swim League's Red Division this year and they will finish a very respectable third with three wins in eight meets.
Country Club wasn't able to beat Ringgold on Tuesday night, but better days are ahead for coach Stan Corcoran and his team.
The Tiger Sharks improved to 5-2 following their 392-356 victory, but it was a much closer meet than that.
Country Club had a four-point lead (57-53) following the opening freestyle races and the difference was still four as both teams scored 54 points in the breaststroke races.
The Tiger Sharks turned the tables in the medley relay to take a 171-163 lead and they pulled away from that point, despite missing all of their senior girls who decided to head home following a brief rain delay midway through the meet.
"I'm happy with how we performed tonight and I'm glad we won despite some of our kids leaving early. I'm not going to stand between a child and a parent, but I was worried when they left. I'm just glad it didn't cost us the meet," said Ringgold coach Todd Jones after the last race had concluded.
"We still have a meet with the Waterdogs on Wednesday, but we're focusing on the city meet this weekend. We've improved a lot in this short season and I just told the kids to focus on what we've been working on. I know they'll swim hard and give their best effort, so we don't talk about that much, but when we do what we're supposed to do, the big stuff takes care of itself," Jones concluded with a smile.
Country Club's Corcoran certainly sees brighter days ahead for his young team.
"What a great way for us to end our season. I thought we represented ourselves well. We moved up to the Red division this year and won three meets. We should be even stronger next year as most of our kids will be on the older side of their age groups," he suggested.
"We're just trying to get ready to swim fast at the city meet. It's a chance for some individuals to do really well, but we also have some strong relays.
"We had some kids missing today, but that gave some of the younger kids a chance to step up and get some valuable experience. That will help us next year, but we've had a great season," Corcoran added.
Gabriel Johnson and Jon Lancaster both had 19 points to lead the Tiger Sharks while Emma Pulliam, Evan Wingrove, Will Gurley and Evan Moeller all chipped in with 17 apiece.
McCay Mathis and Emelia Richey both scored 19 points to lead the Wavemakers while Sarah Large was next with 18. William Turner contributed 17.5 points while Margaret Anne Hudson and Cecelia Turner both had 17 points.
The 14-year-old Turner remained unbeaten for the season in individual races.
While Country Club's dual-meet season is over, Ringgold will travel to Cleveland on Wednesday for its final meet of the season against the Waterdogs.
MONDAY'S HIGH-POINT totals had the girls listed from Ridgeside, but no guys. Joseph Danks and Harold Danks III led the way for the Dolphins with 17 and 14 points, respectively, and those guys are also listed below.
RINGGOLD HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
19 -- Gabriel Johnson, Jon Lancaster
17 -- Emma Pulliam, Evan Wingrove, Will Gurley, Evan Moeller
16.5 -- Easton Odonnell
15 -- Regan Wingrove
13 -- Pierce Lively, Jacob Williamson
12 -- Kale Davis
11 -- Maren Gwaltney, Saulye Nichols, Lindsay Hudson
10 -- Maggie Grayson, Owen Eastman.
COUNTRY CLUB HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
19 -- McCay Mathis, Emelia Richey
18 -- Sarah Large
17.5 -- William Turner
17 -- Margaret Anne Hudson, Cecelia Turner
15 -- Caroline Schemel, Zane Restelli
13 -- Sophie Workinger
12 -- Abigail Markey
11 -- Margaret Crump, Audra Bell, Zane Smith
10.5 -- Maxwell Smith.
RIDGESIDE BOYS HIGH-POINT SCORERS FROM MONDAY'S MEET:
17 -- Joseph Danks
14 -- Harold Danks III
12 -- Jack Fitzsimmons
11 -- Rowan Fitzsimmons, Wyatt Williamson
10 -- Noah Akins, Max Milam, Walter Staszewski.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@Comcast.net)