The Dalton Dolphins have several goals for the 2015 Chattanooga Area Swim League season, the first being undefeated in regular-season dual meets.
They took a big step in that direction on Thursday night as they posted a 430-369 victory over the Signal Mountain Green Giants on the road, improving to 5-0 on the season in the CASL's Blue division while the Green Giants are now 3-2.
The Dolphins had beaten their biggest rival in the first meet of the season by 64 points, so Thursday's win proved that the first time was no fluke.
Dalton never trailed in the meet and had a 69-57 lead following the opening freestyle races.
The difference was just 358-321 following the butterfly races, but the visitors from Whitfield County made a statement in the free relays, outscoring the Green Giants by a margin in that event alone to win going away.
Dalton coach Jason Mezaros knows that away meets are always harder to win, simply because the numbers aren't as great away from home, but the first-year leader was more than happy with the final results.
"We knew it would be a tougher meet coming up here, but I'm really pleased with how we swam tonight," he said while the last few relays were winding up.
"Depth has been a key for us all year and that was certainly the case today. We have a bunch of kids who have really improved a lot since the first of the season and that was critical today. These kids want an undefeated regular season, so we coaches didn't have to say much about how important this meet was, but we're just trying to keep things on an even keel and not get too fired up over one win.
"It's been a great season so far. I've been around these kids for four years now and they're a special group. It's a lot of fun for this to be my job and it's as much fun for me as it is for them. Now we need to start pointing toward the City Meet," he said, knowing that Dalton was a runaway winner last year in coach Charles Todd's final season.
Everyone knows about the long-time success of the Signal Mountain team. Despite losing to Dalton for the second time, Signal Mountain coach Stephanie Cohen isn't ready to concede anything as far as the City Meet is concerned.
"There was some outstanding swimming on both sides, but I thought we did well having had three meets in the last four days," Cohen said while Signal Mountain swimmers dismantled the starting blocks.
"I saw a lot of good sportsmanship on both sides and that's always really important to me. We were a little slow off the wall at times, so that's something we have to work on, but small details like that make a big difference in a close meet.
"Our kids did a fantastic job tonight as they swam to the best of their ability. We were missing at least 10 key swimmers and that always hurts, but we just have to have versatility across the board. Sometimes a meet like this serves as a good motivator. Maybe we'll get them next time," she concluded with a smile.
Alexis Vaughn, Jonathan Shaheen, Henry Bethel and Roman Valdez all maxed out with 19 points to lead the Dolphins while Gracison Saylors and Ethan Young were next with 18 apiece.
Susanna LaRochelle was tops for Signal Mountain with 19 points while Emily Gill had 17 and Stephanie Xian 16. Philip Pedigo was next with 15.
Dalton will be at home on Monday hosting the Ooltewah Tidal Waves while Signal Mountain goes to the other mountain to face the Fairyland Flash.
DALTON HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
19 -- Alexis Vaughn, Jonathan Shaheen, Henry Bethel, Roman Valdez,
18 -- Gracison Saylors, Ethan Young
17 -- Carlin Hudson, Franco Valdez
13 -- Abby O'Ferrall, Bella Lee, Anthony Calderon, Lucien Chenard
12 -- Miah Lee, Hannah Smith
11 -- Ava Whited, Will Haley, Brandt Hudson
10 -- Casey Mashburn, Kelly Mashburn.
SIGNAL MOUNTAIN HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
19 -- Susanna LaRochelle
17 -- Emily Gill
16 -- Stephanie Xian
15 -- Philip Pedigo
13 -- Jewel Gordon, Avery Wilson, Hannah Laramore, Sam Laramore
11 -- Amelia Wills, Laken Coppinger, Reid Wilson, Chase Post
10 -- Jessica Vargo, Eleonore Porter, Daniel Snyder, Charlie Han.
FAIRYLAND HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
19 -- Kylie Eiselstein
17 -- Natalie Lopez-Durel
16 -- Ellie Taliaferro
13 -- David Horne
12 -- Jane Eiselstein, Anna Ward
10.5 -- Colmore Hurst
10 -- Morton Wingfield, Kathryn Nash, Kristen Myers, Ethan Bevill.
STUART HEIGHTS HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
19 -- Luke Waldrep, Sara Clark, Noah Dzik, Max Ransom, Jon Pat Ransom
17 -- Scout Chapin, Sam Flack, Grant Cooley, April Forsthoffer
16 -- Ellie Waldrep
15 -- George Lehman, George Von Canon
14 -- Owen Rutledge, William Raines
13 -- Elizabeth Lydon, Chris Butler
11 -- Reese Skiles, Missy Karman
10 -- Molly Ransom, Jackson Sallee, Gerald Lydon.
CLEVELAND HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
19 -- Grayson Officer, Jason Chung
17 -- Anna Thompson, Ashley Browning, Grayson Payne
15 -- Maci Starr, Devon Frakes, Breanna Belcher, Jasper Culpepper
13 -- Ashlee Gravell, Blake Odum
12 -- Chloe Frakes, Bryson Lake, Ben DeWitt, Ashlyn Harper, Alexia Jackson
11 -- Jacob McDaniel
10 -- Luke Belcher
COUNTRY CLUB HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
17 -- CeCe Turner
16 -- Raif Gork
15 -- Katherine Berce
14 -- Vivian Vetzel
12 -- Lee Schemel, Caroline Schenck, Maggie Crump, Connor Kinley
11 -- Harrison Jennings, Kevin Martinez
10 -- Ryan Ellis.
FORT OGLETHORPE HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
19 -- Joshua Carney, Brayden Carney
16 -- Camden Cloud, Reece Gallagher
15 -- Lance Marshall
14 -- Morgyn Easley, Brody Ervin, Timothy DeBord
13 -- Lily Marshall, Chaise Maynor, Sky Kim
11 -- Julie Kim
10 -- Megan Easley, Mariana Easley
RED BANK HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
19 -- Dallas Woods, Kathrine Schlegel, Brianna Rabon, Luke Massey
17 -- Mason Meyners
14 -- Asonia Birdsong
13 -- Rebekah Fuller, Catherine Morgan
12 -- Amelia Harris, Taylor Hurst, Robert Steele, Benjamin Meagher, Bradley Hunt
11 -- Payton Hayman, Ivey Woolf, Austin Camp
10 -- Jonah King, Ian Rabon.
BIG RIDGE HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
17 -- Hunter Shaw, Aidan Shaw
15 -- Mae Mae Powe, Sam Powe, Robert Alford
14 -- Claire Cahoun, Pamela Avendano Rubi, Liam Runkle
13 -- Evan Simpson
12 -- Robert Bullington
11 -- Austin Rawlins, Abigail Carpenter, Sierra Haberhern
10 -- Ethan Runkle, Elizabeth Allen, Anna Thomson
CUMBERLAND HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
17 -- Brianne Holsomback, Jonas Taylor, Avery Tisdale
16 -- Jeremiah Morris
15 -- Kari Morris, Jordan Schone
12 -- Lauren Alexander
11 -- Evelyn Click, Chloe Vernon, Antonio Hatch, Keanu Tun
10 -- Esther Morris
CALHOUN HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
18 -- Cassie Workman
17 -- Allie Workman, Micah Klingbeil
16 -- Katherine Nesbitt
15 -- Kailey Klingbeil
14 -- Caitlynne Clardy, Chloe Edens, Calli Edens, Matthew Petty
13 -- Bryant Mathis
11 -- Ryder Hood
10 -- Bryan Anderson, Kathryn Russell.
RINGGOLD HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
19 -- Emma Pulliam, John Courtney, Will Riddell
17 -- Jon Lancaster, Easton Odonnell
16 -- Gabriel Johnson
15 -- Regan Wingrove, Helen Webb
13 -- Rylee Odonnell, James Stowers, Bennett Kolff
12 -- Kassidy McCormick
11 -- Maggie Grayson, Natalia Celis, Evan Moeller
10 -- Tori Rhinehart, Saulye Nichols, Kale Davis.
(Email John Hunt at nomarthonmoose@Comcast.net)