Dalton Edges Stuart Heights To Conclude Unbeaten Regular Season

Defending Champ Dolphins Favored To Win Caulkins City Meet Saturday

  • Monday, July 6, 2015
  • John Hunt
Backstrokers hit the water during Monday's season-ending meet between Dalton and Stuart Heights. Dalton slipped by the Sharks, 404-386, to finish an undefeated season in the Blue Division. Stuart Heights finished at 4-4. Both teams will compete this weekend at the Bill Caulkins City Meet in Fort Oglethorpe at the Arlene Crye Pool.
Backstrokers hit the water during Monday's season-ending meet between Dalton and Stuart Heights. Dalton slipped by the Sharks, 404-386, to finish an undefeated season in the Blue Division. Stuart Heights finished at 4-4. Both teams will compete this weekend at the Bill Caulkins City Meet in Fort Oglethorpe at the Arlene Crye Pool.
photo by Dennis Norwood

The Dalton Dolphins had several key goals when the 2015 Chattanooga Area Swim League season began on the first day of June and they can put a big check mark by the first one, which was to go undefeated in the ever-competitive Blue division.

They accomplished that goal before dark on Monday as they defeated a much-improved Stuart Heights squad by a 404-386 final that may have been closer than the last score might indicate.

Dalton had pounded the Sharks by an embarrassing 437-335 margin in Dalton on June 15, but Stuart Heights proved they are better than that after surprising Signal Mountain in a close meet on June 24.  The Sharks wanted to let everyone know that win over the Green Giants was no fluke and they proved it Monday night against the defending league champions.

The Dolpins had a 13-point lead following the freestyle races and they slowly increased that margin to a 232-204 difference following the individual medleys.

Both teams scored 64 points in the backstroke races before the Sharks made their move in the butterfly, outscoring Dalton by 72-48 to get within 14 points at 344-330 with the free relays remaining.

The Sharks didn’t have enough firepower at the end for the comeback win, but they served notice that they are a force to be reckoned with this weekend when the Bill Caulkins City Meet is held at Fort Oglethorpe’s Gilbert-Stephenson Park.

Dalton coach Jason Mezaros was well aware of Stuart Heights’ surge in recent weeks.  He came to town expecting a tussle in the water and he was right on target with his expectations.

Needless to say, he felt good as he headed for the parking lot for the happy ride home.

“Stuart Heights has a really good team.  I came up here today thinking they’d give us a close meet and they did, but I’m really pleased with our kids as this is a great way to finish the regular season,” he said during those final relay races when the outcome was still to be determined.

“We’re part of the way there.  Now we need to win the big one this weekend.  We’re in pretty good shape right now, so I just wanted to see them compete hard today.  It was more than just swimming. I wanted to see them race and that’s what they did.

“The City Meet kicks off our championship season and the level of competition just gets higher and higher for the next five weeks,” he said, knowing that the Georgia state meets and a national competition will all be held before school starts in early August.

Stuart Heights coach Katie Sallee remembered vividly how she felt after her team got whipped in Dalton a few short weeks ago.  She was just hoping beyond hope that the score would be closer the second time around.

She was more than pleasantly surprised at how well her kids competed.

“We lost to them by a bunch the first time we swam and I wasn’t really looking forward to finishing our season here against them tonight, but it’s been an awesome meet and it came down to the final relays,” she said while chatting with her younger sister Kendall Jacobs as the last races wrapped up.

“It’s been really close the whole meet as we’ve turned things around.  I think we did about all we could do tonight, but all of my kids swam great races and we’re on a high note going into the City Meet,” she concluded with a smile.

The winning Dolphins had three swimmers who scored the maximum 19 points, including Jonathan Shaheen, Roman Valdez and Ethan Young.

Henry Bethel and Carlin Hudson added 17 points for the winners while Franco Valdez followed with 15.

April Forsthoffer and Ellie Waldrep both maxed out for the Sharks while Beatrice Davis was close behind with 18 points.

Missy Karman, Luke Waldrep, Grant Cooley and Max Ransom all finished with 15 points to Stuart Heights, but that early deficit was simply too much to overcome.

The Cleveland AquaTigers wrapped up the Red division with an impressive win at Calhoun to finished unbeaten in eight meets.

The Big Ridge Raiders wrapped up the White division with a romp over Fort Oglethorpe

Other winners included Ridgeside, Signal Mountain and Ringgold.

 DALTON HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

19 – Jonathan Shaheen, Roman Valdez, Ethan Young

17 – Henry Bethel, Carlin Hudson

15 – Franco Valdez

14 – Alexis Vaughn, Hannah Smith

13 – Gavin Ollis, Reese Bingham

12 – Anthony Calderon, James Bingham, Julian Hernandez, Ross Valdez

11 – Gracison Saylors, Will Haley

10 – Bella Lee, Alex Mashburn, Abby O’Ferrall, Ava Whited.

STUART HEIGHTS HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

19 – April Forsthoffer, Ellie Waldrep

18 – Beatrice Davis

15 – Missy Karman, Luke Waldrep, Grant Cooley, Max Ransom

13 – Gwennie Davis, Catherine Lynch, Jon Pat Ransom

12 – Alex Smith, Cooper Lehman

10 – Noah Dzik, Kai Chapin, Scout Chapin, Molly Ransom.

OOLTEWAH HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

19 – Peter Dyr

17 – Leah Boyd, Lilian Parr, Jacob Kiemeyer, Cameron Martin

12 – Haley Grider, Amber Isbell, Hardy Jones, Emma Scruggs, Jillian Cantrell, Madelyn Weathers

11 – Aidan Sims, Autumn Suchy, Jaxon Thurman, Elijah Martin, Sadie Pacenti

SIGNAL MOUNTAIN HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

19 – Jewel Gordon, Reid Wilson

18 – Susanna LaRochelle

17 – Peter Lochmaier

16 – Ben Flasch

15 – Henry Flasch, Jason Green, Chase Post

14 – Sam Laramore

13 – Charlie Han, Nicole Hanson, Hannah Laramore, Belle Flasch

12 – Kaleb Bonastia, Emily Gill, John Smith

11 – Amelia Willis, Philip Pedigo

10 – Maggie Stovall, William Trombley.

CLEVELAND HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

19 – Grayson Officer, Trey Parris, Lauren Thompson

18 – Grayson Payne, Macie Starr

17 – Anna Thompson, Peter Falcone, Gracie Jackson

15 – Jason Chung, Ben Dewitt, Devon Frakes

14 – Jacob McDaniel, Owen Clemons

13 – Breanna Belcher, Alexia Jackson

12 – Ashlin Harper

11 – Ella Dewitt, Ashlee Gravell, Suzanna Liner

CALHOUN HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

19 – Cal Parker

17 – Cassandra Workman

15 – John Carroll

14 – Rucker Reeves

13 – Kailey Klingbeil, Micah Klingbeil, Brody Bushong

12 – Ryder Hood, Caleb Black, Kathryn Russell, Alice Workman

11 – Chloe Edens, Bryant Mathis

10 – Reagan Fortin.

WATERDOGS HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

18 – Davina Sharma

15 – Elizabeth Andrews, Brendon Ruckman

14 – Jae Dauphinais, Jessica Landberg

12 – Juliet Bryant

11 – Brian Lineberry, Kailey Ruckman.

RINGGOLD HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

19 – John Courtney, Jonathan Lancaster, Easton O’Donnell, Emma Pulliam, Regan Wingrove

17 – Bennett Kolff, Will Riddell, Rylee O’Donnell

16 – Helen Webb

15 – Russell Lively, Saulye Nichols, Kale Davis, Lindsay Hudson, Gabriel Johnson

13 – Christopher Browning

12 – Isabella Sweat

10.5 – Emma Bradford

10 – Preston Breeden, Cayman Hughey, Noah Pennington, Noah Scott, James Stowers.

FORT OGLETHORPE HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

19 – Brandon Edge, Reece Gallagher

17 – Timothy DeBord

16 – Emily Brock, Brayden Carney

13 – Joshua Carney, Nicholas D’Angelo, Lance Marshall, Megan Easley

12 – Marianna Easley

10 – Morgyn Easley.

BIG RIDGE HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

19 – Sierra Haberhern, Mae Mae Powe, Sam Powe

17 – Elizabeth Tate, Claire Calhoun, Abigail Austin

16 – Elizabeth Allen

15 – Aidan Shaw, Hunter Shaw, Evan Simpson

14 – Liam Runkle, Pamela Avendano Rubi

13 – Robert Alford

12 – Abigail Carpenter, Slate Smith

11 – Hannah Schmidt, Reagan Bullington, Ciana Medonis

10 – Thaddeus Weiss, Braxton Haberhern, JulieAnna Harris, Ethan Runkle, Adelyn Simpson.

RIDGESIDE HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

19 – Madeline Bond, Finnegan Fitzsimmons, Max Milam, Aidan Parks

17 – Ewan Whaley, Owen Williamson, Rowan Fitzsimmons, Joseph Danks, Adelaide Bond

14 – Elizabeth Hall, Walter Staszewski

13 – Ashlin Lowry, Noah Akins

12 – Isabella Blankenbaker

11 – Tajarah Goodman, Sophia Albarakat

10 – Andrew Bond.

CUMBERLAND HIGH-POINT SCORERS:

19 – Brianne Holsomback, Esther Morris

17 – Kari Morris

15 – Liliana Hatch, Juliana Acosta

14 – Lauren Alexander, Kimberly Morris

13 – Jeremiah Morris, Chloe Vernon

12 – Jonas Taylor

10 – Charlie Whittle, Zachary Schurr, Lydia Mizutani.

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)

Six year-old Molly Ransom swims the freestyle for Stuart Heights in the 6 & Under 25-yard event.
Six year-old Molly Ransom swims the freestyle for Stuart Heights in the 6 & Under 25-yard event.
photo by Dennis Norwood
Latest Headlines
Sports
Chattanooga Women Third At Spring Break Shootout
  • 3/18/2024

The Chattanooga Mocs got off to a solid start at the Spring Break Shootout. The ladies are 4 under on Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club’s South Course carding 280 over the opening 18 and 284 ... more

Sweetwater's Keke Norfolk Signs With Cleveland State
Sweetwater's Keke Norfolk Signs With Cleveland State
  • 3/18/2024

Keke Norfolk of Sweetwater High School signed a National Letter of Intent with the Cleveland State women’s basketball team this past week. Norfolk a 5’9” guard/forward, becomes the first signee ... more

Vol Baseball Win Streak Ends At 17 At Alabama
  • 3/18/2024

No. 5/5 Tennessee's 17-game winning streak came to an end with a 6-3 loss to No. 12/14 Alabama on Saturday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide (16-3, 1-1 SEC) ... more