Staff Writer
The Presque Isle High School swim team dives into their 2007-08 swimming season with the largest roster in the history of PIHS offering the competitive activity. This year’s team consists of eight boys and 12 girls attempting to lap their competition and make improvements on last year’s record.
Staff photo/Meridith Paterson PRESQUE ISLE VARSITY SWIM TEAM – Members of the PIHS swim team are, from the left in front, Emilee Elliot-Currie, Allison Young, Shae Adler, Rilee Elliot-Currie, Mike Yu, Kyle Gilson and Ethan York; in the middle, Paige McEachern, Courtney Hoffses, Karrie Brawn, Desiree Higgins, Ashley Burlock, Dara Raymond and Divya Bisht; in back, coach Joyce Price, Matt Harris, Cameron Winter, Jacob Brawn and Jesse Lucas; and, absent, Stephen Goulet and Gerard Desjardins.
In the 2007 Penobscot Valley Conference relays the Wildcat boys swam to eighth and 10th in the PVC championship with a 6-5 meet record. The girls ranked seventh at the PVC relays, 11th in the PVC championship and 24th at the state level with a 4-7 record.
Two All-Aroostook swimmers graduated from the team in June: Amanda Burton and Joey Johnson. Burton qualified for state competition in the 50-yard freestyle. Johnson led the Wildcats in breaststroke and backstroke.
However, several past All-Aroostook swimmers have returned to compete again for the honor including junior Allison Young, sophomores Karrie Brawn and Emilee Elliot-Currie and senior Mike Yu. Senior Courtney Hoffses will again don her swimsuit for PIHS after taking a year off to work as a page for the United States Senate in Washington, D.C.
Young will compete in freestyle and backstroke. Currie looks to reign as the best medley swimmer, and Brawn the elite of the Wildcat breaststrokers. Hoffses excels in the butterfly races. Other students returning to the swim lanes for PIHS are juniors Cameron Winter, Paige McEachern and Desiree Higgins and sophomore Jacob Brawn. Winter multitasks with races in 200-yard individual medley, 100-yard butterfly to 500-yard freestyle. McEachern has the most endurance for long distance swims, and Higgins will race in freestyle and breaststroke.
Seniors Gerard Desjardins and Matt Harris and sophomores Kyle Gilson, Stephen Goulet and Ethan York join the boys’ team. Freshmen Shae Adler, Divya Bisht, Ashley Burlock, Rilee Eilliot-Currie, Jesse Lucas and Dara Raymond are new to the Wildcat girls.
“Out new swimmers will be expected to do all the strokes,” explained head coach Joyce Price. “We are working on endurance stroke techniques, flip turns and starts. Every swimmer will compete, not only against themselves and other swimmers, but against the stopwatch. Each swimmer will be expected to improve their times and stroke.”
Price believes each member of the team will improve individually with the support of the squad even if the results aren’t visible in their record.
The Wildcats will face Bangor High School in their first dual meet. The Rams boast over 120 swimmers and the 2007 state championship title. The Wildcats have high expectations of themselves despite their lower numbers and lack of year-round training like the Rams.
“My goals are that each team member will improve their strokes, swimming techniques, turns and endurance,” said Price. “I’m hoping to have more individuals qualify for the state competition … I hope that everyone will have fun, learn developmental swimming skills and leadership skills to make this year successful.”
