WaveRunners grab 18 top finishes at season opener

By Andy Brown

Published: June 30, 2008

The Eufaula WaveRunners, well, made waves Thursday night in Troy.

The team, which was competing in its first meet of the season, claimed 36 top-five finishes, 29 top-three finishes and 18 first-place finishes in a meet with the Troy Tiger Sharks and Andalusia Stingrays at the Troy Community Recreation Center.

The team’s performance did not come as a surprise to first-year head coach Jamie Hahn.

“The overall performance was good, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done on technique,” Hahn said. “I was not that surprised with how well we did since half of the swimmers we took were USA-S registered swimmers and I have be training the other to the same standard.”

Emily Munn and Melissa Munn led the charge for the WaveRunners with five first-place finishes apiece.

Emily Munn claimed top honors in the girls’ 13-14 year-old division 100-meter individual medley (1:14.41), the 50-meter freestyle (30.16), the 50-meter butterfly (31.81), the 50-meter backstroke (35.77) and the 100-meter freestyle (1:06.86).

Melissa Munn won the girls’ 15-18 year-old division 100-meter individual medley (1:17.58), the 50-meter freestyle (30.40), the 50-meter butterfly (35.73), the 50-meter backstroke (37.58) and the 100-meter freestyle (1:06.68).

“Emily and Melissa Munn both did well and they executed a new flip turn in their individual medley, which is called the back to breast turn,” Hahn said. “This is where you touch the wall while still on your back but then do a back flip into breaststroke instead of turning around.”

Morgan Johnston also turned in an impressive performance in the season’s opening contest. She claimed five top-five finishes in the girls’ 8-and-Under division, including wins in the 25-meter freestyle (22.19), 25-meter butterfly (48.81), the 25-meter backstroke (27.06) and the 50-meter freestyle (55.64). She also finished fourth in the 25-meter breaststroke (38.93).

“Morgan Johnston had a great meet,” Hahn said. “She did her first completed flip turn at it which was really good.”

Alex Johnston nabbed a trio of first-place finishes in the boys’ 9-10 year-old division. He won the 50-meter freestyle (33.74), the 50-meter backstroke (44.64) and the 100-meter freestyle (1:16.92). He also finished second in the 100-meter individual medley (1:25.22) and the 50-meter breaststroke (47.14).

“Alex Johnston performed to the standard that I have come to expect from what he shows me at practice,” Hahn said.

Tucker Johnston earned five top-three finishes in the boys’ 11-12 year-old division, including two first-place finishes. He won the 100-meter individual medley (1:29.42) and the 50-meter freestyle (34.38). He finished second in both the 50-meter butterfly (43.74) and the 50-meter backstroke (42.51). He finished third in the 50-meter breaststroke (46.96).

“Tucker Johnston did well considering he’s just getting back into the water,” Hahn said. “He had just five practices prior to the meet.”

Maggie Shorter claimed three second-place finishes and a third-place finish in the girls’ 9-10 year-old division. She finished second in the 50-meter freestyle (47.34), the 50-meter backstroke (1:03.98) and the 100-meter freestyle (2:18.68). She finished third in the 50-meter breaststroke (1:06.27).

Brandon Clements earned a third-place finish and two fourth-place finishes in the boys’ 9-10 year-old division. He finished third in the 50-meter breaststroke (1:12.36) and fourth in the 50-meter freestyle (51.20) and the 50-meter backstroke (1:03.43).

Other top-five finishers include Jacob Routzong, Daniel Clayton and Jonah Shorter.

Routzong finished fifth in the boy’s 11-12 year-old division 50-meter breaststroke (1:01.46).

Daniel Clayton picked up a pair of fourth-place finishes in the boys’ 8-and-Under division in the 25-meter backstroke (36.18) and the 50-meter freestyle (1:23.12).

Jonah Shorter finished fifth in the 8-and-Under 50-meter freestyle (1:31.06).

Hahn saw plenty in the season’s opening meet to be encouraged about.

“Daniel Clayton had a big meet it was his first time do 50 freestyle at a meet and he also did a flip turn which I just started working with him on about a week ago,” Hahn said. “It looked really good. Blakely and Brandon Clements both showed great potential at the meet in the free, back and breast events.  By mid to late fall or winter they will be leading their age groups with the Johnston brothers. Daniel Gaston performed very well.  Once his endurance gets up he will be up leading the pack with the other boys. Jacob Routzong, who swam with the WaveRunners years ago, has come back and is ready to give his all again and with performance at Troy he proved it. Jonah Shorter showed great promise in his free and back events with a little time and hard work in the water he will do great. Maggie Shorter’s form was good and with hard work she will get her times down.”