Lakeland Swimmers Capture KLAA North Meet Title

Five division records were broken by Lakeland swimmers on Saturday as the Eagles captured the WLAA North divisional title by downing Walled Lake Northern by 23 points in the Eagles' home pool. 

Lakeland finished with 608 points in the divisional meet. Walled Lake Central, Walled Lake Western and Waterford United followed in third, fourth and fifth places.

Lakeland 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay teams composed of Ryan Johnson, David Patawaran, Leighton Christie and Tony Cipponeri secured the victory by winning the 400 event by .03 seconds and the 200 by five seconds, both divisional records.

Johnson and Cipponeri also enjoyed individual successes. Johnson won the 200 freestyle by an impressive 3.5 seconds, with a time of 1:49.50—a school and divisional record. Cipponeri took first in the 50 freestyle in 22.26 seconds for a divisional record. He also won the 100 freestyle by just .11 seconds. 

Patawaran placed first in the 200 individual medley with a one-second win over Walled Lake Central’s Stephen Lee, and he finished second in the 100 breaststroke. 

“All of our swimmers played a huge part in our success,” head coach Michelle Huyck wrote via e-mail. 

Lakeland’s other 200 medley relay team of Gary Essenmacher, James Probstfeld, Will Walker and John Falvey took second. Christie was second to Walled Lake Northern’s Alex Chow in the 100 butterfly. Essenmacher also finished behind Chow in the 100 backstroke. 

The Lakeland 200 freestyle relay team of Probstfeld, Falvey, Evan Goan and Matt Follick also took second. 

Lakeland will next be in action at the KLAA Conference meet this Friday and Saturday at Waterford Kettering.