Spartan swimmers douse Flames, bury Red Devils

Williamsville North (10-0) took two big steps forward to defending its ECIC boys swimming championship by defeating Williamsville East and previously unbeaten Clarence.

In the Spartans' 60-42 victory over East on Jan. 12, Brandon Beckinghausen (200 free, 500 free) and Chris Deptula (50 free, 100 free) were both double winners. The duo also teamed up with Michael Lin and Kyle Siskar to win the 200 free relay (1:34.04).

The Spartans then rolled into Clarence last Tuesday and handed the Red Devils their first loss of the season and first home loss to an ECIC rival in over six years.

Never trailing, the Spartans won all but one event in the entire meet, swimming to a convincing 101-85 victory.

Double winners for the Spartans were Lin (200 IM, 100 free), Brandon Beckinghausen (200 free, 500 free) and Chris Deptula (50 free, 100 back). Big performances were also turned in by Siskar (50 free, 100 free), Mike Burns (100 breast), Sean Beckinghausen (200 IM, 100 breast), Matt Krupp (200 free, 100 fly), Robby Novak (200 free, 500 free) and Chris Han (200 IM, 100 back).

Divers Chris Arcara and Shawn Goldsmith also finished 1-2, respectively, on the board as well.

"This was a tremendous team effort, and coach Dan McLaughin and I are very proud of the boys," stated North coach Flynn Burroughs. "Clarence is an outstanding young team. They are well-prepared, and we always get their very best meet. Had a few touches gone the other way, there could have been a different outcome."

The Spartans' final test of the season will come on Jan. 30, when they host southtown power Orchard Park. Currently unbeaten as well, this meet will decide the ECIC AA team champion. The Spartans have beaten the Quakers each of the past three seasons; however, two of the three match-ups have been decided by less than a second in the meet's final event, the 400 free relay.

In the Spartans 51-50 victory over Frontier on Friday evening, Lin, Krupp, Deptula and Brandon Beckinghausen broke a 30-year old pool record in the 400 free when the clock stopped at 3:19.61. Their time was an automatic state qualifying time and is the top reported time in New York State this year.