Depth carries East swimmers over North
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville North's Michael Lin won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:05.94 against Williamsville East but it wasn't enough for the team to earn the victory.

Williamsville East's boys swimming team picked up a huge 91-89 win over Williamsville North last Tuesday at Transit Middle School.

Flames coach Mike Doerfler said it was the first time in at least five years that East has beaten North in a boys swim meet.

"It was a big win and a great meet," said Doerfler. "Everyone up and down the line performed well. Even the kids who didn't place did their best times."

Doerfler said his team had more depth in the 100-yard backstroke and 100 breaststroke events to clinch the win. East also took second and third in the last event, the 400 free relay, to gain an additional six points.

North won the 400 free relay in 3:29.91 but needed a second or third to win the meet.

Doerfler said East swimmer Neil Batta beat out a North swimmer on the last leg of the second 400 free relay.

East trailed North in the meet by as many as 14 points.

Joe O'Gorman dove a personal-best score of 193.05 to help Williamsville East beat Williamsville North, 91-89, last Tuesday at Transit Middle School. O'Gorman placed second in the event.

Kane Hsieh led East's winners by breaking his own school record in the 100 breast, swimming a 1:02.84. The time is also a Transit Middle School pool York State Championships. The old record is 1:03.18 which he set last year.

Other big winners for the Flames were Michael Anderson (200 freestyle, 1:53.44); Matt Geiger (100 butterfly, 55.61; 100 back) and Batta (100 free, 51.01). The 200 free relay of Hsieh, Jeff O'Gorman, Anderson and Batta won in 1:38.53.

Batta took second in the 200 IM in a personal best 2:12.35. Thomas Mitchell swam personal best times in the 200 free (1:58.54) and 500 free (5:27.61) and took third in each event.

Batta went a personal best 2:12.35 in the 200 IM to place second.

Joe O'Gorman dove a season best score of 193.95. He took second to North's Chris Arcara, who won in 218.65.

Big winners for North were Lin (200 IM, 205.94), Kyle Siskar (50 free, 22.74), and the 200 medley relay in 1:44.43.

East's other meet was not as dramatic, winning last Friday at Frontier, 75-23.

Joe O'Gorman won diving with a score of 181.75. Batta won the 100 fly in 1:01.53. Jeff O'Gorman took home first in the 100 free in 57.26. Josh Vekhter was the best in the 100 breast, winning in 1:16.44.

Both victories improved East's record to 6-2. They swim at West Seneca East at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

The rest of the Flames' regular season schedule is home meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 29 against West Seneca West and Hamburg on Thursday, Jan. 31, and a road meet at Iroquois at 5 p.m. on