ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- A busy Buccaneer swim squad has had a solid week leading up to Saturday's Great Lakes Conference Championships.

On Jan. 16, Rocky River swimmers competed in the 2020 Viking Invitational at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The Pirates had a big day, logging big swims against over 20 talented teams from all over Ohio. The River boys placed seventh, and the Pirate girls took fourth. Highlights included personal-best times for Michael Esdon in the 500-yard freestyle (4:57.63), Aidan Carter in the 100 free (47.76), Hannah Burgess in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.46), and Gianna Miller in the 100 free (51.72). Miller's time in the 100 free earned her a win in the meet, and it eclipsed the Rocky River school record. The Double-R also had four relay quartets post season-best times in Geneva.

On Monday, the boys' team dropped a hard-fought 124-62 meet against St. Ignatius. Drew Helms (200 individual medley, 100 backstroke) and Aidan Carter (100 free) registered wins for the Maroon & White.

On Tuesday, the Rocky River girls earned a 123-60 victory over Magnificat. The Pirates won 10-of-12 events in dispatching their neighbors to the south. Ella Russell won two races (200 free, 100 butterfly) by a combined 1.56 seconds.

On Wednesday, Rocky River swept Normandy in a GLC meet. The boys downed the visiting Invaders, 116-69; the girls won, 139-47. The event closed out River's 2020-21 dual-meet season, and it sends the Pirates -- both teams -- into Saturday's circuit swims with unblemished GLC records.

The Double-R boys head into Saturday's meet with the top seed in eight events; the girls are tabbed with the No. 1 time in nine events. Rocky River has swept the GLC title meet in each of the last five seasons.


by Skip Snow