Schrider, Hutchison and Richer stand out individually at regionals

ROCHESTER, NY – Competing against stiff competition in the Region III Championship over the weekend at Monroe Community College Aquatic Center, the Herkimer Generals men’s and women’s swimming & diving team’s finished seventh and fourth overall after 40 total events.

The men had three Top 5 finishes. Freshman Dean Schrider (Holland Patent, NY) got two in separate events, the 100 yd. Butterfly and 200 yd. Breaststroke. His personal best 1:01.62 in the butterfly gave him fifth, and 2:41.86 gave him third in the breaststroke. Brandon Paul (Gloversville, NY) captured the last Top 5 finish in the 100 yd. Breaststroke, swimming a 1:15.42.

The women had six more Top 5 finishes over the three-day meet, seeing their best performance come in the 800 yd. Freestyle Relay. The combination of Corinne Richer (Clinton, NY), Erin Hutchison (Macedon, NY), Hannah Watts (Norwich, NY) and Victoria Bemiss (Canaan, NY) swam for second place, posting a 9:57.69. That same group then captured three fourth place finishes in the 200 yd. Freestyle Relay (2:01.90), 400 yd. Medley Relay (5:07.64) and 200 yd. Medley Relay (2:20.52).

Swimming well individually for the women was Hutchison and Richer. Hutchison, placed fifth in the 100 yd. Breaststroke (1:24.61) and fourth in both the 200 yd. Breaststroke (3:02.05) and 1650 yd. Freestyle (21:56.74). Richer placed third in the 100 yd. Butterfly (1:17.57) and 200 yd. Butterfly (2:45.10).

The Generals last meet of the season is at Erie Community College’s Flickinger Athletic Center in Buffalo, NY, this season’s host for the 2015 Swimming & Diving National Championship. Competition begins Thursday, March 5^th, concluding on Saturday, March 7^th. Finals are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. each day of the event.

Men (7th overall 52 points):

200 yd. Individual Medley (9^th 2:19.45) Schrider

50 yd. Freestyle (7^th 24.73) Paul

100 yd. Butterfly (5^th 1:01.62) Schrider

100 yd. Breaststroke (5^th 1:15.42) Paul

200 yd. Breaststroke (3^rd 2:41.86, 6^th 2:53.04) Schrider, Paul

Women (4th overall 197 points):

200 yd. Freestyle Relay (4^th 2:01.90) Bemiss, Watts, Richer, Hutchison

500 yd. Freestyle (6^th 6:10.55, 10^th 7:23.43) Richer, O’Hern

50 yd. Freestyle (12^th 29.84) Bemiss

400 yd. Medley Relay (4^th 5:07.64) Watts, Hutchison, Richer, Bemiss

200 yd. Medley Relay (4^th 2:20.52) Watts, Hutchison, Richer, Bemiss

100 yd. Butterfly (3^rd 1:17.57) Richer

200 yd. Freestyle (7^th 2:37.42, 11^th 2:49.92) Watts, O’Hern

100 yd. Breaststroke (5^th 1:24.61) Hutchison

100 yd. Backstroke (7^th 1:20.36, 8^th 1:30.37, 10^th 1:30.64, 12^th 1:45.19) Watts, Bemiss, Christian, Steele

800 yd. Freestyle Relay (2^nd 9:57.69) Richer, Hutchison, Watts, Bemiss

200 yd. Backstroke (7^th 2:50.43) Watts

100 yd. Freestyle (9^th 1:08.09) Bemiss

200 yd. Breaststroke (4^th 3:02.05) Hutchison

200 yd. Butterfly (3^rd 2:45.10) Richer

1650 yd. Freestyle (4^th 21:56.74) Hutchison

-Giorgio Varlaro