Port seniors rule the pool this year

Senior swim isn’t for those enjoying their golden years at Port Washington High School. It’s just the swim team’s practices.

Of the Pirates’ 13 swimmers and two divers this season, 10 are seniors.

“We have great leadership among all of them. They are helping out the new swimmers and including everyone on the team,” coach Brittany Roecker said.

This year’s captains are swimmers Nick Hadacek and Alex Sharbuno and diver Cale Theis, who took third at the Division 2 state meet last season.

“Divers, as always, are a strong part of our team and I look forward to seeing their hard work pay off this season,” Roecker said.

Roecker said senior Koga Nakamura, an exchange student from Japan, and freshman Jack Sickles “have potential to become great assets to the team.”

Among the other newcomers, Roecker said she is “already seeing great stroke technique and improvement” from Ben Falkenberg and Ryan Luib.

Port opened its season with a 125-51 loss to Nicolet on Nov. 26.

Theis won diving with 217.65 points and junior Nate Kasdorf was second with 168.55.

Senior Neil Tumey was second in the 200 individual medley in 2 minutes, 34.42 seconds and in the 100 backstroke in 1:08.09. Sharbuno was second in the 500 freestyle in 6:31.69.

The 400 freestyle relay team of Tumey, Hadacek, Shane McConahy and Sharbuno was second in 4:09.91.

“We don’t have a large team so we aren’t necessarily focused on winning meets.  We are focusing on stroke technique and improving personal times,” Roecker said.

Port was to host Whitefish Bay on Tuesday and swim at Grafton on Tuesday, Dec. 10.