Liberty and Freedom’s boys swim teams wrapped up their regular season in the city rivalry meet, this year at Freedom, and this year won by Liberty, 99-61, on Feb. 7.

“We had some really good races tonight, and it’s always fun for me to come back here,” said Liberty coach Reik Foust, a Freedom alumnus and former Patriot swim coach.

The closest race of the night was the 50 freestyle, won by Liberty’s Danny Lehr in 23.49 with Freedom’s Ryan Rummel right there in 23.94.

“I’ve never gone under a 24 in the Freedom pool, and it’s my last meet at Freedom, so I achieved my goal,” said Rummel. “My dad’s one of my biggest supporters, and he told me that he was thinking about it on his way here, that I was gonna go under 24, and I did. I’m proud of that. He told me after I swam it, and it made me really happy. I have a really close bond with my dad, and it was a cool moment to hear that he was thinking about it and I achieved it.”

Liberty’s Wade Wu, Malcolm Collins, David Gabrielle, and Corbin Eisenhardt won the 200 medley relay in 1:43.35.

Umut Akus, also from Liberty, won the 200 freestyle in 2:06.58, and Gabrielle took first in the 200 IM in 2:23.16.

Freedom freshman Cody Smith took first place in diving with a score of 152.15.

Lehr was first in the 100 butterfly in 58.73, Eisenhardt won the 100 free in 52.69, and Ben Raineri, also from Liberty, went the distance in the 500 free with a time of 5:50.02.

Collins, Wu, Lehr, and Eisenhardt teamed up to win the 200 free relay in 1:32.19.

Wu then went on to win the 100 backstroke, and Collins took first in the 100 breaststroke in 59.39.

“I was hurting after the 200 free relay because we all decided we wanted to go for the pool record, so I gave it my all in the 50, and I was pretty gassed after that. I didn’t go the time I wanted, but a win is a win, and I’ll take it. Whatever helps the team win,” said Wu. “I had him where I wanted after 50, so I knew I just had to hang on.”

AJ Black, Gio Camaione, Micah Lawser, and Rummel were awarded first-place points in the 400 free relay to end the meet and the season. Their time was 3:52.60.

“I never expected to be here, where I’m at now, and being a captain...It’s made a huge impact on my life,” said Rummel. “Everybody has. All my teammates, the divers, I come to practice and I look forward to it. It may get tiring, mentally and physically, but it’s worth it.”

Next up for District XI swimmers will be the Last Chance Meet scheduled for Feb. 18, an opportunity to improve on times in order to qualify for districts.

“The situation this year is that they really have put the screws to us as far as being able to put together a district lineup. Some teams haven’t turned in times, so we can’t judge what other people might be doing. They’re trying to put it together like track, and swimming is a different sport,” said Coach Foust. “So what we’re trying to do is contact some of the other teams and we’re going to say, ‘This is where we’re putting our kids. Where do you think you might be putting your kids?’ so we can get the majority of kids in.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the District XI swimming powers that be allow only 16 swimmers per individual event.

“But if you take a look at any of the events, the top five can be the same kids for six or seven events, and they can only swim two. You don’t know what they’re going to do, so you don’t know where to put your own kids. It doesn’t affect the top eight. It doesn’t at all. It affects the bottom eight. It’s not the best for the kids. It’s what makes it easiest to sell tickets and to get out of it faster.”

Other coaches in District XI are in agreement with Foust in that there are better, more fair, more sensible ways to put together the lineups within the realm of the district meet, and wish their ideas would be considered.

Districts is scheduled for the first weekend in March at Parkland High School.