The Northampton Kids Swim Club dove into their summer season on June 17 with an away meet at Hanover. This all-ages team comprises veteran swimmers, varsity swim stars, brand-new swimmers, and swim lesson graduates. The Kids will compete in a full schedule of dual meets this summer as part of the Suburban Swim League. This league pits the Kids against local swim clubs and community pool teams, culminating in a full league championship meet on July 11.

The Kids Club currently stands at 2-1, having bested Hanover and Quakertown in the first two meets of the season. On Monday night, June 24, the Kids welcomed the Lower Macungie Lazers to their home pool at Northampton Middle School. Although the meet was full of personal best times and outstanding swims from the Kids, in the end, the Lazers handed the Kids their first loss with a score of 315-264.

The boys 8 & under age group had a great showing on Monday night as they started the boys’ events with a first-place win in the 8 & under boys medley relay event. The relay team of Trace Snellman, Luca Snellman, Aiden Busfield and Connor Mentzell claimed first place with a time of 1:19.98. In the individual events for the age group, Connor Mentzell had a decisive first-place finish in the 25-yard freestyle event. Trace Snellman claimed first place in the 25-yard backstroke event, and Luca Snellman was first to the wall in the boys 25-yard breaststroke event.

Among other highlights for the boys on Monday night was ‘triple threat’ Nate Scheirer with three first-place finishes in the boys 13-14 age group’s 100-yard freestyle, 50-yard backstroke, and 50-yard butterfly events. Levi Gieske was first to the wall in the boys 13-14 50-yard freestyle event; Brody Warner was first in the boys 50-yard breaststroke as well as the 100-yard individual medley events, and Kole Sandt claimed first in the 100-yard individual medley event for the 11-12-year-old boys.

The girls relay teams started the meet strong with wins in the girls 11-12 medley relay (with the team of Zua Esteban, Riley Tencza, Sarah Harding and Anna Hartranft) and the girls 13 and over medley relay (with the team of Maliya Walp, Ava Keenan, Gigi Esteban and Tyla Block).

In their individual events, Kinsely Walbert claimed a decisive first-place finish for the 9-10 girls in the 50-yard backstroke event; Tyla Block was first in the 50-yard backstroke as well as the 100-yard individual medley events for the 15 and over girls age group. Toni Bubier claimed first in the girls 15 and over 100-yard freestyle as well as the 50-yard freestyle, Maliya Walp was first in the 15 and over 50-yard breaststroke, and Gigi Esteban had a decisive win in the girls 13-14 50-yard butterfly event. For the girls 11-12 age group, Zua Esteban was first to the wall in the 100-yard freestyle as well as the 50-yard butterfly events.

Perhaps the most unique and exciting event during the summer season is the ending of each meet with a boys and girls all-ages crescendo relay. This event selects one swimmer from each of the five age groups to form an all-ages freestyle relay team, with the 8 & under and 9-10 age groups swimming a 25-yard freestyle lap and the 11-12, 13-14, and 15 and over age groups swimming a 50-yard freestyle leg. On Monday evening, the Kids Club’s boys crescendo relay team of Connor Mentzel, Lance Armetta, Logan Saylor, Henry Schoenberger, and London Sandt claimed a decisive win with a first-place time of 1:57.94. The girls crescendo relay team of Mia Kelly, Riley Tencza, Toni Bubier, Autumn Rosentel and Kinsley Walbert came in a close second.

On Thursday, June 27 the Kids travel to Coopersburg to face the Soleco Stingrays in a 6 p.m. dual meet at the Southern Lehigh Community Pool.