The Platteville Summer Swim Team won its home opener with Beloit Saturday at the Platteville Family Aquatic Center.
Platteville won exactly half of the 74 contested events and used its overall team depth to outscore Beloit 490–434 following a delayed start due to inclement weather that produced thunderstorms and flash flooding throughout Grant County early Saturday morning.
“Our athletes did not let bad weather affect them psychologically,” said new Platteville Summer Swim head coach Matt Wunderlin. “Instead, they rose to the occasion and swam very well.”
According to Wunderlin 80 percent of the swims by Platteville were either first time swims or personal bests with the summer program.
One team record was set by Caroline Gates in the 8-and-under 25-meter butterfly. Her time of 23.15 seconds bested the previous record by almost two seconds.
A trio of Platteville swimmers, Brenden Polkinghorn, Melanie Schaefer and Dylan Prestegard, each won all three of their individual events.
Polkinghorn won the 15–18 boys 50-meter freestyle (26.36), the 50 backstroke (34.89) and the 100 freestyle (1:00.11). Polkinghorn was also a part of two winning relays, the 15–18 boys 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay.
Schaefer won the 15–18 girls 50 freestyle (29.56), 50 backstroke (37.17) and 50 breaststroke (41.00). She also earned first places on the 15–18 girls 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay.
Prestegard won the 9–10 boys 25 freestyle (19.29), 25 backstroke (24.00) and 25 butterfly (25.52).
Allie Demaree (11–12 girls 50 freestyle and 50 butterfly), Titus Wunderlin (8-and-under boys 25 breaststroke and 25 butterfly) and Bryce Wunderlin (9–10 boys 25 breaststroke and 100 IM) each won two individual events.
This meet marks the first time in 35 years that the Platteville Summer Swim Team has had a coach other than Tom Caccia at the helm.
Wunderlin, who was coached by Caccia when he began swimming in 1991, said, “I truly appreciate what Coach Caccia has done and continues to do for Platteville swimming. I think he is pleased with how his athletes continue to carry the torch he lit.”
Wunderlin was most recently the head coach of the Waunakee Waves (then the Waunakee Orcas), the eighth largest team in the state.
Platteville returns to action July 2 with a home meet vs. Monroe. The rest of Platteville’s summer schedule is as follows.
PLATTEVILLE SUMMER
SWIM TEAM SCHEDULE
Sat., Jun 15 — @ Monroe (cancelled). Sat., Jun 22 — Beloit at Platteville. Tues., July 2 — Monroe at Platteville, 6:30 p.m. Sat., July 20 — Platteville at Milton Invitational, TBD. Sat., July 27 — Platteville hosts Tom Caccia Platteville Invitational, 8:30 a.m. Sat., Aug. 10 — Platteville Swimathon, TBD. Fri., Aug. 16 — Platteville Run for the Records Intrasquad Meet, TBD.
