Falcon swimmers sparkle at Park, in duals

Hales Corners - With a pair of dual-meet victories and the title in the Racine Park Relays, the Whitnall girls swimming and diving team is off to a promising start to the 2012 season.

The Falcons opened the campaign by taking third in their own Fountainwood Funfest in mid-August, then tallied 286 points to win the 12-team Park Relays on Aug. 25.

Winners at Racine were the 300 breaststroke team of Jill Kolasinski, Maddie Vokovitch, Rachel Boushon and Sarah Arteaga; the 400 medley unit of Mary Sullivan, Vokovitch, Lizzie Streim and Leah Windt and divers Rachel Stave, Rachel Tillman and Laine Cieszynski.

Kenosha Tremper tallied 246 points for second at Park, while Racine Case was third (226), New Berlin West fourth (184) and Racine Horlick fifth (180).

Whitnall beat four Woodland Conference foes in New Berlin West, South Milwaukee (seventh), Greenfield (11th) and Greendale (12th).

The Falcons then downed South Milwaukee, 129-56, in a Woodland dual on Sept. 5 behind 10 first places and 10 second places.

They then defeated Brown Deer/University School in another conference dual on Sept. 12 to improve to 2-0 in the Woodland.

"The six captains, Arteaga, Michelle Barutha, Stave, Leah Jenk, Lauren Zurowski and Rebecca Wigington, have been doing a fantastic job, leading the team both in and out of the water," head coach George Guddie said.

Along with a number of talented swimmers, Whitnall can also draw upon the services of Stave, a state championship diver, this season.

The Falcons competed in the Woodland Relays on Wednesday and will face a key conference dual against Shorewood at 6 p.m. Wednesday.