As winter comes to a close, the Steinert Boys Swimming team and Coach Melker approach the end of a relatively successful season. With key victories over Nottingham, West, and other opponents, it’s nice to know that the Spartans dominate the waters of Hamilton.

On December 14, Steinert defeated Nottingham by the score of 99-66. Julian Moulds earned a first-place spot in the 200-yard Free with a time of 2:35.47. In the 200-yard IM, Igor Chow finished first with a distant margin of 24.83 seconds. Kenneth Mazariego, Sean Moore, and Cody Pearson held the three best records in the 100-yard Breast, completely occupying the podium. For the 400-yard FR, Justin Davis, Landon Donovan, Teagan Dilatush, and Sean Moore finished first, capping off a dominant performance for the Steinert boys.

As great as it is to win, the team had some close losses. On January 10, Steinert narrowly lost 85-82 to Lawrence. Despite the disappointing result, many of the Spartans shined across a variety of events. Tyler Douglass and Oscar Donis finished first and third in the 200-yard Free, holding most of the podium. In the 100-yard Back, Oscar Donis and Sean Moore respectively placed second and third, beating out all but one of Lawrence’s swimmers. Justin Davis finished second in the 50-yard Free by a slim margin of 0.51 seconds, perfectly highlighting the competitive nature of the night.

The Steinert boys quickly regained their form, crushing Hamilton West in a 112-47 victory. Julian Moulds, Kenneth Mazariegos, and Andrew Melnicki respectively earned first, second, and third place spots in the 200-yard Free, completely controlling the podium. In the 100-yard Free, Justin Davis, Sean Moore, and Landon Donovan similarly dominated the top three positions. Oscar Donis finished first in the 100-yard Back with a time of 1:09.95.

With many other victories and placements on the podium, the Steinert Boys Swimming team certainly looks good on paper. Beyond these stats, though, the guys have developed personal, empathetic relationships with one another. Captain Julian Moulds commented, “I love being a part of this program. The team has been like a family to me; each and every one of them has helped each other push themselves through hard times. I’m glad I chose to be a part of this.” Clearly, the team will keep supporting one another regardless of their results. After the final dual meet against Princeton on January 23, the Spartans will rest easy, knowing that they have grown both in and out of the water.