Sass leads Barracudas at conference meet

Brookfield Barracudas senior diver William Sass is still unbeaten as he prepares to go to this week's sectional action on Saturday at Nicolet.

Sass took his team's only first in the 1-meter diving at the Classic 8/Greater Metro Conference Championship meet on Saturday at Waukesha South.

The Barracudas scored 378.50 points to finish third in the nine-team conference meet behind Arrowhead (666) and Menomonee Falls/Sussex Hamilton/Germantown (474.50).

"This was the best finish for the Barracudas since we joined the Classic 8 Conference over a decade ago," Barracudas coach William Twitchell said. "The team is quietly putting together a spectacular season.

"We are currently ranked second in the area and were recognized as the team of the week for our area. It seems that they are choosing the right time to get hot."

Sass finished first in 1-meter diving with a personal-best 455.80 points, beating out Tanner Folvag of Waukesha West/Mukwonago (445.20).

"Will Sass continues his unblemished season as he marches to state for the opportunity to prove he is the best diver in the state," Twitchell said.

Sass, of course, is happy with his season and more importantly his progress.

"I'm pretty pleased," he said. "My performance at conference was my best ever and my scores are improving every time the last three weeks."

One of the amazing things about Sass is he has only been diving for the past four years.

"I used to fool around at the Elm Grove pool before I went to high school," said the Brookfield East student-athlete. "Then I worked with the Schroeder Swim Club and coach Herman Acevedo after state as a freshman."

Sass is hoping to continue his run of trips to state which began as a sophomore.

He has finished 10th the past two years.

"It's an advantage of going to state before," he said. "The pool is so big and it's the only place where there is three diving boards next to each other.

"It's really important because there are recruiters out there looking for good divers."

The Barracudas also had two individual runner-ups and one relay team capture second.

Here are the top finishes: Sophomore Brian Borden finished second in two events - the 200-yard individual medley in 2 minutes, 8 seconds and the 100 breaststroke (1:01.57). Borden was also the lead-off on the second-place 200 freestyle relay with Mitch Douglas, Joe Bauer and Erik Wahlgren (1:29.51).

Borden, a busy guy, also led-off the third-place 400 free relay of Dean Zheng, Bauer and Wahlgren (3:21.95).

Wahlgren also had a good day, taking third in both the 50 free (22.03) and the 100 free (48.34).

The 200 medley relay of Mark Horvatin, Tyler Patt, Zheng and Mitch Douglas finished fourth (1:48.67) and Douglas was fifth in the 50 free (22.85).

Patt finished sixth in the 200 IM (2:09.72) and sixth in the 100 breast (1:05.02), Bauer was sixth in the 50 free (23.12) and Zheng was seventh in 100 butterfly (59.20).

ARROWHEAD

The Barracudas dropped a 121-60 decision to Arrowhead on Jan. 31 at Brookfield East.

Sass finished first in 1-meter diving with 265.10 points to finish the regular season undefeated.

Borden took first in the 200 individual medley (2:01.09) and the 100 breaststroke (1:02.40).

Wahlgren was second in the 50 freestyle (22.25) and 100 free (48.38) as was Zheng in the 100 fly (1:00.81) and the 200 free relay of Borden, Douglas, Bauer and Wahlgren (1:30.88) and the 400 free relay of Borden, Zheng, Bauer and Wahlgren (3:26.12).

CLASSIC 8/GMC RANKINGS

1. Arrowhead (666), 2. Menomonee Falls/Sussex Hamilton/Germantown (474.50), 3. Brookfield (378.50), 4. Waukesha South/Catholic Memorial (196), 5. Pius XI (103), 6. Waukesha West/Mukwonago (85), 7. Marquette (58), 8. West Allis (34), 9. Waukesha North/Kettle Moraine (28).