Seahorses had long wait for first home win

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 22 January 2021 at 1:17 pm

Contributed Photos – Swimmers take off from the blocks to begin Medina’s first ever home meet in the new community pool against Roy-Hart during the 1984-85 season.

Medina’s varsity swim program began competition in 1975 but it was a full decade later before the Seahorses were able to host their first true home meet.

From 1975 through the 1983–84 season’s Medina’s practices and “Home” meets were held at Roy-Hart. It was a very generous and neighborly agreement by Roy-Hart that made the Medina program possible.

Finally, with the completion of Medina’s long awaited community pool, the Seahorses were able to have their first true home meet in late January 1985 and fittingly Roy-Hart was the opponent.

Pre meet ceremonies were highlighted by the pouring of a large jar of Roy-Hart pool water into the new pool by Medina Superintendent Tom Schirmer and Roy-Hart Superintendent Bill Bassett signifying the close ties of cooperation between the two programs. It also included the firing of the starting gun for the first event by retired Medina teacher, coach and administrator Ozzie Martin for whom the pool was named.

Roy-Hart, which went on to claim the Niagara-Orleans League title with a 10-0 record won the meet 54-29.

The  honor of being the first Medina winner in the pool went to Chris Hendee in the 50 Freestyle. He also won the 100 Backstroke.

Medina’s first win in the new pool came early in the following season (1985-86) when the Seahorses downed rival Albion 47-36.

Hendee was a double winner in the 200 Free and Backstroke to lead the Seahorses whose other individual winners were Kevin Huth in the 100 Breaststroke and Mark Pregmon in the diving competition.

Ironically, it was also a win over Albion by a 91-81 margin at Middleport two years earlier during the 1983-84 season, that enabled the Seahorses to snap a lengthy seven year long losing streak.

School record efforts by Tom Draper in diving  and Eric Fuller in the 100 Butterfly highlighted the win for the Seahorses which also got individual event wins from Jim Tarr in the 100 Freestyle and Hendee in the Backstroke.

Medina swimmers celebrate their first ever home meet victory by downing Albion during the 1985-86 season.