Strength in numbers for Aspen Speedos

GLENWOOD SPRINGS – Illness and injury thinned the Aspen Speedos’ roster at this past weekend’s meet in Glenwood Springs. They still had a record showing. More than 40 Aspen swimmers took to the pool on Saturday and Sunday, the most ever for an away meet. And while team scores were not tabulated, head coach Gordon Gerson on Tuesday said his squad undoubtedly would’ve secured a spot in the top three and battled host Sopris and Evergreen for the win.Here are the weekend’s highlights:• Max Bryant won nine of his 10 events, highlighted by a 100 freestyle in which he hit the wall in 49.68 seconds, finishing under 50 seconds for the first time.”I think the best swim of the weekend was his 4:53.54 in the 500 freestyle. He was just off his best time by one second,” Gerson said. “He was not rested, at altitude and unshaved. … I expect him to throw down an impressive time in a week and a half (at the Gulf Swimming Senior Championships at Texas A&M).”• Maddie Mechling and Davy Brown went head to head and produced some impressive results. Mechling wound up securing two wins, was a runner-up six times and took fourth once – an impressive feat considering the soon-to-be 11-year-old competed in the 12-and-under division five times.Brown, meanwhile, picked up four victories, one second and four thirds. She produced eight personal bests in nine events.”It was so much fun watching them turn competition into such a positive thing,” Gerson said. “They push each other at practice and at meets, and they both are totally kicking butt.” • Charlie Mechling picked up three wins, was second six times and third once.”She’s really starting to establish dominance in freestyle events amongst Western Slope girls,” Gerson said. “This was a work meet for Max and Charlie. It was a chance to work on strokes and swim a lot of events in a short period of time before tapering for the big meet in Texas.”• Lewis Brown secured two wins and three third-place results. • Nathan Cherry won the 9-10 50 freestyle and also logged a second-place finish. • Emily Driscoll took first in the grueling 1,000 freestyle.”Most people think it’s terrible doing long stuff, but she embraces it,” Gerson said. “She gets props for that.”• Everett Olson won the 500 freestyle and logged second-place finishes in both the 100 and 200 freestyles.• Kayla Tehrani picked up a victory in the 25 breaststroke and was second once and third once.• Cole Peterson’s successful weekend included two seconds, one third and one fourth.• Andrew Springer picked up a pair of runner-up finishes in the 25 backstroke and 50 breaststroke. He also had fourth- and fifth-place results.• Six-year-old Gracey Brown finished fourth in the 8-and-under 50 backstroke.• Peter De Wetter took fifth in the 25 breaststroke.• Micah Sanders-Silva logged four top-five results highlighted by a third in the 25 breaststroke.• James Easterling wound up sixth in the 50 breaststroke.• Hannah Freeman was fourth twice, fifth once and sixth once. • Thomas Mellenthin picked up a pair of fourths in the 25 and 50 breaststrokes.• Reed Kulberg took eighth in both the 50 backstroke and 50 freestyle.jmaletz@aspentimes.com