Russett Keeps Winning Tradition at 4-0

The divisions have changed several times over the years. But the wins keep coming for the Russett Swim Club.

Since the beginning of the 2004 season in the Prince-Mont Swim League, which includes teams from Montgomery, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Howard and other counties, Russett has posted a mark of 28-7 in dual meets.

"Probably because we work hard," said Russett 15-18 swimmer Megan Reyda, when asked why the team has been successful. "We just work hard at it. We feel comfortable at it."

Russett has been at least .500 every year since 2004, when the team was 2-2 in Division G.

The club switched to Division F for the 2007 season after going 5-0 in 2006.

The team went 4-0 at the Division E level in 2008 and then made the move to Division D in 2009, when the squad was 5-0.

Russett has a shot at another 5-0 season following Saturday's 331-231 win over New Carrollton in the fourth week of the summer.

What is the strength of the team?

"It's the girls. They have done fantastic the last few years," head coach Vanessa Cox told Laurel Patch on Monday night.

Reyda, who swims at Meade High, said Russett is eyeing a division title.

"We have a pretty good chance if we try hard this coming week," she said. She has been on the team since she was around 5.

Russett will aim for a 5-0 mark in dual meets on Saturday at Fort Washington.

"It will be very close," said Cox, who has been the Russett coach since 1999. She said Fort Washington will provide a strong challenge.

"She is just really nice and she is patient around these little kids. She is just a fun coach," Reyda said of Cox.

The Divisional meet is July 23 at New Carrollton and the All-Star meet, for all divisions, is July 30 at Whitehall in Bowie.

Triple winners for Russett on Saturday were Madewa Adeyemo (boys 9-10), Simone DeSouza (girls 11-12), Allison Ritter (girls 9-10), Everett Butler (boys 13-14), Paris Hicks (girls 13-14) and Taylor Hicks (girls 15-18). Taylor Hicks was on the swim team last season at Elizabeth Seton High in Bladensburg.

Double winners were Tomisin Sobande (girls U-8) and Alexandra Bowman (girls 13-14). Alex Cartron, a recent Meade High graduate, set a pool and team record in the boys 15-18 back in 31.84.

"We have had a good run here lately," said Steve Reyda, the father of Russett swimmers Megan and Tyler, who will be a freshman at Meade in the fall.

Cox has two sons on the team this season. Gabe Cox is a recent graduate of Meade High in Fort Meade and will play football in the fall at Division III Salisbury. Hunter Cox will be a junior at Meade in the fall.

In other meets Saturday involving Laurel teams, Montpelier of Laurel beat Cheverly, 284-271, in Division C; Laurel City beat Suburban, 281-231, in Division F; West Arundel lost to Marlton, 300-275, in Division C; Silver Spring, based at Patuxent Greens in Laurel, lost to Theresa Banks, 298-274, in Division A; while West Laurel won at Belair, 308.5-264.5, at the B level.

West Laurel celebrated its win with a team trip to Hershey, PA on Tuesday, according to head coach Dave Floyd early that morning while on the trip north.

Montpelier is 1-3, Laurel City is 3-1, West Arundel is 2-2, Silver Spring is 0-4 and West Laurel is 2-2. Laurel City was 0-5 in Division E last year.

"So far it is going pretty good," said Matt Jordan, an assistant coach at Laurel City and a swim coach at St. Vincent Pallotti High in Laurel. "We had a lot of returning swimmers and they have a lot of experience. We have a lot of parental help this year."

Two of the top 15-18 boys for Laurel City are Cameron Ott and Correy Blake, who are Laurel High students. Angela Ellis, from St. John's College High, is one of top swimmers on the girls team for Laurel City.

Montpelier posted its first win on Saturday. "They did everything solidly," said first-year head coach Brian Abdo, a former swimmer and assistant coach at Montpelier. "I was very proud. Our strength came down the stretch in the backstroke, IM and relays."

The Laurel teams are 12-12 in dual meets this season after posting a mark of 9-20 last summer.