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Consolidation with Notre Dame brings new opportunities for Saxony Lutheran’s senior swimmer
Saxony senior Tommy Haz already has his name on the school’s swimming record board.
This year is an odd one for him because while he’s doing the best he can to return to the state championships and help his team win, the team he’s representing is the rival school. As the last Saxony Lutheran swimmer, Haz is part of a consolidation with Notre Dame.
"I kind of enjoy it, since I'm actually able to be on the relay," Haz said.
Haz had a major impact on the Bulldogs winning the Rec Relays on Monday, Oct. 21, at the SEMO Recreation Center. Haz anchored the winning 200-yard medley, 200-yard freestyle, and 400-yard freestyle relay while leading the winning 3x100-yard butterfly relay. Haz went from competing with Hudson Dennis and Kaiden Cracraft at the state championships to being relay teammates.
"It's finally good that we can finally be on the same relay team," Haz said.
Like most individual sports, swimming is a numbers game in terms of team success. With a big influx of freshmen from last year, Notre Dame became the local team with the numbers to compete in big meets like Cape Rock, the Rec Relays, and the SEMO Conference championships.
Haz spent his first three years on a team that in some cases didn’t have enough swimmers for a relay. This has been a welcomed opportunity for the senior in his final run.
“It's been great,” Haz said. “It's finally good having a team that can be able to compete at conference and possibly be able to win it since Saxony has had a small team for a number of years. We've never been able to get those top spots because Poplar Bluff has had so many kids and all these other teams have had a lot more people that are better than us. I'm actually finally on a team that can place high in these meets.”
Despite the schools being rivals in other sports, Saxony and Notre Dame practiced together and were coached by Brad Walters.
"Even though we're not technically on the same team, we all practice together, we know everyone," Haz said. "It's a lot of fun."
By being a part of Notre Dame's relays, Haz is aiming to set a school record with a relay and be on the record books for both schools.
"It's definitely something we're trying to get," Haz said.
Cape Central and Poplar Bluff still have the swimmers to make it interesting at the SEMO Conference meet on Nov. 5, at the Cape Aquatic Center. Led by Kent Sheridan and Will Lawrence, the Tigers won the 3x200-yard IM and 3x100-yard backstroke relay to finish second in the meet.
The Poplar Bluff trio of Cyrus Sagharichi, Owen Burkhead, and Connor Wiggs won the 3x300y relay to finish third.