Royal Oak Swimmers 'Surprise' Other Teams at League Meet

In an extremely close OAA Blue Division League Meet, swimmers finished 4.5 points in front of Troy Athens for third place. The Ravens previously lost to the Red Hawks during the dual-meet season.

“I always tell the boys not to worry about the results of dual meets,” Coach Darrin Millar said. “Our whole season gears toward the league meet.”

Athens, Avondale, Oxford, Ferndale, Southfield Lathrup and Hazel Park competed in the two-day OAA Blue Division League Meet at

Wednesday, in 41 individual swims, Ravens recorded 40 best times (98 percent).

“The boys swam great on Wednesday,” Millar said. “If you don’t perform on Wednesday, you are a spectator on Friday. The boys scratched and clawed their way and took places and medals that other teams were counting on. It was nice to see the surprise on other coaches’ faces, because most of them didn’t think we would be in the mix. I really could not of been any prouder of our boys."

Vtech Fuchs was “Senior of the Meet” with state qualifying times in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events.

In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Fuchs, Randy Wade, Zach Zatina and Mitchell Stankiewicz also got their state cut.

“All the other coaches came up to us and commented on our swims,” Millar said. “We do not have that one great kid. We have many hard-working good kids. It was a great meet. There were a lot of great races.”

On Monday, the Ravens will host the Second Chance Meet at Royal Oak Middle School at 5:30 p.m. Swimmers will come from all over Oakland and Macomb counties to compete for one last opportunity to make the state cut. Millar, who is in his 25^th year of coaching, has facilitated the Second Chance Meet for the last 13 years.

Ravens’ times to watch Monday are the 200 yard freestyle relay and Randy Wade in the 100 yard breaststroke.

OAA Blue Division League Meet