2006 Season: 5th place Independent Swim Conference (7-4 dual meet record)

Coach: Jeff Rush

Returning Swimmers: Brittany Buchmann, sr., (breast stroke, freestyle); Becca Businski, sr., (freestyle, butterfly); Jeri Carl, sr., (back stroke, freestyle); Kacey Doherty, sr., (butterfly, back stroke); Lacee Hammons, sr., (freestyle); Erika Nolff, sr., (diving); Megan Stamp, sr. (back stroke, individual medley, freestyle); Elisabeth Billiel, jr., (individual medley, butterfly, back stroke); Brittany Kaiser, jr., (breast stroke, individual medley); Katie Killingbeck, jr., (freestyle, back stroke); Brittany Lynch, jr., (butterfly, freestyle); Jessica Migan, jr., (freestyle, individual medley); Alyssa Peters, jr., (individual medley, butterfly); Ashley Rausch, jr., (diving, back stroke); Jessica Ball, so., (freestyle); Brynne Raymond, so., (individual medley).

Outlook: Girls swimming continues to be a bright spot in Oscoda athletics, and this year the Owls hope that an experience crew can carry them to the top of the Independent Swim Conference.

The Owls may not have the numbers of some of the larger teams in the league, but they boast quality, and with 18 returners out of 25 swimmers, should have an edge in experience on most.

“Oscoda should be very competitive again this year,” says coach Jeff Rush. “We have 25 dedicated swimmers who know what it takes to win. I look forward to taking many of our young ladies to state competition at the end of the season.”

The Owls’ top state hopeful would be senior Erika Nolff, a two-time regional diving qualifier. Nolff dominated the ISC meet last year and broke the school record several times last year.

Junior Alyssa Peters is the Owls’ other defending ISC champion, having won the butterfly by nearly four seconds over the nearest challengers at the league finals meet. Senior Becca Businski was a first-team ISC performer in the individual medley (fifth place) and in the 500-free (fourth) while senior Megan Stamp, a three-event swimmer, placed third in the back stroke.

The fourth-place 200 medley relay team – Stamp, Businski, Peters and Brittany Buchmann – returns intact (unlike the three teams that finished ahead of them last year) while Peters, Businski and Stamp all return to the fifth-place 400 free relay and will be one of the league favorites in that event.

Whether or not the Owls will have the depth to challenge for the league title remains to be seen – John Glenn was virtually unchallenged at the team level last year. But individual honors, as well as a significant move up in the league standings, could be in order depending on how ready the younger swimmers are to compete at a high level.