Ogemaw Heights' Conrad Laurion took first place in the 100-back (above), 500-free, and two first-place relays during the Falcons' victory at Oscoda on Thursday.
The Owls' Mike Mertz plugs away at the 500-free, in which he finished second.
Oscoda's Ray Gaskell took second place in the back stroke on Thursday.
Brent Baker
Alex Ecker, who has qualified for the state finals in the back stroke, helped Ogemaw Heights to a 117-67 victory over Oscoda on Thursday in the final regualar-season meet for both teams.

OSCODA - Feb. 15, 2007 - Ogemaw Heights closed out its regular boys swim season on Thursday with a big push, winning 117-67 at Oscoda.

The Falcons won 10 of 12 events to build up their big advantage.

Meanwhile for Oscoda, Andrew Long wrapped up a spot at the diving regionals while placing second to teammate (and regional qualifier) Ray Gaskell

Conrad Laurion and Nick Elliott each earned four first-place finishes to pace the Falcons, including two individual and two relay firsts. Laurion won the 500-free (6:03.42) and 100-back (1:08.36), while Elliott took the 100-butterfly (1:22.70) and 100-breast (1:14.55). Both were on the winning 200-medley relay team with Alex Ecker and Chad Maciejewski (2:02.40) and the 400-free relay team with Tanner Walker, and Maciejewski (4:14.98).

Other first-place Falcons were Clayton Clemens in the 200-free (2:33.91); Walker in the 200-individual medley (2:37.62); Ecker in the 50-free (24.16); and Maciejewski in the 100-free (58.18).

Oscoda's winners were Gaskell in diving (197.85 points) and Charlie Tudor, Gaskell, Bryce Haglund and Mike Mertz in the 200-free relay (1:46.99).

Other top-three Falcon finishers included the 200-medley relay team of Josh Gildner, Sean McClintic, James Rohrer and and Jason Egan (3rd, 2:02.71); Rohrer (160.95 points) in diving; Andy Skowronek (3rd, 1:25.72) in the 100-fly; Mike Morris (2nd, 1:04.23) and Logan Gabourie (3rd, 1:10.90) in the 100-free; Ecker, Andrew Vollmer, Egan and Rohrer (2nd, 1:49.34) and Morris, Clayton Clemens, James Padden and Dan Spencer (3rd, 1:56.80) in the 200-free relay; Walker (3rd, 1:13.43) in the 100-back; Ecker (2nd, 1:15.96) in the 100-breast; and Gildner, Marshall, Padden and Rohrer (2nd, 4:19.66) in the 400-free relay.

Top finishers for the Owls included the 200-medley relay team of Gaskell, Haglund, Coty Nolff and Mertz (2nd, season-best 2:02.71); Kevin Ostrander in the 200-free (3rd, 2:36.22); Nolff (2nd, 2:40.95) and Jeremy Colborn (3rd, 2:56.32) in the 200-IM; Mertz (2nd, 24.97) and Haglund (3rd, 27.55) in the 50-free; Long (2nd, 162.60) in diving; Mertz (2nd, 6:13.43) and Nolff (3rd, 6:39.95) in the 500-free; Gaskell (2nd, 1:12.80) in the 100-back; Haglund (3rd, 1:16.88) in the 100-breast; and Nolff, Ostrander, Tudor and Long (3rd, 4:55.26) in the 400-free relay.

During the diving break, Oscoda's four seniors - Mike Mertz, Dustin Naylor, David Polaski and Charlie Tudor - were honored in their final home meet.

Both teams will be at the Independent Swim Conference meet at Garber on Saturday, Feb. 24.