BATH

Mt. Ararat swimmer Celia Ouellette will head off to Western Kentucky University in the fall on a swimming scholarship.

But, the high school pool leader for the Eagles still has work to do, namely to try and help her team challenge for a Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference title on Feb. 9.

On Friday at the Bath Area Family YMCA, Ouellette continued her winning ways this season, touching the wall first in both the 200 freestyle (2:14.05) and 100 butterfly (1:08.06) before helping her team come from behind to take the 400 freestyle relay (4:29.20).

Ouellette’s heroics and shear numbers helped the Eagles garner a close 89-76 victory over the Shipbuilders, who won seven of the 11 events, led by Catie Luedee’s two victories (100-yard breaststroke, 1:12.99, and 200 individual medley, 2:31.36).

“The season is going great, and the girls are undefeated so far,” said Mt. Ararat coach Tracy Doviak, who took over the Eagles (she coached the girls) completely this season after former coach Mike Smith departed. “We have been a really strong team, with 42 total kids. We have a great diversity of kids and great numbers.

“Having Celia is a big plus and I’m excited to see what she will do this year. We have a lot of freshman and sophomores, so I am excited about the future.”

“I went down to a recruiting trip, and also visited West Virginia University and Old Dominion, and Western Kentucky just won my heart,” said Ouellette of becoming a Hilltopper at the Bowling Green, Ky., based school. “So far, so good this season. I’m hoping we will do pretty good this season and place in KVACs and states.”

In the boys meet, Morse rolled to a 97-55 victory, taking all but one of the events.

“Our goal is to continue to get better, and I feel the boys will do well as the season goes on,” said Morse coach Todd Marco. “We realize this is a building year, with 10 boys and 10 girls on our roster. The girls picked up a win against Lewiston, and swimmers like Catie Luedee, Bronwyn Morissette and Allison Plummer have done well.

“On the boys side, Kyle Bauer, Josh Valentine and Drew Ceglinski are doing well.”

“We don’t have a big team this year, but what we have is pretty good,” said Ceglinski, who won both the 200 free (2:05.66) and 100 breast (1:18.51) on Friday. “We don’t have national-level swimmers, but we have a wellrounded team. I like being a part of this team.”

“We are a little bit slim on the boys side, but I think we will do well in the KVACs,” said Doviak, who watched Ben Wade win the 100 butterfly in 1:04.86 for the Eagles’ only victory against Morse. “I have kids who have never swam before, and I have some seasoned veterans to help model them. It has been great.”

Morse victories

The Shipbuilders’ 200 medley relay team of Morissette, Luedee, Plummer and Madison Burch started things off well by edging the Mt. Ararat team of Celia Ouellette, Libby Ouellette, Hannah Kincaid and Molly Huey, 2:06.00 to 2:08.05.

The Morse wins kept coming in the girls meet, with Burch taking the 50 free (30.03), Plummer the 500 free (6:16.51) and Morissette the 100 backstroke (1:12.15).

But, Ouellette’s three wins, a victory by Kaylin Huey in the 100 free (1:05.71) and Mt. Ararat’s ability to pick up several third-, fourth- and fifth-place points allowed the Eagles to come out on top.

Bauer and Valentine also captured two events for the Morse boys. Bauer won the 200 IM (2:18.05) and the 500 free (5:38.74), while Valentine touched first in the 100 free (58.64) and 100 back (1:07.63). The Shipbuilders also took all three relays.

Morse is slated to visit Camden Hills this upcoming Friday, while the Eagles head to Bowdoin College’s Greason Pool on Friday, hosting Messalonskee.