ROCHELLE — The Rochelle Rays are back in action for the 2024 summer swim season. Rochelle traveled to face the Geneseo Gators on July 11 before returning to Spring Lake Pool for a home meet against the Dixon Dolphins and South Beloit’s Catch the Wave on July 13. 

“Our swimmers were all incredibly successful,” Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District aquatics director Tori Schultheis said. “We have quite a few kids under 8 years old who are all first time Rays. Dakota Casey, Natalya Ruthe, Eoghan Good, Corbin Streit, Waylon Casey and Jasper Lopez all had so much fun swimming and did wonderful in their events. Jasper celebrated his sixth birthday that day and had an awesome support group cheering him on.”

Thursday’s meet against the Geneseo Gators included two record-setting performances from Josie Slattengren, who set new Rochelle Rays records in the 13-14 girls 50-yard freestyle with a time of 30.00 seconds and the 13-14 girls 50-yard butterfly with a time of 33.34 seconds. Rochelle also saw strong performances from swimmers in the 13-14 boys division including Tyler Sutton, Tyler Johnson, Joah Horner and first-time swimmer Axel Alsop.

Among the highlights during Rochelle’s home meet against the Dixon Dolphins and South Beloit’s Catch the Wave were a 200-yard freestyle time of 3:18.25 from Madisyn Ruthe in the 11-12 girls division. Savannah Goodrich turned in a strong meet with times of 1:46.43 in the 100-yard individual medley and 52.38 seconds in the 50-yard butterfly in the 13-14 girls group.

“Our 8 and under crew had a great turn out again as well and teamed up for their relays,” Schultheis said. “Dakota Casey, Braelynn McGee, Annalyn Good and Natalya Ruthe crushed the girls medley relay and Corbin Streit, Jasper Lopez, Waylon Casey and Eoghan Good flew through the boys medley relay. A lot of these kids have participated in our swim lessons over the years and it is so much fun seeing their progress and love for swimming grow.”

Daphne Wise finished the 100-yard individual medley with a time of 1:53.18 and the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 41.53 seconds in the 13-14 girls division. The Rays continued to see strong performances in the 13-14 boys division from Tyler Sutton, Tyler Johnson, Joah Horner and Axel Alsop, who all raced in the 50-yard freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke as well as the 100-yard individual medley and both the medley relay and freestyle relay events. 

“Coach Hannah Hoffman and coach Carol Winterton have done a wonderful job challenging the kids during practice and seeing their improvements has been awesome,” Schultheis said.