The Pleasant Valley Spartans and Bettendorf Bulldogs faced off in the pool in a nerve wracking dual meet on Jan 3.
The meet started as any other, the home team warmed up in the pool and when the away team arrived, they warmed up next; what came after was a surprise.
In past years, Bettendorf’s swim program has dominated the MAC going undefeated for countless years in row. Athletes such as Charlie and Zach Bunn have risen from the program under the guidance of head coach Mike Ahrens and dedicated themselves to D1 and D2 colleges.
Recently the Bulldogs lost their untouchable streak when the Spartans beat them at the districts meet in Clinton two years ago. This came as a shock to many as it is well known that Pleasant Valley has consistently come in second place to Bettendorf since the initiation of the teams.
The Spartans however, did not claim the MAC championship that year because the Bulldogs had a better record than PV. Last year the teams were at it again, but Bettendorf reclaimed their district title, winning by a mere point.
Since then, both teams had been highly anticipating the Jan 3 meet against one another to see who had what it takes to win. That question was answered with a win from the Spartans who were victorious for the first time ever.
Senior captain Kevin Burke expressed his excitement over the big achievement, winning multiple events and securing many points for the team himself. “It was a really big moment for me personally and for this team. This is something that has not been done in a long time so it means a lot to finally accomplish one of our main goals as a team.” Burke says that this win has given the team a major confidence boost for the season as well.
For the first time in swimming history, the Spartans have a chance to put their own banner in the gym as MAC champions as long as they continue to go undefeated through the rest of their season. The Spartans face Burlington at Burlington this Thursday to try and keep their streak alive.
The Bulldog’s motto for the year is: “Dogs on a warpath.” So far they have lost the battle, but the war is far from over. Senior and team manager Katie Oros has a good feeling about the team’s chances for success at districts. “I definitely think that this could be replicated at districts if the team keeps working hard in and out of the water and keeps a positive mindset. There’s so much talent in the team and it’s great to see everyone succeed.”
