Jackson's lone senior swimmer aims for new highs in 2024 season

Wade Lavalle enters the 2024 boys' swimming season with a handful of goals.

Leave the home pool with new records, finish the season with a better performance at the state championships, and find a prime landing spot to continue his swimming career in college.

And he's chasing them all while being Jackson's lone senior.

"I think on a lot of teams, it's more like a leading role and it's kind of the same on this team," Lavalle said. "Jackson is just like a family. We're all brothers and we just push each other. It's just the same as when I was a freshman, sophomore, and junior."

Lavalle was part of the 200-yard IM relay that finished 24th in Class 2 and also finished 28th in the 200-yard freestyle race. While a mainstay in the state championships, not making the cut for the finals has him extra motivated for this season.

"It's motivated me a lot," Lavalle said. "I put in a lot of work in the summer because last year's state did not go the way I wanted it to go at all. It's my last year so I'm trying to go out and see how well I can do my senior year."

Lavalle started his high school career being a part of a school-record-setting relay with Brayden Walters, who is currently the assistant coach on the boys' team and head coach of the girls' team. In his first meet of the season against Cape Central, Lavalle won the 500-yard freestyle (5:16.77) and the 50y freestyle (25.52), earning state consideration for both events.

"I'd love to break the 500y freestyle record," Lavalle said. "That might be a little bit out of reach, but that's my goal. I for sure want to break the 100y free also."

Cape Central won the meet with Jackson 70-66 on Wednesday, Sept. 4. Senior Phineas Theall won the 100y butterfly (52.46) and 200y IM (2:17.19) as well as leading the 200y medley relay, earning state consideration time for all three events.

Theall previously won the Class 1 state championship in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 48.90, less than a second of the state record.

Jackson and Cape Central will travel to the Marquette Relays on Saturday, Sept. 7.