Every good team needs an elite athlete that leads both with his words and, most importantly, by example.

For the Oak Harbor boys swim team, that person is Michael Cervantes.

For the duration of the season, Cervantes has consistently finished in the top two at dual meets, highlighted by 10 first-place finishes, and has placed at most invitationals. Although his two primary events are the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke, he’s competed in nearly every event this season, a testament to his versatility.

Michael Cervantes (Press photo by Doug Hise)

Despite Cervantes’ success, it has not been a one man show for the Rockets. He’s gotten plenty of help from his teammates, most especially Ben Dresser, Ian Rhoades, Aaron Wiegand and Eli Boldt. Dresser (third in the 100 freestyle; third in the 100 backstroke), Boldt (third in the 100 fly; fifth in the 200 free) and Wiegand (fourth in the 100 free; fifth in the 50 free) all finished in the top five in two events at the Sandusky Bay Conference meet last month and Rhoades had the highest individual finish of anyone, coming in second in the 500 free.

Cervantes is quick to give credit to his fellow swimmers.

“It’s all about the team,” he said. “They push me. We work as hard as we can at practice, and it all works out.”

The team has gotten plenty of help from its divers as well. At the SBC meet, Devon Griffin, Bryce Buderer and Evan Puckett finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

As a unit, the Rockets have 17 swimmers and divers and did not graduate anyone from last year’s squad. They are 9-2 in dual meets and finished third at the SBC for the second consecutive season, falling just two points short of second place. Cervantes finished third in both the 200 IM (2:16.1) and the 100 breaststroke (1:08.97) and was part of the 200 medley relay team that was fourth (1:54.47).

Coach Andrea Sorg, in her ninth season at her alma mater, is confident the team will perform when it counts most, at the sectional and district meets in February.

“Our swimmers train for the end of season and some of the teams at SBCs prepare their swimmers for that meet,” she said. “We finished two points out of second place, (and) some of our kids had some slower times because we were tired. Our boys internalized it as, ‘What could I have done to get more points for our team?’ It built the team to be stronger and more unified.”  

As for Cervantes, a senior, he has set his goals quite high this season. He wants to break the school record in the breaststroke and qualify for state in the 200 IM.

And while those are lofty goals, he believes they are attainable primarily because of the hard work he’s put forth this season.

Cervantes’ drive to succeed stems from his performance at last year’s sectional tournament when he just missed qualifying for districts in the breaststroke.  

He speaks of having not being mentally prepared and having taken things for granted at the sectional, something he promises will not happen again. After advancing to districts, though, he performed rather well, finishing 14th in the 200 IM (2:11.50) and 17th in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.90).

This season, he’s consistently worked hard in practice, using last year’s experience as motivation.

“He busted his tail from day one,” said Sorg. “He’s already leaps and bounds faster (than last season). He’s performed in practice (and) he’s a team leader — he shows that through his actions as well as words. I can put him in probably any event and he will excel. It’s been fun to coach him.”

Cervantes says he must remain focused if he wants to succeed in the postseason and have any chance of advancing to state this year.

“I know not to do that again (lose focus),” he said. “Nothing is guaranteed.”

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