Ohio High School State Championships

By David Rieder

CANTON, Ohio, March 6. THE Ohio High School State Championships took place February 23-26 at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton.

Division 1 Girls
Springboro's Dani Barbiea and Upper Arlington's Abby Chin each doubled with two freestyle wins. Barbiea swept the 50 (22.94) and 100 free (50.72), while Chin matched Barbiea's feat in the longer races, winning the 200 (1:49.38) and 500 (4:48.93). Chin also swam on two winning free relays; Gabby Veri, Kayla Hammerberg, Lauren Comer, and Chin won the 200 free relay in 1:34.12, a new state record, and the same foursome also took the 500 in 3:26.71.

Firestone's Katie Miller took the 200 IM (2:00.62), while Pick Central's Maddie Martin set a state record of 53.34 to win the 100 fly. Mayfield's Alana Arnold won the 100 breast (1:03.61), and Ursuline's Emily Slabe won the 100 back (55.63). Ursuline's team of Slabe, Bridget Blood, Corinne Jenkins, and Temarie Tomley took the victory in the 200 medley relay in 1:43.93. Cuyahoga Falls' Haleigh Bartlett won diving with 482.35 points.

Upper Arlington cruised to the overall meet win with 286 points, followed by Ursuline (212) and Turpin (188).

Division 1 Boys
Two swimmers earned double individual wins on the boys' side. Little Miami's Steven Zimmerman earned first place in both the 200 IM (1:49.39) and 100 back (48.37), and Strongville's Michael Meldon swept both the 50 (20.51) and 100 free (45.09). Additionally, Westlake's Joe Craven took the 100 fly (49.74), Firestone's Andrew Bartley won the 100 breast (55.91), and Solon's Michael Kreft earned 506.25 points for the win in diving.

Toledo St. Francis De Sales won all the remaining events, including the three relays. Michael DiSalle took first in the 200 free (1:38.78), and teammate Rowan Williams grabbed the 500 free win (4:32.25). Williams, DJ MacDonald, Nick Carmony, and Dan DiSalle won the 200 medley relay (1:32.69), while Michael DiSalle, Connor Trimble, Dan Miller, and Dan DiSalle won the 200 free relay (1:24.45). TSFD concluded the meet with the win in the 400 free relay, as Michael DiSalle, Miller, Williams, and Matt Zimmerman combined to post a 3:05.66.

Saint Xavier used strong depth to nip TSFD for the overall title, 312 points to 298.5. Upper Arlington ended up third with 150.

Division 2 Girls
Hawken dominated the competition, winning four individual events and all three relays on their way to an easy team win. Sarah Kouchki starred with wins in the 200 IM (2:03.94) and 100 fly. In the later, she clocked a new state record time of 55.22. Marissa Cominelli won the 100 back in 55.49, setting a state record of 55.37 in prelims. Teammate Morgan Cohara contributed with a win in the 200 free (1:51.36). Cominelli, Lizzie Aronoff, Carrie Bencic, and Carolina Vexler grabbed the win in the 200 medley relay in 1:45.72. Koucheki, Mackenzie Harris, Vexler, and Cohara won the 200 free relay in 1:35.90, and Koucheki, Jordan Bitterman, Harris, and Cohara took the 400 free relay in 3:28.56. All three relay teams set new state records.

Maplewood's Jordan Moxley took the 50 free (23.51), while McDonald's Katie Joseph grabbed first in the 100 free (51.45). Granville's Sydney King touched first in the 500 free (4:56.37), and Welsh Jesuit's Danielle Margheret set a state record of 1:02.74 to win the 100 breast. Gahanna Columbus Academy's Natalie Ritter scored 454.80 points to take the diving win.

Hawken won an easy overall victory with 334 points. Granville ended up second with 171, and Dayton Oakwood took third with 162.

Division 2 Boys
Huntington Valley University's Andrew Malone doubled in individual wins and swam on two of University's three winning relays, on the way to a team title for his school. Malone won the 50 free in 20.50, setting a new state record. He returned later on to win the 100 breast in 55.54, also a new stare record. University's Kevin Stang, Korey Schneider, Russell Stack, and Malone won the 200 medley relay in 1:31.67, while Malone, Ben Stewart-Bates, Mike Gaudiani, and Nicholas Crane took the 200 free relay in 1:24.64. Both teams established state records. Gaudiani, Stack, Stewart-Bates, and Crane won the 400 free relay in 3:07.59, and Gaudiani also contributed individually, winning the 500 free in 4:43.40.

Indian Hill's Mack Rice set a state record of 1:51.25 to win the 200 IM, while Lima Shawnee's Erik Risolvato matched his feat with a 49.54 record swim in the 100 fly. Davis Staley set the final state record of the meet with his 50.32 100 breast. Wilmington's Josh Quallen won the 200 free (1:40.78), and Canal Winchester's Sam Decker won the 100 free (46.10). Cincinnati Hills Christian's Danny Moorhead won diving with 432.35 points.

Hunting Valley University crushed their competition in the team race, amassing 377 points overall. Cincinnati Wyoming took second with 191, while Oakwood finished third with 171.

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