By Dick Zunt
\nCleveland Plain Dealer<\/p>\n
CANTON, OHIO. February 25. HAWKEN put the finishing splashes on its record 11th girls state swimming and diving championship yesterday. <\/p>\n
The Hawks started with a victory in the opening event, the 200-yard medley relay, and the Hawks finished with a flourish as the 400 freestyle relay team of Andrea Hocevar, Anna Strohl, Christen Fout and Lauren Torpey won.<\/p>\n
They took home the Division II championship trophy for the second straight year. They scored 373 points, followed by Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin with 155.
\n"This meet was awesome," Torpey said. "All the girls came together, and we had so much fun.<\/p>\n
"Winning the trophy is very rewarding. We all worked very hard for our ultimate goal."<\/p>\n
Torpey won yesterday\u2019s 500 freestyle in 4:55.53 for the team\u2019s first gold medal performance of the day.
\n"I\u2019m very pleased," Torpey said one day before her 17th birthday. "This meet has an excitement level like no other.<\/p>\n
"Winning the 200 freestyle last year and the 500 this year is a great feeling, a feeling of pride shared by family and friends."<\/p>\n
Teammate Lindsey Meier was third in the race, clocking 5:04.75. "This is my highest individual finish at state and my best time of the year," Meier said.<\/p>\n
Hawken missed its meet record in the 200 freestyle relay by one-hundredth of a second in winning the event in 1:38.11. Swimming on the relay for the Hawks were Hocevar, Eileen Starrett, Julieann Watson and Torpey.<\/p>\n
Chagrin Falls sophomore Lauren Preyss found a swimsuit that suited her fine. It was on loan from Diana Munz, former Chagrin Falls great and a standout in last summer\u2019s Olympic Games at Sydney.<\/p>\n
"She brought over three suits that she wore at the Olympic Trials last August and told me to pick a suit," Preyss said. "I did and wore it in winning the 100-yard freestyle today and the 200 freestyle yesterday."<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Preyss won the 100 freestyle in a meet-record 51.78. "My main goal was to defend my championship and top 51-plus, which I did," Preyss said. "Both my championships are equally important. However, it was more difficult to defend the 100 free because there is more pressure on you. I knew it would be close."<\/p>\n
Beaumont sophomore Sara Stech took second in the Division II backstroke, clocking 59.28. "I wanted to get my best time, and I broke one-minute twice," Stech said. "I had a 59.93 and then my 59.28. I had very good competition and tons of support from friends and fans. They were behind me all the way."<\/p>\n
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin\u2019s foursome of Jesse Radtke, Heather Page, Shawna Gallant and Jen Downing clocked 3:38.95 in finishing second to Hawken (3:35.74) in the closing event, the 400 freestyle relay.<\/p>\n
Crestwood junior Beth Groselle was third in the 100 breaststroke yesterday in 1:05.22.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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