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By Sarah Lloyd, Swimming World College Intern
On the final night of the Division I Ohio State Championship meet, the boys of Cincinnati St. Xavier and the girls of Upper Arlington came up victorious. St. Xavier broke two state records en route to their victory.
200 Medley Relay
The title in the girls 200 medley relay went to the Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit team of Hanna Gesser (25.49), Carly Hart (28.47), Emma Kaczmar (26.49), and Bryanna Renuart (24.11). for a final time of 1:44.56, two seconds faster than the time they posted in prelims. Cincinnati Ursuline Academy took second with a 1:45.17 by a team of Caroline Blood (26.60), Kylie Decker (30.16), Megan Glass (25.13), and Rollie Grinder (23.28). The Mason team of Caroline Wolf (27.65), Jordan Decker (29.37), Ashley Volpenhein (24.21), and Lauren Thomas (23.95) rounded out the podium with a time of 1:45.18, just out of second place by one one-hundredth.
The boys’ title was claimed by Cincinnati St. Xavier’s team of Justin Grender (23.17), Charles Leisbon (25.15), Luke Sobolewski (21.44), and Nicholas Perera (20.64) with a new state record of 1:30.40, about a second faster than the previous state record, which they set with their prelims swim. Columbus St Charles was second with a time of 1:32.04 by a team of Austin Beam (23.79), Nicholas Erasmo (25.94), Ben Sugar (22.24), and Nicholas Ward (20.07). Third place went to Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller–Jacob Peloquin (23.16), Dan Nymberg (26.95), Cooper Hodge (21.87), and Justin Davidson (21.05) swam a 1:33.03.
200 Freestyle
Upper Arlington’s Katie Trace made quite a statement with her win in the 200 freestyle. Her time of a 1:47.23 was just off her prelims time of 1:47.11, but still two second faster than second place finisher Allison Bloebaum from Mason (1:49.30). Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy’s Ashley Voelkerding rounded out the podium with a quick 1:49.72.
The boys’ title was taken by Grant House of Cincinnati St. Xavier, who easily finished first with a 1:36.93. Second place went to Hank Siefert of Xenia (1:38.08), while House’s teammate Matt Slabe snuck in for third with a 1:39.04.
200 IM
Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit’s Hanna Gresser handily took the 200 IM title with a 2:00.14, over a second faster than her prelims swim. Second place went to Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy’s Hannah Foster, who was a fair distance behind at a 2:02.32. Erin Sheehan of Upper Arlington was third with a 2:03.76.
Tommy Cope of Vandalia Butler and Cooper Hodge of Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller battled to the finish in the 200 IM–Cope took the title (1:47.24), just six one-hundredths ahead of Hodge (1:47.30). Cincinnati St. Xavier’s Nicholas Perera was third with a time of 1:49.59.
50 Freestyle
It was a very tight race for the girls in the 50, with the top three spots all coming in sub-23. The victory was claimed by Mason’s Ashley Volpenhein with a 22.73. Lancaster’s Olivia Schmelzer was second with a 22.88, while 22.95 was good enough to get Centerville’s Nora Fullenkamp in for third.
Kalvin Koethke of Grove City lit up the pool with a new state record of 19.97. The state record, which was previously 20.01, had been held by Joe Hudepohl since 1991. Green’s Dominic Poletta was a distant second witha 20.52, while Brecksville-Broadview’s David Madej was third with a 20.60.
100 Butterfly
Upper Arlington’s Erin Sheehan grabbed the title in the 100 fly by a quarter of a second when she touched with a 54.25, just ahead of Megan Sichterman of Kings Mills Kings (54.56). Springboro’s Hannah Whiteley was not far behind with a 54.68–good enough for third.
The boys’ race was just as close, with Luke Sobolewski of Cincinnati St. Xavier taking the title with a 48.57, just ahead of a pair of boys from Brecksville-Broadview. Mark Krusinski was second with a 48.72, while Matthew Martin touched third (49.07).
100 Freestyle
Ashley Volpenhein notched a second individual win when she touched with a 49.43. Lancaster’s Olivia Schmelzer was second with a 49.96, sliding in under 50. Nora Fullenkamp was third with a 50.45.
David Madej of Brecksville-Broadview took the title in the boys race with a 44.31–the only swim of the field under 45. Kalvin Koethke of Grove City, however, came close with a 45.00 in second place. Dylan Curtis of Centerville was third with a 45.28.
500 Freestyle
Upper Arlington’s Katie Trace won her second individual event of the meet with a 4:49.50 in the 500 free. She was two second ahead of second place finisher Allison Bloebaum of Mason (4:51.58). Molly Zilch of Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy was third with a 4:53.91.
Cincinnati St. Xavier’s Grant House also took his second win of the meet with a convincing victory in the 500. His 4:24.61 was three seconds ahead of Liberty Township Lakota East’s Joshua McDonald (4:27.80), who battled it out for second with Christian Imbus of Cincinnati St. Xavier, who touched third (4:27.89).
200 Freestyle Relay
Upper Arlington’s team of Erin Sheehan (23.37), Anna Linzell (23.86), Dakota Elliot (23.42), and Katie Trace (23.42) claimed the title with a 1:34.07, just three tenths off of the state record. They were followed by the Mason team of Gabby Marinelli (23.82), Lauren Thomas (24.07), Jordan Decker (23.31), and Abbey Esler (23.42) with a time of 1:34.62. Olivia DeRodes (24.20), Morgan Waggoner (22.95), AnneMarie Moses (24.30), and Meghan Moses (23.24) of Fremont Ross touched third with a time of 1:34.69.
The Brecksville-Broadview team of Mark Krusinski (20.81), Mike Lynch (20.47), Matthew Martin (20.52), and David Madej (19.98) claimed the title and set a new state record with a time of 1:21.78, over a second faster than the previous mark. Cincinnati St. Xavier’s team of Nicholas Perera (21.08), Matt Slabe (20.80), Justin Grender (20.32), and Grant House (20.42) were second with a 1:22.62, which was also under the previous state record. Third place went to a team of Hannes Kabelka (21.20), Nicholas Ward (20.19), Derek Nguyen (20.92), and Ben Sugar (20.91) from Columbus St. Charles (1:23.22).
100 Backstroke
Springboro’s Hannah Whiteley grabbed a convincing victory in the 100 backstroke with a 53.59, a second ahead of second place finisher Cassandra Pasadyn of Brunswick (54.60). Whiteley’s teammate Marianne Kahmann was third with a 54.92.
Centerville’s Dylan Curtis won a tough battle against Cincinnati St. Xavier’s Luke Sobolewski in the boys’ 100 back. Curtis took the title with a 48.67, just ahead of Sobolewski’s 48.75. Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller’s Cooper Hodge was third with a 49.77.
100 Breaststroke
Hanna Gresser of Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit won the 100 breast with a 1:01.52, ahead of Upper Arlington’s Hannah Caldwell (1:01.85), and Dakota Elliott (1:02.72).
Tommy Cope of Vandalia Butler came close to the state record with his win in the 100 breast (54.87). Pickering North’s Jason Mathews was second with a 55.31. Centerville’s Chris Quarin was third with a 55.98.
400 Freestyle Relay
Mason grabbed the final victory of the meet with a win in the 400 free relay. A team of Gabby Marinelli (51.56), Abbey Esler (52.04), Allison Bloebaum (51.96), and Ashley Volpenhein (48.69) touched with a time of 3:24.25. Upper Arlington’s girls were second with a 3:27.55 by Erin Sheehan (51.42), Anna Fischer (52.76), Kendra Sheehan (52.18), and Katie Trace (51.19). Hannah Foster (51.60), Molly Zilch (52.31), Kendyl Ferrara (53.79), and Meredith Moellering (52.00) of Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy were third with a 3:29.70.
The Cincinnati St. Xavier team of Matt Slabe (46.09), Charles Leisbon (45.65), Justin Grender (45.35), and Grant House (44.25) took down another state record with their win in the 400 free relay (3:01.34). Brecksville-Broadview’s team of Mark Krusinski (45.87), Mike Lynch (45.97), Matthew Martin (45.79), and David Madej (44.46) were second (3:02.09). Upper Arlington was third with a time of 3:06.13 by Parker Neri (46.47), Ian Hamilton (46.04), Colin Reardon (46.93), and Andrew Kibbe (46.69).
Final Scores:
The girls meet was won by Upper Arlington with 239 points, just ahead of Mason (229). Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy was third with 203.5 points.
Cincinnati St. Xavier ran away with the meet with 398 points. Brecksville-Broadview was second with 179, while Columbus St. Charles was third with 154.
Full results here.
