By Ben Stroup
Delaware Hayes swimmers had themselves quite a final day at the Division I swimming and diving championships Saturday in Canton, combining to finish 17th overall with 40 points — the third best finish and second highest point total in program history.
Brooke Glesenkamp, who swam in the prelims and finals of four different events over the course of the weekend, did so for the third straight year. She is the only Pacer to score in four different events.
Individually, the junior finished fifth in the state in the 50 freestyle (23.55 seconds) and seventh in the 100 freestyle (51.55 seconds).
She was also a key component to a pair of relay teams. She teamed up with Dani Ward, Marisa Sulek and Kristen Puthoff to finish 11th in the 200 freestyle relay (1:38.27) and joined forces with Ward, Valerie Keller and Puthoff to finish 16th in the 400 free (1:38.27). The 200 freestyle relay team’s time was the second fastest in school history, .03 seconds behind the school record.
Saturday’s showing marked the first time in program history all of Hayes’ state qualifiers swam in both the prelims and the finals. Of the 20 total swims, individual and each leg of the relay events, nine were career-best times.
“To be represented as a school in the state meet is not an easy task,” Hayes coach Bill Rietz said. “Only 24 in each event earn the right to compete in Canton. To score at state is a testament to the skill and dedicated work of the athletes.”
The Pacers weren’t the only ones to make a splash, either. Olentangy and Liberty were well represented in the finals, too.
The Braves’ Ellie Nebraska finished sixth in Ohio in the 200 freestyle (1:51.10) and 10th in the 100 freestyle (51.85 seconds).
She also helped the 200 freestyle relay team (Nebraska, Grace Horstman, Bridget Parker and Abbigale Newman) finish 15th (1:38.83) and the 400 freestyle relay team (Nebraska, Parker, Olivia Gollmar and Newman) close 12th (3:33.98).
The Patriots’ Rachel Peroni also swam in four separate finals. She finished fifth in the 200 individual medley (2:06.54) and 11th in the 100 butterfly (56.32 seconds). In relay action, she helped Liberty’s 200 freestyle relay team (Ally Braun, Abby Noonan, Lila Leary and Peroni) finish eighth (1:37.89) and the 400 freestyle relay team (Braun, Noonan, Leary and Peroni) close 13th (3:34.21).
In boys’ action, Olentangy’s Benjamin Kuriger finished 10th in the 100 butterfly (50.50 seconds), the Braves’ Winston Kuriger closed ninth in the 100 freestyle (45.82) and 10th in the 100 backstroke (51.01 seconds) and Liberty’s Jack Saczawa finished sixth in the 100 backstroke (50.47 seconds).
The Patriots also had a pair of relay teams compete. The 400 freestyle relay squad (James Loftus, Michael Racke, Turner Schade and Saczawa) finished 11th (3:12.52) while the 200 medley relay team, made up of the same four swimmers, finished 12th (1:36.66).
The Division I girls diving championship was also held Saturday, with Orange freshman Lauren Cheetham finishing third (481.80) and Liberty sophomore Morgan Menninger closing fifth (471.40).
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Follow Ben Stroup on Twitter @delgazette_ben.
