The Olentangy girls swim team turned Canton’s C.T. Branin Natatorium into its personal party venue during Saturday’s Division I state swimming and diving championships.
The Braves certainly had plenty to celebrate.
Juniors Martina Peroni and Cameron Kuriger won state titles, the former in record-setting fashion, as Olentangy finished sixth as a team — easily its best performance at the state showcase in program history.
Peroni took top honors in the 200 IM, winning in a new state-record time of 1:57.77. She broke Katie Miller’s mark of 1:57.98 from back in 2013.
Kuriger, meanwhile, won a championship in the 100 butterfly. She edged none other than Peroni for her spot atop the podium, finishing in 54.14 seconds while Peroni nabbed runner-up honors in 54.19.
Kuriger was solid in the 200 freestyle as well, finishing seventh in the state with an effort of 1:52.36.
Pernoi and Kuriger were great individually, no doubt, but also made some noise together. They teamed up with Anna McGrath — who finished 10th in the 500 freestyle (5:06.41) and 12th in the 200 freestyle (1:53.67) — and Regan Kauderer to close sixth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:31.78) and ninth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:37.51).
Plenty of other area standouts made some waves of their own. Olentangy Berlin’s Staci Nation finished 15th in the 200 IM (2:09.39) while Olentangy Liberty’s Morgan Hofmeister was 21st overall (2:10.51).
Olentangy Orange’s Alexandria Knodel and Hofmeister finished 19th and 22nd in the 500 freestyle, clocking respective times of 5:10.38 and 5:13.85, Delaware Hayes’ Mackenzie Carter finished 21st overall in the 50 freestyle thanks to a time of 24.22 seconds and Berlin’s Brenna Mowrey was 15th in the 100 butterfly in 57.65 seconds.
Peroni, Kuriger, McGrath and Regan Kauderer teamed up to finish ninth in the 200 free relay (1:37.51). Hayes’ quartet of Kailyn Smith, Natalie Fiant, Rena Ouyang and Carter finished 18th (1:39.32) in the 200 freestyle relay while Berlin’s team of Callista Rousher, Audrey Butcher, Mowrey and Nation were 19th (1:39.55).
In other action, Olentangy Orange (Kayla Fisher, Emma Logan, Brooke Farren and Knodel) and Olentangy Berlin’s (Rousher, Butcher, Mowrey and Nation) 200 medley relay teams finished 22nd and 23rd with respective times of 1:49.63 and 1:50.60.
New Albany won the team title with 246.5 points while Mason and Upper Arlington smoothed out the top three with respective totals of 220.5 and 186.
BOYS SWIMMING
Liberty freshman Kaden Springfield finished second in the 1-meter diving event while sophomore Hudson Williams nabbed a pair of top-five finishes at Sunday’s Division I state swimming and diving championships in Canton.
Springfield posted a final score of 485.40 — a mark second only to Solon freshman Dominic Roberto’s 491.45.
The Patriots’ Anthony Sciulli also competed in the event, finishing ninth with a score of 423.80.
Williams, meanwhile, was second in the 200 IM in 1:49.63 and fourth in the 100 breaststroke in 56.82 seconds.
Berlin’s Brogan Robinson competed in the same two events as Williams, closing sixth in the 200 IM (1:51.67) and eighth in the 100 breaststroke (57.18 seconds).
Christian Hosler had a nice meet for the Patriots as well, closing fifth in the 50 freestyle in 20.74 seconds and 21st in the 100 butterfly in 51.46 seconds.
Williams and Hosler also joined forces with Aiden Gaier and Gavin Weis to finish seventh in the 200 freestyle relay (1:25.13) and 11th in the 400 freestyle relay (3:08.63).
In other action, Hayes’ Connor Green capped his senior season with a pair of steady showings, scoring in two separate events. He closed 15th in the 200 freestyle (1:42.76) and 15th in the 500 freestyle (4:41.66).
Finally, Olentangy’s Max McAlister was 17th in the 100 butterfly in 51.04 seconds.
Overall, Cincinnati St. Xavier took the team title with 261.5 points. Upper Arlington was second with a score of 190 while Cleveland St. Ignatius closed third with 147.
