Sports & recreation
March 3, 2010
Northwest Press
A9
St. X wins 31st state crown By Tony Meale
tmeale@communitypress.com
For the second straight season and 11th time in 12 years, the St. Xavier High School swimming team is the best in Ohio. The Bombers finished first at the Division I Swimming and Diving Championships, which were held at C.T. Branin Natatorium at Canton McKinley High School Feb. 24-27. It was their 31st state swimming title. “You’re always a little nervous, but you feel confident and hope it’ll all work out,” head coach Jim Brower said. St. X entered the meet projected to finish third behind Toledo St. Francis De
Sales and Centerville. “We’ve won our share of meets,” Brower said. “Whether we’re projected to finish first or fifth, people look to us as a co-favorite.” And that’s the way the Bombers swam, amassing 228 team points to edge out De Sales (218). Upper Arlington (187), Columbus St. Charles (164) and Centerville (155) finished third through fifth, respectively. St. X won state with only one individual state champion – senior Alex Miller, who won the 500 freestyle (4:29.61) by exactly six seconds over runner-up Ty Perkins of Centerville (4:35.61). Miller also finished second in the 200 free (1:39.80) and led the 400 free relay team to a state
runner-up finish (3:07.62) with John Galvin, Cole Dennis and Max Bierman. “Alex is one of the guys we really didn’t have to worry about,” Brower said. Also leading St. X was senior Sam Lipari, who finished third in the 100 breast (58.35) and second in the 200 individual medley (1:52.39). Senior Mike Tontillo finished 12th in the 500 free (4:43.40), while junior Robert Lawley finished 13th (4:44.27), and junior Ryan Haas was sixth in the 100 back (52.55), while senior Sean Drake was 13th (54.05). St. X’s other two relays also had strong finishes; the 200 free relay team – featuring Galvin, Bierman,
GARY LANDERS/STAFF
St. Xavier High School senior Alex Miller swims to a second-place finish in the 200 freestyle at the Division I Swimming and Diving Championships. He won a state title in the 500 free. Miller and Lipari – finished third (1:25.20), while the 200 medley relay team – featuring Haas, Lipari, Dennis and Bierman – finished second (1:34.86). St. X also had two state qualifiers in diving. Senior Stefan Resendes finished ninth (380.85), while junior Joseph Lutz was 21st (150.45). “I told them to go up, enjoy it, soak it all in and the diving will take care of
itself,” Brower said. Interestingly enough, Brower said one of the swimmers who inspired this season’s performance was 2009 graduate Matt Columbus, who won the 500 free at state as a senior and now swims for South Carolina. “For him, it was just the crowning jewel on his fouryear career,” Brower said. “But it also sparked us as a team, and we really fed off that. It got the team fired
up, like a slam dunk in basketball.” St. Xavier’s state title came one week after capturing a district crown. “As I told the team, districts are fun, but it doesn’t really help you (at state),” Brower said. “Swimming is one of those sports where you’re only as good as the sum of your individuals.” For St. X, that meant good enough for yet another state title.
Northwest hires new football coach
Northwest head coach Deb Fields can only watch as her team falls to Anderson.
One that Gazaway
Northwest High School senior guard Arienne Gazaway dribbles against Anderson during Division I sectional semifinal play at Lakota East Feb. 22. Gazaway scored nine points, but Northwest lost 57-34.
time, his team was the champion of the Mid-Miami league in 2005, as well as the Murphy 2006 Southwestern Buckeye League champions and contender in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Playoffs, posting a No. 2 offense in the Cincinnati area. Murphy attributes this success to his implementation of the spread offense. Murphy’s coaching accolades include assisting his Vero Beach, Fla., high school team to a league championship in 2007 and
serving as quarterback coach at Lincoln University in 2008. Most recently, Chad helped lead the 2009 Mt. Healthy Owls to a playoff birth in the Fort Ancient Valley Conference as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. His personal experience in football success precedes his coaching. While in high school, he was the team captain as well as a twoyear All-Ohio, All Southwest Ohio and three-year All-Mid-Miami League football player. Then, while in college, he began his coaching tenure as a scouting intern with the Buffalo Bills.
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Supporting Local High School Athletics!
Tom Lauber & Bob Will
Lauber & Will Insurance offered giveaways and a chance to kick field goals for cash at recent Oak Hills & Elder games.
7012 Harrison Ave., Suite 5, Cinti., OH 45247
www.lauberandwill.com
513-661-8300
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Northwest High School recently hired a new football coach: Chad Murphy, who comes to the team with much experience under his belt. Murphy is a graduate of Franklin High School in Franklin, Ohio, and earned his bachelor’s degree in sports administration from Wilmington College in 2001. Murphy attended Wright State University to complete his intervention specialist teaching certification, and he is currently in the final stages of finishing his master’s degree in sports administration from Xavier University. He began his teaching career in 2001 at Monroe High School, where he spent six years as the offensive coordinator for the football team. During his