ClO SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2003
SPORTS State Meet
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Boys swimming
Bombers bag 5th. straight state title Title 25th overall for St. Xavier
Team Standings 1. St Xllvier316, 2. UpP€rMington 194, 3. Wyo' mlng 160, 4. Co~umbus St Cha~es 124, 5. Unlveffilty School 108, Akron Firestone 108, 7. North Conton Hoover 84, 8. Columbus Academy 78, 9. Westerville North 67, 10. Younestown Boardman 58, 13. Turpin ,.,.....-...-=,..,.,.,...,..=,...--~--------~~-----------i' 49, 15. Sycamore 44, 16. Anderson 40, ll.artemont : 40, 23. CHCA 32, 31. Kings 22, 46. Princeton 6, 49. Lakota West 5.5, 58. Elder 2, 60. Moe!ler 1.
Event Results
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By Dave Schutte Enquirer contributor
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CANTON - Some things never change. For the 25th time since 1970, the Sl Xavier swimming team won the Ohio boys state swimming championship. The Bombers won three individual championships and three relays, totaling 316 points at C.T. Branin Natatorium. Upper Arlington had 194 points, followed by Wyomingat160. The championship was St. Xavier's fifth straight and the lOth overall for coach Jim Brower. "We lost nine swimmers from last year's team who are now swimming Division I in college," Brower said. "We told these kids prior to the season that they were going to do something special this season." Sl Xavier took a seemingly insurmountable 64-point lead into Saturday's final six events, and the Bombers didn't let up. Kit French claimed the 100 backstroke, and the Bombers also won the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. French, a sophomore, may have
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100 Frees!Jie: f. O'Hal!oran (8oardman)45.11 . 3. Symes (Wyoming) 46.15, 4. Ransom (St X.vler) , 46.38, 6. French (St XBvier) 46.92, Marcy (Fairfield) 47.43, 15. SuP€ (Lakota \'lest) 47.84, 19. Ventus (Milford) 48.27, 22. Keene (Lakota West) 48.65 500 Freesbte: 1. Koehler (Catholic Centnll) 4:26.79. 3. Nead (CHCA) 4:28.49, 4. Davis (Anderson) 4:32.81, 7. Browning (Turp'n) 4:39.28, 8. Becker (St XBI'ier) 4:41.18, 11. Cramer (St XBvler) 4:41.35, 19. Niergarth (St X.vier) 4:48.60, 23. Klas. meier (Sycamore) 4:49.87 200 Frees!Jie Relay: 1. St. Xm1er 'A' (Goettl<e, Undenschmldt Carothers, Ransom) 1:24.53. 3. Wyomlng'A' (Byrnes, Schnder, Henkel, Roebuck) 1:26.14, 15. Turpin 'A' (Brovmlng, Greene, Jackson, Bergar) 1:29.79, 23. LaSalle (Schnier, Glassmeyer, Lobaugll, Ternming) 1:31.20 100 Backstroke: 1. French (St Xavier) 50.81, 2.1homan (Mafiemont) 51.04 ....... 6. Tanner (St XB\1er) 52.83, 11. del Campo Hartm. (Princeton) 53. 72, 12. Henkel (Wyoming) 53.98, 14. Undenschmidt (St Xa11er) 54.53, 16. Angelini (rt.oelle~ 54. 75, 22. Stephens (Hamilton) 55.73. 100 Breaststroke: 1. Ash (Akron Firestone) 55.74. 3. Sch~der (\Vyomlng) 57.65, 5. Wagster(St Xm1er) 58.45, 6. Green (Kings) 58.58, 9.1\'ey (Fairfield) 59.57, Streng (Springboro) 1:00.14. 400 Frees!Jie: 1. St XBvler (Tanner, French, Comtheffi, Ransom), 3:05.39. 2. Wyom:ng (Henkel, ScMder, Roebuck, Byrnes), 3:09.49. 9. Turpin (Browning, Greene, Jackson, Berger), 3:17.34. 10. Manemont (Thoman, Thomas, Austin, Dupre), 3:17.77.14. Sycamore (Truax, Klasmeler, Tame~s. Keller), 3:19.53. 17. Oak Hills (Mumford, Dllz, McHugll, Gantzer) 3:20.21, 21. Lakota West (SuP€, Keene, Cuthtrel!, Anderson) 3:21.91 -_,--··"':"···,-·-,..
For the Enquirer/GREG RUFFING
Kevin Nead of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy finished third in the 500 freestyle in 4:28.49.
been the most excited Bomber af· ter holding off Mariemont's Nick Thoman in his championship race. "He beat me at district and sectional. I knew it would be close," French said. "I went out strong and could see he was with me. I reached down for a little extra during the fi. nal25 (yards)." Kyle Ransom (200 individual medley) and Pete Carothers (100 butterfly) won individual state championships Friday and also competed on two of the winning relay teams. Scott Tanner finished sixth in the backstroke, and Ransom and French were fourth and. fifth respectively in the 100 freestyle. Other Bombers to win a medal were John Becker in the 500 freestyle (eighth) andJaredWagsterin the 100 breaststroke (fourth).
''We asked these kids to do a lot, maybe too much," Brower said. "But they did what they kept giving all season. It's a very close group and they love to race." Afterward, French already was looking to next season. "We lose five seniors off the state team," French said. ''This is only my second year, but we'll go after it again. We didn't come in thinking we would win, because Upper Arlington's times in the district were outstanding." Brower was complimentary of Upper Arlington and Wyoming. "For a school Wyoming's size, third place is a great accomplishment," Brower said. "Upper Arlington also turned in a great effort and I congratulate them on an excellent state meel" Three other area teams have
won state championships in the 76year history of the meet Walnut Hills (1950, '55), Hughes (1930) and Western Hills (1935). Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy junior Kevin Nead took more than four seconds off his qualifying time and finished in third place in the 500 freestyle. The event was won by John Kevin Koehler of Springfield Catholic Central, and Steve Roof of Canton Central Catholic was second. "At the 450 (yard) mark, I thought I could win it," Nead said. "I knew I had to stay close and I went in knowing I had to watch for Roof and Koehler. "I like to win, but I'm training for the (YMCA) nationals." See results, C11
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