ONTARIO — The way Tyler Watson sees it, friendly competition can’t hurt.
Ontario swim coach Deb Henry couldn’t agree more.
A junior and the Richland Source’s pick for Athlete of the Week, Watson won four events at last weekend’s 36th Ontario Invitational. The Warriors piled up 312.5 points, easily outdistancing runner-up Galion (157.5) for the boys team title. It was Ontario’s first victory in its own event since, well, before Watson began making waves for the Warriors.
“I have no idea when the last time we won it, but it has been a while,” Watson said. “In my years in high school, Colonel Crawford and Galion have had very strong teams. They lost a lot of seniors from last year and we finally had the depth to break through.
“Winning our own invitational is a big deal to us. It kept our streak alive. We’ve won every meet we’ve been in this season.”
Watson won the 100-yard backstroke in 58.05 seconds and raced to a dead heat with Galion’s Chad Karnes in the 200 freestyle (1:52.44). He also was a member of the record-setting 200 freestyle relay team (1:32.24) and the 400 free relay unit (3:28.7).
Watson was joined on the 200 freestyle relay team by Naz Tkachenko, Jimmy Sheldon and Donovan Ruckman. He collaborated with Tkachenko, Chad Wright and younger brother Jared Watson to win the 400 free relay.
“Tyler won two individual events and was on two winning relay teams,” Henry said. “We’ve got a number of kids who have stepped up to the plate big time and he is one of them.”
The elder Watson, Wright and Tkachenko were members of Ontario’s All-Ohio 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams last year, along with graduated senior Raymond Hufford. The 200 team finished 12th at state in 1:31.26, while the 400 team was 11th in 3:20.14.
Hufford’s departure has created vacancies on both relay teams and several Warriors are battling to win the openings.
“We have maybe a half-dozen guys competing for the spot on the 200 relay and that is making all of them faster. They are showing up to practice and working hard every day,” Watson said. “It’s also pushing the three of us because those guys are kind of catching up to us. They are making us work harder.”
Depth like that, especially at a small school, is a luxury most programs can’t afford.
“I guess we kind of take it for granted,” Watson said. “A couple of years ago the girls team was really big and now they don’t have a lot of depth and we do.”
Ontario’s 200 medley relay team of Kyle Cordrey, Steven Toth, Ruckman and Wright also won over the weekend.
“This year we’re hoping to get all three relay teams to state,” Watson said, “and also have a couple of us make it in individual events.”
Watson’s individual events are the 100 backstroke and the 200 freestyle. His 200 free time over the weekend was a personal record.
“We hadn’t tapered, so swimming tired I had a PR,” Watson said. “Going forward, I’m expecting some big drops.”
If his times continue to plummet, Watson would almost certainly join Wright as an individual qualifier to the state meet. Wright has advanced to Canton in the 200 and 500 freestyle each of the past two years. He finished 11th in the 500 and 12th in the 200 last year.
“Tyler and Chad have been swimming together for just about all of their lives,” Henry said. “They push each other.”
Watson agreed.
“Chad beats me in practice, but I’m starting to push him a little bit,” Watson said. “It’s a friendly competition and I feel like it has made us both better.”
As the season winds down, Watson and his teammates have one objective in mind.
“Making it to state is the main goal,” he said. “We want to get three relays to state and hopefully go undefeated through sectionals.”
It’s a reasonable goal, Henry said.
“Hopefully, we will get all three relay teams to state,” she said, “and it wouldn’t surprise me if Tyler made it as an individual. He has the chance to get there in a couple of events.”
Follow Curt Conrad on Twitter @curtjconrad.
