MANSFIELD, Ohio — Matt Wade worked up a lather at last week’s sectional swim meet. When Madison’s excitable coach wasn’t racing alongside the Malabar Middle School pool, he was celebrating another personal record with one of his swimmers.
In all, 16 Rams combined for 36 PRs and 10 advanced to Friday’s Division II district meet at Bowling Green State University’s Cooper Natatorium.
“Our kids swam lights-out,” Wade said afterward. “This is my fifth year here and this is the best we’ve ever swam at sectionals. I couldn’t be prouder of our kids.”
All three of Madison’s boys relays advanced as did the girls 400 yard freestyle relay team. Individually, Hunter Claxon qualified in both the 500 freestyle and the 100 backstroke. Claxon will be joined by Colby Titus, Nick Arnold, Colton Blevins, Cody Piddock and Brooklyn Maurer.
“They worked extremely hard this year,” Wade said. “I told them they shouldn’t determine their success based only on whether they advance or not.”
Like Madison, Mansfield Senior will send a strong contingent to Saturday’s Division I meet. The girls 200 medley relay team and 200 freestyle relay teams advanced, as did the boys 200 and 400 free relay teams. Individually, junior Coleman Proffitt and sophomore Drew Weeks each qualified in two events. Weeks is seeded fifth in the 200 freestyle and seventh in the 100 freestyle.
The area has five top seeded teams heading into district action. Ontario’s Chad Wright posted the fastest time in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke, while Galion’s Sam DeNero is the No. 1 seed in the 50 freestyle. Ontario’s boys 400 freestyle relay team and Lexington’s girls 200 medley relay team both earned top seeds.
“Our area got a lot of kids out (of sectionals),” Lexington coach Brock Spurling said. “I think there is a good possibility we will be a lot of people through to the state meet.”
Lexington’s Ashley Basham is a strong contender for state berths in both of her individual events. She is seeded fifth in the 100 butterfly and seventh in the 200 individual medley. Teammate Sammie Basinger is seeded fifth in the 200 freestyle, while Abbie Kaple is fifth in the 50 freestyle and Kelsie Brown is third in the 100 backstroke.
Mansfield Christian’s Abby Reynolds is another state contender. She is seeded third in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events.
Ontario’s boys 200 medley relay team is seeded second, while the 200 free relay team is seeded third.
“The boys did pretty much what we thought they would do,” Ontario coach Deb Henry said. “They are looking ahead to the district and state meets.”
Several boys will be in contention for state berths Friday. Ontario’s Tyler Watson is seeded third in the 200 freestyle, while Galion’s Chad Karnes is sixth and St. Peter’s Thomas Schlitt is seventh.
Ontario’s Naz Tkachenko is the No. 3 seed in the 50 freestyle, while Lexington’s Derek Sautter is seeded third in the 100 butterfly.
Tkachenko and DeNero are seeded third and fourth, respectively, in the 100 freestyle, while Schlitt is seventh. Sautter is seeded fourth in the 500 freestyle. Ontario’s Jared Watson is seventh.
Ontario’s Andrew Jolley posted the third fastest sectional time in the 100 backstroke. Watson was fourth. Ontario’s Steven Toth is seeded third in the 100 breaststroke.
