WOOSTER, Ohio — Lexington coach Brock Spurling had just one directive for the members of his girls 400-yard freestyle relay team.
Don’t do anything foolish.
The only thing that could prevent Lady Lex from claiming the Ohio Cardinal Conference championship Saturday at Wooster’s Ellen Shapiro Natatorium was a false start in the final event of the day. So Spurling called the quartet of Sammi Basinger, Ashley Basham, Sage Moore and Alli McFarland together before the start of the race for what was the shortest skull session of his coaching career.
“I pulled the girls aside and said, ‘Safe starts.’ That’s it,” Spurling said. “That was the only thing that would have cost us. We had the lead going into that last relay. All we had to do was not false start.”
The 400 free crew swam a cautious race and finished third, sending Lady Lex to the team title with 467 points. Four-time defending champ Wooster was second with 457 points, followed by Orrville (365), Ashland (270), Madison (175) and Mansfield Senior (117).
Lexington trailed Wooster by three points heading into the 100 backstroke, but picked up 48 points in the event. Sophomore Kelsi Brown won in 1 minutes, 3.95 seconds, good for 20 points. Classmate Alli Stoyko (1:06.93) was fourth and fellow sophomore Alivia Merkel (1:09.34) was sixth. When the waves calmed, Lady Lex had a 15-point lead.
Lexington’s only other individual first came from McFarland. The freshman won the 500 free in 5:34.13.
“I was really nervous going into it because I’m a breaststroker. I don’t really swim freestyle necessarily,” McFarland said. “It what was best for our team and I do anything to support my team. The 500 free may be my future, so we’ll see what happens.”
McFarland joined Brown, Basham and Alaina Merkel on the winning 200 medley relay team to open the meet.
“Honestly it started with our first-year diver this morning,” Spurling said. “Kelsey Fuller went out … and ended up taking second place.”
Lady Lex won its third ever OCC title.
“They come in five-year increments, 2006, 2011 and 2016,” Spurling said. “We’ve got a very young team. Two-thirds of my roster is freshmen and sophomores.”
Double Winner: On the boys side, Mansfield Senior’s Drew Weeks finished first in both the 200 free and the 50 free. The junior won the 200 in 1:49.84 and the 50 in 22.59.
“For this part of the season, it’s going pretty well,” Weeks said. “I had some good times. I can use this meet to see where I’m at in the water and how I’m feeling.”
Wooster maintained its stranglehold on the boys team title, winning with 479 points. The Generals have won every OCC boys crown.
Lexington (442) was second, followed by Ashland (302), Orrville (242), Madison (223) and Mansfield Senior (141).
Lexington’s Tanner Donley won his second consecutive diving crown in overwhelming fashion. The sophomore had 378.15 points.
Lex freshman Wilson Cannon won the 100 butterfly in 55.80, while senior captain Jack Bennett won the 500 free in 5:19.90. Cannon and Bennett teamed up with Connor Miller and Jared Galat to win the 400 free relay in 3:30.74.
