MANSFIELD, Ohio — Drew Weeks wants to finish what he started last winter.
Mansfield Senior’s junior middle distance ace took a step — or stroke — in the right direction over the weekend, winning a pair of events at the Ohio Cardinal Conference swimming and diving championships at Wooster’s Ellen Shapiro Natatorium.
Weeks, the Richland Bank Athlete of the Week, captured the 50-yard and 200-yard freestyle events. He won the 50 in 22.59 seconds and the 200 in 1:49.84.
As a sophomore, Weeks claimed sectional championships in both the 100 and 200. He finished fifth in both events at the Division I district meet at Bowling Green, narrowly missing a trip to the state meet in Canton.
“I definitely want to do well in districts and get to state this year,” Weeks said. “I believe I was two spots away from qualifying last year, so I want to make it to state this year.”
If his 200 time from Saturday’s OCC meet is any indication, Weeks is weeks ahead of schedule. Last year at the OCC meet, he was second in the 200 in 1:52.19. His winning time Saturday was faster than last year’s sectional-championship time (1:50.28) and less than four seconds off last year’s district time (1:45.87).
“At this point of the season I think it’s going pretty well,” Weeks said. “I can use this meet to see where I am at in the water.”
Weeks’ conference title in the 50 came as a bit of a surprise. He normally doesn’t swim the sprint event.
“I just wanted to try something different,” Weeks said. “I think I’m more of a middle distance swimmer, but any time I can do the 50 I feel like I can go pretty fast.”
He had a good role model. Weeks spent his freshman season chasing record-setting Senior High sprinter Hutch Blackstone, now a sophomore at Miami of Ohio.
“I learned about working hard every day and coming out and putting effort into all my races,” Weeks said. “My freshman year I didn’t have the mentality to go try during every race and he pushed me to go a lot harder.”
Weeks also picked up some valuable experience during the offseason. He competed in the Speedo Sectional Series Central Zone Section 3 meet in Indianapolis. The event, sanctioned by USA Swimming, featured some of the best swimmers in the Midwest.
“I did a couple meets after districts last year,” Weeks said. “From the end of high school until summer I usually take a break, but this year I’ll probably do year-round swimming.”
Weeks is hoping to extend his high school season a little longer this season. Sectional meets begin in early February and the state meet is Feb. 24 to 27 in Canton.
“I’m going to try to get to state in both the 200 and the 100,” Weeks said. “I think I can make it in both of them and I would like to swim in the finals.”
