WOOSTER — Lexington coach Brock Spurling has never been so happy to take second.
Swimming without two-year state qualifier Kelsi Brown, Lady Lex pushed Wooster to the final event at the Ohio Cardinal Conference swim meet at Wooster’s Ellen Shapiro Natatorium.
The Generals won the girls title with 486 points. Lexington was second with 473.
A junior, Brown sustained a concussion when she was involved in a weather-related automobile accident earlier in the week. Spurling was forced to shuffle his lineup and still nearly pulled a rabbit out of his hat.
“The one thing that we can control no matter what is our effort. Today we had kids who gave great effort,” Spurling said. “Any time you lose one of your top guns it’s going to hurt, but I thought kids stepped up in her place.”
Nobody stepped up more than Alli McFarland. The sophomore was selected the conference girls swimmer of the year after defending her title in the 500-yard freestyle (5:29.66) and breaking the OCC meet record in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.33). She also was a member of Lady Lex’s winning 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay teams.
“(Brown’s absence) is making us all work harder. We’re all trying to push ourselves further,” McFarland said. “We miss her and, yeah, we lost a couple points but we’re all just doing the best we can.”
Like McFarland sophomore Sage Moore was a four-time champ. She won the 200 individual medley (2:16.87) and the 100 butterfly (1:01.13) and teamed with McFarland on both the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay teams.
“It feels good,” Moore said. “Comparing this year to last year, it’s like day and night.”
McFarland and Moore were joined by sophomore Sylvia Goldsmith and freshman Tessa Gerhardt to win the 200 medley relay team in 1:54.21. Gerhardt also won the 50 free in 26.22.
Juniors Liv Merkel and Allie Stoyko teamed with McFarland and Moore to win the 400 free relay (3:48.40). Merkel also won a pair of individual titles in the 200 freestyle (2:06.28) and 100 freestyle (56.14).
“Normally I do the 50 and the 100 but the OCC is a team thing so I did the 200,” Merkel said. “I realize how hard it is to do the 100 and 200. I’m a little more tired today.”
While a second straight conference championship would have been nice, Spurling said Lady Lex has bigger goals in mind.
“From a team standpoint it just wasn’t our day,” Spurling said. “I’m very proud of my kids. They’ve set themselves up very well for the end of the season. Our focus is on next month.”
Sharing the Wealth: Lexington’s Wilson Cannon shared the boys swimmer of the year award with Ashland’s Hudson McDaniel and Ross Garrison.
Cannon won both the 200 freestyle (2:16.87) and 100 butterfly (54.92). The sophomore is a two-time OCC champ in the fly.
“I was looking to go just a little bit faster than last year so I’m on a good track for districts,” said Cannon, who qualified for state in four events last year. “I’m where I want to be right now.”
McDaniel won the 100 freestyle (48.38) and the 100 breaststroke (59.75). McDaniel is the defending Division II state champ in the 100 breast.
“Last year I was a 1:02 here,” McDaniel said. “I’m ahead of where I was last year.”
Garrison took firsts in the 200 IM (2:07.27) and the 100 back (57.18).
Three-Peat: Lexington’s Tanner Donley won the 1-meter diving competition for a third straight year. Dooley had 395.60 points.
Marquee Victory: Mansfield Senior’s Drew Weeks won the 50 freestyle in a personal record 22.18 seconds.
“I’m pretty happy with my 50 time,” Weeks said. “I had a little bad turn, but I’m still happy with it.
“I’m a lot faster mid-season than I have been.”
