Six area teams will be represented this weekend at the swimming district championships at Miami University, as they had athletes qualify last weekend at the sectional tournament held at Trotwood and Centerville.
Tecumseh, Tippecanoe, Bethel, Northwestern, Troy and Troy Christian will all have swimmers attempt to qualify for the state meet when they meet this weekend, starting on Friday morning.
In the girls Division One event, the 200 Free relay team from Tecumseh, consisting of Hannah Peck, Michelle Murray, Julia Randenburg and Morgan Shaner qualified for districts with a third place finish at Trotwood sectionals, swimming a 1:49.97.
For the Division One boys, both Tecumseh and Troy had swimmers meet the standards for the next level. Tristan West from Troy qualified in both the 50 Free and 100 Free, as he won the 50 Free sectional title with a time of 22.87 while placing third in the 100 Free. Also for Troy, Joe Dutton advanced in the 500 Free, as the sophomore had no trouble winning the sectional title, placing first with a time of 5:05.26. He was five seconds ahead of his closest competitor.
Also a pair of Troy relay teams are headed to Miami, as the 200 Free team of Mitch Orozco, Jared Lewis, Calvin Armstrong and West finished fourth at sectionals. Also placing fourth was the 200 Medley team of Liew, Orozco, Dutton and West, as they also qualified.
Tecumseh’s Owen Measel captured the sectional title in the 100 Back, as the senior swam a 54.68 to advance to regionals.
In Division Two, both Tippecanoe and Troy Christian sent a large number of qualifiers to this weekend’s meet, while Bethel also had a few events they qualified in.
First for the girls, Tippecanoe freshman Alexis Cook placed third overall in the 50 Free, and will also advance in the 200 Free, as her and teammate Arielle Arnett qualified.
Arnett and Bethel’s Eilana Wright both qualified in the 500 Free, while Wright and Cami Cahill from Tippecanoe advanced in the 100 Fly. Cahill also advanced in the 100 Breast.
Samantha Williams from Tippecanoe was the lone area swimmer to advance in the 100 Back, as she finished as sectional runner-up by four seconds.
Northwestern’s lone qualifier was Cassidy Riley who advanced in the 200 IM, along with the Tipp duo of Williams and Anna Klepinger.
The Tippecanoe 400 Free team of Cook, Cahill, Arnett and Williams was runner-up at sectionals but advances to the districts, while that same group won the 200 Medley Relay event by one second over Shawnee. ‘
Both Tippecanoe and Troy Christian shined bright in the Division Two boys meet at Trotwood, as both sent several swimmers to Oxford this weekend.
In the 50 Free, Tipp’s Jay Bell captured the sectional title with a time of 21.35, and advanced to the districts along with Matthew Moebius and Samuel Lavielle from Troy Christian. In the 100 Free, Bell, teammates Evan Stapp and Ben Jans along with Moebius all advanced to Miami.
Bethel’s Ben Wright outswam his competition in the 200 Free to win the sectional title and advance. Tipp’s Jans and Adam Buynak along with Alexander Klint of Troy Christian both swam well enough to qualify as well.
Wright came back and dominated his competition in the 500 Free, swimming a 5:03.44, a whole 14 seconds ahead of his closest competition Grant Doucette from Troy Christian, who also qualified to districts, Matthew Poynter from Tipp was also in the mix as he advances.
Three local swimmers advance in the 100 Back, including Ryan Wall from Tipp, Matthew Newcomer of Troy Christian and his teammate Klint.
Qualifying in the 100 Breast were Ezekiel Fulton and Jacob Voisinet of Troy Christian, while Newcomer and Josiah Biller from Troy Christian made it through the 100 Fly and heads to districts.
Winning the 200 IM was Stapp, as the Tipp swimmer finished in 1:56.21, while Doucette and sophomore Evan Hill from Tipp also placed to advance.
Tipp and Troy Christian will be sending their 200 and 400 Free relay teams, while Bethel will join them in the 200 Medley Relay.
The districts will be held Friday and Saturday at Miami University in Oxford.
