PORT CLINTON – They may have taken different paths, but the Ross swim programs each found themselves in the same place Saturday: At the top of the scoreboard.
The Lady Giants won six of the seven events Saturday at Port Clinton’s Ken Gipe Relay Invitational, blowing away the competition. The boys took a different route, winning by a razor-thin margin, just four points over second-place.
The Little Giants held a 10-point lead over St. John’s entering the day’s final event, the 200 underwater-freestyle relay, but Ross scratched from the event, not having enough swimming to field a relay team. With Ross out of the running, St. John’s needed a top-three finish to at least tie for first. Though the Titans finished third in the preliminary round, they finished fourth in the final, sending Ross to its victory.
The Lady Giants, on the other hand, cruised to victory, winning all but the day’s final event, totaling 88 points, more than double that of second-place Notre Dame Academy (40).
With the regular season concluded, Ross turns its attentions to the sectional tournament, beginning with diving Tuesday night at Ross High School. The Hawk-Bucci Natatorium is also home to the swim competition on Saturday.
The victories in Port Clinton, weren’t the day’s only successes the swim programs enjoyed Saturday.
A handful of junior varsity swimmers earned high marks at the Junior Varsity State Championship in Canton.
Sophomore Zach McNutt found himself on the podium twice, finishing fifth in the 500 freestyle and eighth in the 200.
Jake Thompson also had a good day. He placed eighth in the 100 backstroke and, along with Kody Culbert, Garrett Ebert and Ryan Dabrunz, finished fifth as part of the 200 medley relay. Ebert also earned himself a top-10 finish by placing ninth in the 100 butterfly.
Alyssa Batey provided the Lady Giants’ lone top-10 finish by taking ninth in the 100 backstroke.
–Results below for the PC relays, top placers in each events and JV state results, top 10 finishers (if any deserving placers have been omitted, please notify rmcgowan1005@gmail.com, thank you)
Ken Gipe Relays at Port Clinton
Girls results
Team scores: 1. Fremont Ross 88; 2. Notre Dame Academy 40; 3. Perrysburg, 36; 4. Oak Harbor, 32; 5. Col. Crawford 28; 6. Upper Sandusky, 26; 7. Port Clinton 20; 8. Norwalk, 18; 9. Sandusky, 14; 10. Huron 2.
Top finishers:
850 Crescendo relay: 1st, MaKennah Fitzgerald, Allison Taylor, Olivia DeRodes, Rachel Haitonic, 8:52.67
200 butterfly-Breaststroke relay: 1st, Alexis Prenzlin, AnneMarie Moses, Maddie Gallagher, Mara Brown, 1:59.35
200 backstroke relay: 1st, Hayley Wilson, Hannah Widman, McKela Elder, MaKennah Fitzgerald, 2:01.03
300 IM relay: 1st, AnneMarie Moses, Alexis Prenzlin, Lauren Zimmerman, 3:16.29
400 freestyle relay: 1st, Olivia DeRodes, Maddie Gallagher, Rachel Haitonic, Rilee Overmyer, 3:57.55
200 medley relay: 1st, Hayley Wilson, Lauren Zimmerman, Mara Brown, McKela Elder, 1:57.27
200 underwater-freestyle relay: 5th, Rilee Overmyer, Allison Taylor, Hannah Widman, Chloe Welker, 2:13.14
Boys results
Team scores: 1 Fremont Ross, 60; 2. St. John’s, 56; 3. Upper Sandusky, 38; 4. Oak Harbor, 30; 5. Port Clinton 26; 6. Perrysburg 20; 7. Huron 16; T8. Norwalk St. Paul, 14; T8. Tiffin Columbian, 14; T10. Col. Crawford, 10; T10. Sandusky, 10; 12. Norwalk, 8.
Top finishers:
850 Crescendo relay: 1st, Ethan Taylor, Sam Sweeney, Logan Kropp, Dylan Weisenauer, 8:16.95
200 butterfly-Breaststroke relay: 4th, Braedyn Price, Case Stevenson, Roman Contreras, Zach Edmonds, 2:05.67
200 backstroke relay: 5th, Cole Dymond, Roman Contreras, Andy Burroughs, Trenton Ward, 2:11.04
300 IM relay: 1st, Connor Colston, Case Stevenson, Ethan Taylor, 3:00.04
400 freestyle relay: 1st, Dylan Weisenauer, James Elder, Cole Dymond, Logan Kropp, 3:32.88
200 medley relay: 3rd, Connor Colston, Zach Edmonds, Braedyn Price, James Elder, 1:51.66
200 underwater-freestyle relay: Scratch
JUNIOR VARSITY STATE MEET
Girls results
Top 10 finishers:
100 backstroke: 9. Alyssa Batey, 1:13.01
Boys results
Top 10 finishers:
200 medley relay: 5th, Jake Thompson, Kody Culbert, Garrett Ebert, Ryan Dabrunz, 2:05.02
200 freestyle: 8th, Zach McNutt, 2:21.29
100 butterfly: 9th, Garrett Ebert, 1:08.37
500 freestyle: 5th, Zach McNutt, 6:13.72
100 backstroke: 8th, Jake Thompson, 1:10.67