Shawnee boys lead area state contenders

Countless hours in the pool will pay off this week as many local swimmers will compete at the state swimming and diving championships at the C.T Branin Natatorium in Canton.

Swimmers will hit the pool Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Locally, Division II will feature swimmers from Celina, Van Wert, St. Marys, Shawnee, Ada, Wapakoneta, Ottawa-Glandorf, Bath and Minster. What follows is a team-by-team look at who will represent the Lima area at state this week.

BOYS

SHAWNEE

The Indians posses some of the fastest qualifying times and should be favored in several events. Junior Erik Risolvato is the defending state champion and state record holder in the 100-yard butterfly. Risolvato is the top seeded swimmer in the event this year. Risolvato will also compete with the Indians in the 200-yard medley relay, 200-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard freestyle relay. The Indians have the fastest qualifying time in the freestyle swim relays.

Britton Weigt has the eighth fastest time in the 100-yard freestyle and the ninth fastest time in the 200-yard freestyle. This is the sophomore’s second trip to C.T Branin Natatorium for the state championship.

Zachary Diltz will compete for the Indians in the relays as well as the 50-yard freestyle. The senior swam last season in Canton. Diltz qualified with the 21st fastest time.

CELINA

The Bulldogs look to score points with three races. The 200-yard medley relay clocked the 22nd fast time while Tyus Temple and Matt Feltz both qualified in the 100-yard butterfly. Both Temple and Feltz have experience from swimming at the state tournament last season.

ADA

Matthew Wilcox and Jon Robey will represent the Bulldogs. Wilcox qualified with the 11th best time in the 50-yard freestyle while Robey’s 20th fastest time was enough to send the junior to state in the 100-yard fFreestyle. Wilcox and Robey are repeat swimmers from last season’s state tournament. The Bulldogs will also compete in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

VAN WERT

The Cougars lone state qualifier is sophomore Eric Easley in the 100-yard backstroke. Easley qualified with the 11th fastest time.

ST. MARYS

Jared Deubler will represent the Roughriders in the 100-yard backstroke. The sophomore has the 21st fastest time heading into the state tournament. Deubler finished last season 23rd in the state in this event.

WAPAKONETA

Ryan Kremer qualified with the 23rd fastest time in the 100-yard backstroke. The senior was a state qualifier last season as part of the 200-yard freestyle relay.

GIRLS

SHAWNEE

The Indians highest seeded swimmer is Emily Murphy. After competing at the state championship last season, the sophomore is the number four seed in the 100-yard freestyle and fifth seed in the 50-yard freestyle. A top eight finish will put the sophomore on the podium. Junior Aerika Wieser will compete with Murphy in the 50-yard freestyle. The junior is seeded 22nd out of 24 swimmers. Wieser was a state qualifier last season.

The Indians will also race with three relay teams. The 200-yard medley and 200-yard freestyle relays each qualified 11th while the 400-yard Freestyle qualified with the 22nd best time.

LIMA CENTRAL CATHOLIC

The Thunderbirds will compete in the 200-yard medley relay after qualifying with the 19th best time in the state.

BATH

Katie Snyder will be Bath’s lone representative qualifying 17th in both the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard freestyle. The senior finished 15th last year at the state in the 100-butterfly and 19th in the 100 Freestyle.

CELINA

The Bulldogs look to make a splash at the state tournament as Celina will compete in four different events. The 200-yard medley relay, 200-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard freestyle relay will give Celina the best chance to score points while junior Brooke Mertz will make a return to Canton after gaining experience last season. Mertz qualified 23rd in the 50-yard freestyle.

WAPAKONETA

Freshman Josie Miller will be the lone Redskin in the pool have qualified with the 11th best time in the 50-yard freestyle.

OTTAWA-GLANDORF

The Titans only representative will be Jessie Kreinbrink in the 200- and 500-yard freestyles. The senior is making a return trip to the state tournament after competing last season in the 500-yard Freestyle.

MINSTER

Freshman Nikki Borgerding will experience the state tournament for the first time as the area’s only representative in the 100-yard breaststroke. Borgerding qualified with the 22nd fastest time.

Note: Names for relays are not available on the OHSAA website because teams can change competitors during the week)