MANSFIELD, Ohio — It’s a shame Mansfield Senior’s boys swimming program doesn’t have a little more local company in Division I.
Area fans could get used to the drag race Senior High sprint ace Drew Weeks staged against Ashland’s Hudson McDaniel and Galion’s Eli Skaggs during Saturday’s sectional meet at Malabar’s Frank Bartholow Natatorium.
The Mansfield Senior boys and the girls teams at Madison and Ashland are the area’s only Division I programs. Those teams were included in the mixed sectional, meaning Weeks, McDaniel and Skaggs were in the same field in the 100-yard freestyle.
They didn’t disappoint.
Weeks avenged a loss to McDaniel at the Ohio Cardinal Conference meet, touching the wall in 48.95 seconds. McDaniel finished in 49.13, while Skaggs was third in 49.61.
“The 100 was pretty exciting. I already knew it was going to be a good race with Hudson and Eli. They’re the fastest kids around here,” said Weeks, who earlier edged Skaggs in the 50 free (22.13 to 22.50). “Going into the last wall, I knew it was going to be a crazy race.”
McDaniel had the same feeling.
“I knew it was going to be close,” said McDaniel, who finished ninth at the Division II state meet in the 100 free last year before winning a state title in his specialty, the 100 breaststroke. “It’s good competition.”
McDaniel breezed to the sectional title in the 100 breaststroke, finishing in 1:00.33.
“I thought I would be able to break a minute, but, oh well,” McDaniel said. “I’m still not tapered at all.”
Lady Lex Dominates: Lexington’s girls team piled up 617 points to easily win the sectional title.
Lady Lex swept the three relay events. The 200 medley relay team of Kelsi Brown, Alli McFarland, Sage Moore and Liv Merkel broke the pool and sectional record in 1:53.55. The record had stood since 1994.
“We were eighth at state last year and three girls return,” Lexington coach Brock Spurling said. “We have high expectations for them.”
Merkel, Moore and McFarland were joined by Tessa Gerhardt in the 400 free relay, which won in 3:52.12. Gerhardt, Allie Stoyko, Abbi Masi and Sylvia Goldsmith won the 200 free relay in 1:44.18.
McFarland won a pair of individual titles in the 200 individual medley (2:17.18) and the 100 breaststroke (1:09.71). Moore won the 100 butterfly (1:01.62), while Stoyko was first in the 100 backstroke (1:02.58) and Jordan Hayes won the 500 freestyle (5:38.10).
“I’m pleased with where our kids are at,” Spurling said. “Everyone did what they needed to do. I’m fairly confident we’re going to send a large contingent to the district at Bowling Green.”
Other area girls champs were Ashland’s Macki Leon in the 200 free (2:04.34), Colonel Crawford’s Jillian Gregg in the 50 free (25.21), Crestview’s Phoenix Fletcher in the 1-meter diving competition (294.95 points) and Mansfield Christian’s Abby Reynolds in the 100 free (55.65).
Galion Take Title: Galion won the boys sectional crown with 418 points. Clay Karnes won the 500 freestyle (5:11.36) and teamed with Caleb Strack, Sam Rigdon and Skaggs to take first in the 200 medley relay (1:44.34).
Lexington’s Wilson Cannon won a pair of individual titles in the 200 free (1:51.62) and the 100 fly (54.02) and teamed up with David Haring, Cayman Richler and Connor Miller to win the 400 free relay (3:29.05).
Other area champs were Ashland’s Ross Garrison in the 200 IM (2:07.46) and the 100 back (56.80) and Ontario’s Kristian Kowalski in the 1-meter diving competition (472.30 points). Kowalski joined David Whitaker, Kenton Cordrey and Kyle Cordrey on Ontario’s winning 200 free relay (1:33.97).
Moving On: There were no automatic qualifiers to next week’s district meet at Bowling Green. Qualifying is based on the times at the four sectional meets feeding into the Bowling Green district.
“We’ve got a chance to get some individuals out and it will be close on the boys 400 relay,” Madison coach Matt Wade said. “I told our kids we can only control what we do. Got out and give it everything you have.”
