MANSFIELD — North central Ohio reaffirmed its standing as a diving hotspot over the weekend.
Nine local divers qualified for this week’s Division II state meet and will be in action Tuesday and Wednesday at Canton’s C.T. Branin Natatorium.
The Division II boys competition begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The girls follow suit at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The area has produced several podium finishers in the 1-meter diving competition. Most recently, Mansfield Senior’s William Payne was fifth at last year’s event.
While Payne has graduated, there will be no shortage of potential podium finishers among the north central Ohio contingent.
Lexington’s Owen Roth (329.15) is seeded 10th, tops among the seven area boys qualifiers. Ashland’s Owen Lemon (308.40), who placed 12th at state as a freshman last February, is seeded 14th while Lexington’s Mason Trittschuh (281.80) is seeded 15th. Mansfield Senior’s Nash Nicholson (239.65) is seeded 27th, followed by Lexington’s Deven Goodman (236.90) in 29th. Ashland’s Brian VanBremen (215.25) and Jackie Schmitz (204.65) round out the field in 31st and 32nd, respectively.
On the girls side, Lexington’s Elisa McFadden is seeded 16th after scoring 321.10 points at last week’s Bowling Green district. Mansfield Senior’s Macey Wade (312.50) is seeded 23rd.
The Division II swimming portion of the state tournament begins at 5 p.m. Thursday with preliminaries and concludes with the finals at 5 p.m. Friday.
Ontario’s Brie Trumpower is seeded fourth in the 200 yard freestyle (1:52.93) and second in the 100 free (51.52). Trumpower also anchors Ontario’s 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay teams. The 200 unit is seeded sixth (1:39.65) while the 400 foursome is seeded ninth (3:41.24).
Shelby’s Emma Montgomery is seeded 29th in the 200 individual medley (2:16.55) and 25th in the 500 freestyle (5:21.62).
Colonel Crawford is seeded 17th in the 200 freestyle relay (1:42.20) and 11th in the 400 free relay (3:42.00).
On the boys side, Lexington’s Ivan Prykhodko, Isaac McFadden and Cooper Watters, Ontario’s Colin Cordrey, Alex Rose and Grantham Trumpower and Colonel Crawford’s Landon Sutter all qualified in two individual events.
Prykhodko is seeded 15th in the 200 individual medley (1:58.58) and fourth in the 100 breaststroke (56.43), while McFadden is seeded 21st in the 200 freestyle (1:47.47) and 23rd in the 100 free (48.85) and Watters is seeded 13th in the 200 freestyle (1:45.62) and 10th in the 500 freestyle (4:50.32). Trey Nickoli is seeded eighth in the 100 breaststroke (59.49).
Cordrey is seeded 16th in the 50 freestyle (22.02) and 17th in the 100 free (48.34). Rose is seeded 17th in the 50 freestyle (22.07) and 30th in the 100 butterfly (54.65). Trumpower is seeded 24th in the 200 individual medley (2:00.69) and 25th in the 100 freestyle (49.02). Hunter Petit is seeded 29th in the 50 freestyle (22.51).
Colonel Crawford’s Sutter is seeded 27th in the 100 freestyle (49.30) and 28th in the 100 backstroke (54.79).
Lexington’s 200 medley relay team is seeded sixth (1:38.95). Colonel Crawford is 16th (1:41.07) and Ontario is 20th (1:42.70).
Ontario is seeded second in the 200 freestyle relay (1:27.45) and fifth in the 400 free relay (3:14.44). Lex is seeded 15th in the 200 free relay (1:31.09) and 12th in the 400 free relay (3:19.97).
