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By Emma Gresser, Swimming World College Intern
CANTON – Many argue that the atmosphere of the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s State Swim Meet is one of the best racing environments in the sport of swimming. It certainly worked for the swimmers at Ohio State Division 1 Championships this weekend.
From start to finish, the crowd at the C.T. Branin Natatorium was thrilled not only for their own swimmers but also the swimmers breaking records of high-profile swimmers. Several races were ended with standing ovations in awe of the incredibly fast times. Records are meant to be broken but these marks have been set for generations of swimmers to come.
The women’s meet kicked off with Columbus Upper Arlington’s early domination. They owned the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle to start off the meet.
Louisville recruit, senior Grace Ann Long swam to a 1:48.71 finish in the 200 freestyle. Defending state champion and USC recruit, Sydney Lofquist took over the 200 IM and dominated the 500 freestyle. Lofquist, a senior at Cincinnati Ursuline Academy, swam to a 1:59.91 to hold her state title and the only girl under the two-minute mark. Earning herself a standing ovation, Lofquist touched at 4:44.40 breaking Olympic gold medalist Diana Munz 1999 record.
Mason’s sophomore Ashley Volpenhein, who owns the 50 freestyle state record (22.35), took over in the sprint freestyle events. She won the 50 freestyle clocking in at 22.84 and later took the 100 freestyle touching at 49.73. Two of Upper Arlington’s Bears, Long and Grace Van Fossen followed in second (50.01) and third (50.93), respectively.
In the 100 butterfly, Kings Mills Kings sophomore Megan Sichterman achieved her state champion finish in a 54.35 victory. The Bears continued to take control of the meet with another relay victory. The women’s 200 freestyle relay finished at 1:34.33.
Another incredible performance followed in the women’s 100 backstroke. Springboro junior Hannah Whiteley now owns the state record, and pool record after clocking in a 52.92 in the prelims session and then finished in 52.95 at finals earning a state title. Teammate and junior Marianne Kahmann finished third with a 54.81.
Arguably one of the most exciting races of the night goes to the women’s 100 breaststroke. Defending state champion Hanna Gresser went into finals seeded first only .01 apart from her teammate and best friend Carly Hart. The Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit sophomore duo went one/two at finals. Hart finished first with a time of 1:02.69 and Gresser second at 1:03.17.
The final event of the night went to Upper Arlington making the Bears victorious in all three relays. A team of Long, Van Fossen, Erin Sheehan, and Katherine Trace took home the win at 3:23.19. Upper Arlington earned their 10th State Title and was crowned the 2015 OHSAA Women’s State Championship with 285.5 points. Cincinnati Saint Ursula followed in 270.5 and a tie of Mason and Centerville with 171 points.
Cincinnati’s Saint Xavier never fails to be the powerhouse on the men’s side. Starting off with a victory in the 200 medley relay team finished at 1:32.03.
Remaining victorious, Saint Xavier’s Grant House took the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:35.28. Another spectacular race of the night goes to Middletown senior Mark Andrew. Breaking Mark Gangloff’s 200 IM record set in 2000, the University of Pennsylvania recruit Andrew clocked in an impressive 1:46.63.
Next for the men’s 50 freestyle, junior Kalvin Koethke swam to a 20.20 finish. Mason Miller, a senior from Westerville North, took home the victory in the men’s 100 butterfly touching at 48.65. Only a sophomore, Saint Xavier’s House continued to take control in the men’s 100 freestyle touching at 44.79.
With a competitive race from start to finish, the men’s 500 freestyle first and second place finish was the difference of .09. Lakota East sophomore Joshua McDonald (4:25.35) touched out 200 IM champion Andrew (4:25.44). The rest of the field finished almost 5 seconds later.
Brecksville took the 200 freestyle relay from Saint Xavier with a time of 1:23.85. A Tennessee recruit, Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit senior Michael (Joey) Reilman destroyed the men’s 100 backstroke clocking in at 48.28.
Like the women’s 100 breaststroke, the men’s 100 breaststroke was another event of the night. Hudson senior Ross Palazzo, broke Olympic Trial qualifier Chris Ash 2005 record with a time of 54.35. This gave the Florida recruit the state record, and pool record.
To wrap up the meet, Saint Xavier dominated the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:03.03 finishing almost three seconds ahead of the rest of the competition. Saint Xavier for the 36th time was again the repeat 2015 Men’s OHSAA State Championship team with a score of 335 points. Cincinnati Moeller followed with 134 points and Hudson at 12 points.
So for those of you who think C.T. Branin Natatorium is too old or too shallow of a pool, these kids swam lights out.
Meet director Sam Seiple has continued to do such a tremendous job that the OHSAA offered Canton City Schools another 10-year contract extending the previous 2018 mark to 2028. The meet has made such an impact in the swimming world that it brought Clovis West swim coach and also future state meet director Adam Reid to Ohio.
All the way from California, Reid came to watch the OHSAA State Meet for ideas and inspiration. Reid commented on the meet, “It’s one of the most exciting high school meets I’ve been to. When you put an indoor, stadium atmosphere and amazing swimmers the state has together, this is what high school swimming is all about. It’s fast, it’s loud, and there’s a ton of spirit.”
California has always had sectional swim meets but next swim season will mark their first-ever state meet.
“Being the first year that California is going to do it, we don’t have that base of tradition. Hearing that they just renewed the meet for another 10 years just shows you that they really have their act together,” Reid shared. “All of the volunteers at this meet have done it for so long they became such great friends even though they are from all over the state. In California, we have so many sections we haven’t brought them together yet. It will be interesting to see how it builds on itself.”
Outstanding performances in and out of the pool have brought attention to the OHSAA State Swim Meet or better known to Ohioans as “The Greatest High School Swim Meet in the USA.”
Ohio State High School Swimming and Diving Championships Photo Gallery
2015 Ohio State High School Division 1 Championships, Full Results – Results
Proud of you Adam Reid
Lane 7 is mine!
You mention that sophomore Ashley Volpenhein is state record-holder in 50 free w/a 22.35.
U.S. Swimming does not have that time in their database and in fact has nothing for her sub- 23.4 heading into the state meet.
Happen to know when/ where that 22.35 was swum?
Awfully fast for someone that young.
Thank you.