Marlins do well at NW Ohio swim meet

ROCKY McVAIGH/for The Van Wert independent

FREMONT — The YMCA Marlins traveled to Fremont to compete in the Northwest Ohio Championships on March 10-11 at Fremont Ross High School.

Competing at champs were 740 swimmers from 18 northwest Ohio YMCAs. Van Wert fared well as a team, finishing 11th overall and taking first place in Division 4.

In the 11-12 age boys division, Sam Easley outdistanced all of his competition, taking first place in all six of his events and, in the process setting new league records in the 100-yard and 50-yard backstroke.

In the 8 & Under girls division, Emma Pollack finished first in the 100-yard individual medley and took second in the 25-yard freestyle, 25-yard butterfly and 50-yard freestyle.

In the 9-10 Girls division, Katie McVaigh brought home third place finishes in the 100-yard IM, 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly and 50-yard backstroke to go with one fourth place in the 100 freestyle.

In 15 & Over Boys, Eric Easley took first in the 100-yard backstroke.
The Marlins had three swimmers qualify in 11 events for the next level of competition at The Great Lakes YMCA Zones in Canton Ohio on March 16-18. Katie McVaigh qualified in the 50-yard backstroke, with a time of 35.20; Sam Easley qualified in six events: the 200-yard freestyle, 50-yard freestyle, 50-yard butterfly, 100-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle and 50-yard backstroke. Eric Easley qualified in four events: the 50-yard freestyle, 50-yard backstroke, 50-yard breaststroke and 100-yard backstroke.

Van Wert at NW Ohio Champs (all distances are yards; time trials and opens are non-scoring events)

• 8 & Under Girls: Emma Pollock – 1^st 100 IM; 2^nd 25 Freestyle, 25 fly and 50 Freestyle; 5^th 25 Backstroke.  Jamie Burenga – 4^th Breaststroke; 5^th 25 Freestyle; 6^th 25 Backstroke; 13^th 50 Backstroke; 14^th 25 Butterfly.
• 8 & Under Boys: Daniel Miller – 3^rd 50 Freestyle; 6^th 25 Freestyle; 7^th 100 IM; 8^th 25 Backstroke and 12^th 25 Breaststroke.
• 10 & Under Girls: Risa Pollock – 9^th 50 Breaststroke; 11^th 200 Freestyle; 16^th 100 IM and 19^th 50 Freestyle.  Katie McVaigh – 3^rd 100 IM, 50 Freestyle; 50 Butterfly and 50 Backstroke; 4^th 100 Freestyle.
• 10 & Under Boys: Andrew Henkaline – 13^th 100 Freestyle and 50 Backstroke; 15^th 200 Freestyle; 16^th 50 Butterfly.
• 11-12 Girls: Addison Henkaline – 2^nd 200 IM; 5^th 100 IM; 6^th 50 Freestyle; 7^th 50 Breaststroke; 10^th 50 Butterfly; 11^th 50 Backstroke. (Open events: 2^nd 100 IM and 19^th 50 Freestyle).
• 11-12 Boys: Aaron Stant – 9^th 500 Freestyle and 13^th 50 Butterfly.  Sam Easley – 1^st 200 Freestyle, 50 Freestyle, 50 Fly, 100 Backstroke, 100 Freestyle and 50 Backstroke.
• 13-14 Girls: Bethany Fast – 15^th 100 Butterfly; 22^nd 50 Backstroke; 23^rd 100 Breaststroke; 33^rd 100 Freestyle and 35^th 50 Freestyle.
• 15 & Over Boys: Eric Easley – 1^st 100 Backstroke; 2^nd 200 IM; 3^rd 100 Breaststroke; 6^th 50 Freestyle; 8^th 100 Freestyle. (Time Trials: 1^st 200 Freestyle and 50 Backstroke; 2^nd 50 Breaststroke).  Evan Stant – 5^th 100 Butterfly; 12^th 50 Freestyle; 13^th 200 Freestyle; 15^th 500 Freestyle; 16^th 100 Backstroke. (Time Trial: 6^th 50 Freestyle). Matt Cucciarre – 8^th 200 IM; 9^th 500 Freestyle and 100 Backstroke; 12^th 200 Freestyle and 100 Fly. (Time Trial: 2^nd 100 Freestyle; 6^th 1000 Freestyle; 7^th 50 Backstroke; 11^th 50 Freestyle. Open: 15^th 50 Butterfly and 16^th 50 Breaststroke).