Marlins finish 6th in WOAL swim meet

ROCKY McVAIGH/for the Van Wert independent

BLUFFTON — The Van Wert YMCA Marlins traveled to Bluffton on July 13-14 to swim in the Western Ohio Aquatic League (WOAL) Championships.  Even though Van Wert was the smallest team with 39 swimmers out of the total of 303 from eight northwest Ohio swim clubs, they finished sixth overall.

The top six finishers in each event were awarded medals.

In the 9-10 Girls Division, Katie McVaigh took second place in four events and won the 50 backstroke with a championship record time of 38.66. The record was previously held by teammate Addison Henkaline. Henkaline, swimming in the 11-12 Girls Division, finished second three times and won the 50 Free in a time of 31.33.  In the 13-14 Boys Division, Sam Easley won the 50 Backstroke with a time of 31.37 and finished second twice and third once.  Other swimmers with a top six finishes were: Tyra McClain placed sixth in the 25 Backstroke; Emma Pollock placed fifth in the 50 Butterfly and 100 Free, and sixth in the 100 IM; Daniel Miller placed fifth in the 50 Free; Andrew Henkaline finished fourth in 50 Butterfly and sixth in 50 Backstroke; Daniel Miller finished fifth in the 50 Free; Risa Pollock finished fourth in the 50 Breaststroke; Aaron Stant finished second in 50 Butter and a sixth in the 50 Backstroke; Eric Easley placed second in 50 Breaststroke, and fourth in 100 IM and the 50 Backstroke;  Evan Stant took sixth in 50 Free.

In the relays, two Van Wert teams medaled: The 11-12 Girls 200 Free Medley finished 2^nd (Risa Pollock, Kathryn Wray, Erin Miller, Addison Henkaline) and the 15 & Over Boys team finished 3^rd (Sam Easley, Brendan Marecic, Evan Stant, Eric Easley).

The Marlins will hold their season ending banquet on Thursday, July 26, St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert.

Van Wert at WOAL championships-Bluffton Community Pool (distances in meters)

(Medal winners in italics)

8 & Under Girls: Tyra McClain – 6^th 25 Backstroke; 9^th 25 Breaststroke; 12^th 25 Free and 25 Butterfly. Kayla Krites – 8^th 25 Backstroke; 10^th 25 Butterfly; 14^th 25 Free and 50 Free. Anneliese Marecic – 21^st 25 Breaststroke; 26^th 50 Free; 31^st 25 Backstroke; 32^nd 25 Free.  Gracie Mull – 23^rd 50 Free; 24^th 50 Backstroke; 36^th 25 Free. Erin Schaufelberger – 30^th 50 Free; 50^th 25 Free; 57^th 25 Backstroke. Rory Youngpeter – 53^rd 25 Backstroke; 60^th 25 Free.

8 & Under Boys: Bobby Spath – 11^th 25 Free. Luke Miller – 13^th 50 Free; 17^th 25 Backstroke; 18^th 25 Free.

9-10 Girls: Katie McVaigh – 1^st 50 Backstroke; 2^nd 50 Free, 100 IM, 50 Butterfly and 100 Free. Emma Pollock – 5^th 50 Butterfly and 100 Free; 6^th 100 IM; 7^th 50 Breaststroke; 9^th 50 Free. Jamie Burenga – 8^th 50 Breaststroke; 9^th 50 Backstroke and 100 Free; 11^th 100 IM; 12^th 50 Free. Rachel Spath – 42^nd 50 Free. Sydney Yoder – 47^th 50 Free; 32 50 Backstroke. Abby Buettner – 54^th 50 Free; 35 50 Backstroke. Alli Schaufelberger – 44^th 50 Backstroke; 55^th 50 Free. Libby Price – 30^th 100 free; 45^th 50 Backstroke.

9-10 Boys: Daniel Miller – 5^th 50 Free; 8^th 50 Butterfly; 9^th 100 IM; 13^th 50 Breaststroke. Andrew Henkaline – 4^th 50 Butterfly; 6^th 50 Backstroke; 7^th 50 Free; 8^th 100 Free. Evan Bowersock – 14^th 50 Breaststroke; 17^th 100 Free; 20^th 50 Free; 24^th 50 Backstroke. Sam Price – 25^th 100 Free; 16^th 50 Breaststroke; 29^th 50 Backstroke.

11-12 Girls: Addison Henkaline – 1^st 50 Free; 2^nd 100 IM, 25 Butterfly and 50 Breaststroke. Erin Miller – 7^th 50 Backstroke; 11^th 100 Free; 12^th 50 Free; 13^th 50 Butterfly. Risa Pollock – 4^th 50 Breaststroke; 12^th 100 IM and 100 Free; 14^th 50 Free. Kathryn Wray – 19^th 50 Backstroke and 50 Breaststroke; 21^st 100 Free.

11-12 Boys: Alek Bowersock – 7^th 50 Backstroke; 8^th 100IM; 9^th 100 Free; 11^th 50 Free and 50 Breaststroke. Aaron Stant – 2^nd 50 Butterfly; 6^th 50 Backstroke; 8^th 100 Free; 10^th 50 Free.

13-14 Girls: Anna Henkaline –  11^th 50 Breaststroke and 100 IM; 13^th 50 Backstroke; 17^th 50 Free; 20^th 100 Free. Bethany Fast – 9^th 100 IM; 10^th 50 Backstroke and 50 Breaststroke; 11^th 50 Butterfly; 13^th 100 Free. Madison Paquette – 22^nd 50 Butterfly and 50 Breaststroke; 23^rd 100 Free; 25^th 50 Free and 50 Backstroke.

13-14 Boys: Sam Easley – 1^st 50 Backstroke; 2^nd 50 Free, and 100 Free; 3^rd 50 Butterfly.

15 & Over Girls: McKenzie Agler – 21^st 50 Free and 100 Free; 25^th 50 Backstroke. Hannah Stemen – 15^th 50 Backstroke; 20^th 100 IM; 22^nd 100 Free; 25^th 50 Free. Meredith Arn – 23 50 Breaststroke; 26^th 100 Free; 33^rd 50 Backstroke; 36^th 50 Free.

Boys 15 & Over: Eric Easley – 2^nd 50 Breaststroke; 4^th 100 IM and 50 Backstroke; 9^th 50 Free. Evan Stant – 6^th 50 Free; 8^th 50 Butterfly and 100 Free.  Trey Stemen – 10^th 100 IM; 12^th 50 Backstroke; 13^th 50 Free. Brendan Marecic – 10^th 50 Butterfly; 11^th 50 Backstroke; 14^th 50 Free. Kory Schlatter – 27^th 50 Free; 19^th 50 Butterfly. Jacob Scheidt – 17^th 100 Free and 50 Breaststroke; 18^th 100 IM; 22^nd 50 Backstroke; 29^th 50 Free.

Relay Action: Girls 8&Under 100 Medley finished 7^th (Erin Schaufelberger, Tyra McClain, Kayla Krites, Gracie Mull). Girls 9-10 200 Medley finished 9^th (Alli Schaufelberger, Abbt Buettner, Rachel Spath, Sydney Yoder). 15 & Over Boys finished 4^th (Brendan Marecic, Trey Stemen, Evan Stant, Kory Schlatter).  Girls 8 & Under 100 Free finished 8^th (Anneliese Mareic, Rory Youngpeter, Erin Schaufelberger, Gracie Mull). Boys 9-10 200 Free finished 5^th (Daniel Miller, Sam Price, Evan Bowersock, Andrew Henkaline). Girls 11-12 200 Free finished 2^nd (Risa Pollock, Kathryn Wray, Erin Miller, Addison Henkaline). Boys 15 & Over 200 Free finished 3^rd (Sam Easley, Brendan Marecic, Evan Stant, Eric Easley).