Marlins do well at WOAL league meet

ROCKY McVAIGH/for the Van Wert independent

BLUFFTON — On Friday and Saturday, July 12-13, the Van Wert YMCA Marlins traveled to Bluffton to compete in the 31st annual WOAL Championships.

Out of the 554 total athletes, Van Wert competed with 48 swimmers. As a team, the Marlins finished sixth out of the eight teams, besting Kenton and Bluffton; however, Van Wert finished third overall in points scored per swimmer, and also third in age groups — Girls 9-10, Girls 11-12 and Boys 11-12.

Medals are awarded to the top six finishers in individual events and top three finishers in relay competition. Winning medals in all five of their events were Emma Pollock, Jamie Burenga, Katie McVaigh and Sam Easley.

Leading the 8 & Under Girls was Tyra McLain (second in the 50-meter backstroke; third in the 50-meter freestyle; fourth in the 50-meter breaststroke) and Gracie Mull (third in the 25-meter freestyle, fourth in the 50-meter butterfly, and fifth in the 50-meter freestyle. Emma Pollock and Jamie Burenga dominated the 9-10 Girls division. Emma was first in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter individual medley (IM) and 50-meter butterfly, while finishing second in the 100-meter freestyle and third in the 50-meter breaststroke.  Jamie took first in the 50-meter backstroke, second the 50-meter freestyle, third in the 100-meter IM and 100-meter freestyle, and a fourth in the 50-meter breaststroke.  In 9-10 Boys, Daniel Miller was fifth in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyles, then sixth in the 50-meter breaststroke.

In 11-12 Girls, Katie McVaigh took third in the 50-meter backstroke, fourth in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter IM and 50-meter butterfly. Risa Pollock swam strong in the 50-meter breaststroke, finishing sixth.  The Girls 11-12 200-meter freestyle relay team (Risa Pollock, Noelle Heffner, Erin Miller and Katie McVaigh) took first place against some pretty tough competition.  In 11-12 Boys, Dylan Neate took third in the 100-meter IM, fourth in the 50-meter freestyle and sixth in the 100-meter freestyle. Teammate Aaron Stant finished third in the 50-meter butterfly, fourth in the 50-meter backstroke and sixth in the 50-meter freestyle.

In 13-14 Girls, Bethany Fast took sixth in the 50-meter breaststroke while Anna Henkaline took fifth in the 50-meter backstroke.  Sam Easley totally dominated the 13-14 Boys division by taking first place in the 50-meter freestyle, 50-meter butterfly, 50-meter backstroke and 100-meter freestyle. In 15-18 Boys, Eric Easley took second in the 50-meter breaststroke, third in the 50-meter backstroke and fifth in the 100-meter IM.  Senior Evan Stant, swimming his last championship, took sixth in the 50-meter backstroke.

The Marlins’ swimmers would like to thank their coaches Lee Schumm, Angie Stemen, Trey Stemen and Adam Houg for all their hard work and leadership.

WOAL Championships results (all distances in meters; x- indicates a swim in a non-scoring heat)

8&Under Girls: Gracie Mull – 3^rd 25 Free; 4^th 25 Fly; 5^th 50 Free; 7^th 50 Back; 13^th 25 Breast. Tyra McClain – 2^nd 25 Back; 3^rd 50 Free; 4^th 25 Breast; 5^th 25 Free. Sophie Houg – 8^th 25 Fly 12^th 50 Free; 17^th 25 Free. Emma Miller – 44^th 25 Free; 45^th 25 Back. Olivia Rutkowski – 40^th 25 Back; 47^th 25 Free. Lilie Mull – 51^st 25 Back; 56^th 25 Free. Laney Hargett – 15^th 25 Back. Micah LaTurner – 23^rd 50 Free; 26^th 25 Back. Karis Holloway – 4^7th 25 Back.

8&Under Boys: Luke Miller – 8^th 50 Free; 12^th 25 Fly; 16^th 25 Free; 17^th 25 Back. Sam Houg – 17^th 50 Bree; 21^st 25 Back; 25^th 25 Free.

9-10 Girls:  Emma Pollock – 1^st 50 Free, 100 IM and 50 Fly; 2^nd 100 Free; 3^rd 50 Breast. Jamie Burenga – 1^st 50 Back; 2^nd 50 Free; 3^rd 100 IM and 100 Free; 4^th 50 Breast. Delaney Keysor – 13^th 50 Back; 22^nd 100 Free; 33^rd 50 Free. Anna Wasson – 17^th 50 Fly and 50 Back; 35^th 50 Free. Elizabeth Rutkowski – 25^th 100 Free; 42^nd 50 Free; 46^th 50 Back. Kayla Krites – 20^th 50 Breast; 24^th 50 Back; 43^rd 50 Free. Sophie Rutkowski – 28^th 50 Back; 60^th 50 Free. Libby Price – 22^nd 50 Breast; 49^th 50 Back.

9-10 Boys: Daniel Miller – 5^th 50 Free and 100 Free; 6^th 50 Breast; 8^th 50 Fly; 9^th 100 IM. Evan Bowersock – 15^th 100 IM; 17^th 50 Free and 100 Free; 21^st 50 Back. Ian Rex – 13^th 50 Back; 19^th 50 Free and 100 Free. Abram Price – 27^th 50 Back.

11-12 Girls: Katie McVaigh – 4^th 50 Free, 100 IM and 50 Fly; 3^rd 50 Back. Erin Miller – 9^th 100 Free; 11^th 50 Breast; 14^th 50 Free; 19^th 50 Fly. Kathryn Wray – 23^rd 100 Free; 30^th 50 Free; 34^th 50 Back. Allie Etter – 23^rd 100 IM; 44^th 50 Free. Jenna Covey – 27^th 50 Breast; 46^th 50 Back; 52^nd 50 Free. Emma Rutkowski – 48^th 50 Back; 56^th 50 Free. Noelle Heffner – 13^th 50 Back; 11^th 100 Free; 12^th 50 Breast. Risa Pollock – 6^th 50 Breast; 8^th 100 Free; 11^th 100 IM; 18^th 50 Fly.

11-12 Boys: Dylan Neate – 3^rd 100 IM; 4^th 50 Free; 6^th 100 Free; 7^th 50 Breast. Aaron Stant – 4^th 50 Back; 3^rd 50 Fly; 6^th 50 Free; 8^th 100 Free. Jacob Keysor – 9^th 50 Back; 16^th 100 Free; 17^th 50 Free.

13-14 Girls: Skylar Lehman – 18^th 50 Back; 21^st 50 Fly; 23^rd 100 Free; 36^th 50 Free. Bethany Fast – 6^th 50 Breast; 9^th 100 IM; 12^th 50 Free; 13^th 100 Free. Anna Henkaline – 5^th 50 Back; 8^th 50 Breast; 12^th 100 IM; 14^th 50 Free. Maddie Pauquette – 18^th 50 Fly; 22^nd 100 IM; 33^rd 50 Free.

13-14 Boys: Sam Easley – 1^st 50 Free, 50 Fly, 50 Back, and 100 Free.  Alek Bowersock – 9^th 50 Breast; 12^th 50 Back; 13^th 100 Free; 14^th 100 IM; 15^th 50 Free.

15-18 Girls: Hannah Stemen – 15^th 100 IM; 19^th 50 Back; 20^th 50 Free and 100 Free. Becca Johnson – 22^nd 50 Fly; 24^th 50 Back and 100 Free; 29^th 50 Free.

15-18 Boys: Evan Stant – 6^th 50 Back; 10^th 50 Fly; 11^th 100 Free; 13^th 50 Free. Kory Schlatter – 19^th 100 IM; 22^nd 50 Fly; 36^th 50 Free. Drew Hoffman – 20^th 100 Free; 23^rd 50 Back; 37^th 50 Free. Isaac Rager – 15^th 50 Breast; 18^th 50 Back; 24^th 100 Free; 38^th 50 Free. Eric Easley – 2^nd 50 Breast; 3^rd 50 Back; 5^th 100 IM; 14^th 50 Fly.

RELAYS: 9^th Place, Girls 9-10 200 Medley (S.Rutkowski,K.Krites,A.Wasson,D.Keysor).  11^th Place, Girls 11-12 200 Medley (J.Covey,K.Wray,A.Etter,Em.Rutkowski). 3^rd Place, Boys 11-12 200 Medley (I.Rex,D.Neate,A.Stant,J.Keysor). 7^th Place, Girls 15-18 200 Medley (B.Johnson,A.Henkaline,B.Fast,H.Stemen). 4^th Place, Girls 8 & Under 100 Free (K.Holloway,L.Hargett,S.Houg,M.LaTurner). 11^th Place, Girls 9-10 200 Free (A.Wasson,El.Rutkowski,D.Keysor,K.Krites). 1^st Place, Girls 11-12 200 Free (R.Pollock,N.Heffner,E.Miller,K.McVaigh).  4^th Place, Boys 15-18 200 Free (S.Easley,I.Rager,E.Stant,E.Easley).