VW Cougar swimmers compete in Lima

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The Van Wert Cougar swim team traveled to Lima for the annual Holiday Invitational involving 27 teams, including eight Western Buckeye League schools. The Cougar boys took 10th place at Tuesday’s meet, while the girls finished 19th. Wapakoneta took first place for the boys with Versailles showing victory in the girl’s events. Bluffton earned runner-up status for the boy’s teams with Ottawa Glandorf claiming the girls’ runner up title.

Other schools participating (in order of finish in the girls standings) included New Bremen, Ada, Elida, Shawnee, Coldwater, Fort Recovery, Kenton, Minster, Wayne, Botkins, Wapakoneta, Sidney, St. Henry, St. Marys, Celina, Marion Local, Pandora-Gilboa, Bath, Lima Central Catholic, Fairbanks, Kalida and Fort Loramie.

Highlights for the day included Sam Houg earning a second place finish and Haley Chiles earning a fourth place finish in the 200 free, Haley Chiles earning a fifth place finish in the 500 freestyle, Sam Houg earning a fourth place finish in the 100 freestyle, and Jayden Welker earning third place finishes in both the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.

The Cougars will face Ottawa Glandorf and St. Marys at the Putnam County Family YMCA on January 9.

Girls results (all distances in yards)

200 Medley Relay: 21st (2:22.99 – Mandy Burenga, Haley Chiles, Lilie Mull, Gracie Mull)
200 Freestyle: 4th (2:10.03 – Haley Chiles)
50 Freestyle: 22nd (29.78 – Tyra McClain), 33rd (31.48 – Mandy Burenga), 45th (32.98 – Lilie Mull), 48th (33.06 – Sophie Gearhart), 74th (35.74 – Kailey Blythe)
100 Freestyle: 20th (1:07.77 – Tyra McClain), 34th (1:10.74 – Gracie Mull), 37th (1:11.85 – Katie Kramer), 55th (1:17.55 – Sophie Gearhart), 85th (1:30.97 – Kailey Blythe)
500 Freestyle: 5th (5:58.97 – Haley Chiles)
200 Freestyle Relay: 5th (2:04.72 – Haley Chiles, Gracie Mull, Tyra McClain, Lilie Mull), 22nd (2:12.55 –Kailey Blythe, Mandy Burenga, Katie Kramer, Sophie Gearhart)
100 Backstroke: 28th (1:22.67 – Gracie Mull), 34th (1:25.99 – Katie Kramer)
100 Breaststroke: 28th (1:33.41 – Mandy Burenga), 35th (1:37.88 – Lilie Mull)
400 Freestyle Relay: 14th (5:11.95–Kailey Blythe, Sophie Gearhart, Katie Kramer, Tyra McClain)

Boys results (all distances in yards)

200 Medley Relay: 7th (1:57.55 – Griffin Gunter, Sam Houg, Owen Scott, Jayden Welker)
200 Freestyle: 2nd (1:58.77 – Sam Houg)
50 Freestyle: 29th (27.12 – Griffin Gunter), 41st (28.43 –Owen Scott)
100 Butterfly: 3rd (55.48 – Jayden Welker)
100 Freestyle: 4th (52.18 – Sam Houg)
200 Freestyle Relay: 8th (1:42.79 –Griffin Gunter, Sam Houg, Owen Scott, Jayden Welker)
100 Backstroke: 3rd (28.43 – Jayden Welker)
100 Breaststroke: 17th (1:17.74 – Griffin Gunter), 18th (1:18.97 – Owen Scott)