VW boy swimmers win sectional crown

SANDRA GROOMS/for The Van Wert independent

AYERSVILLE — Every Cougar swimmer scored points helping the Van Wert High School boys capture the sectional championship title and the girls’ sectional runner-up title on Saturday.

The Van Wert teams traveled to Ayersville High School to compete against Ada, Ayersville, Bryan, Coldwater, Defiance, Elida, Hicksville, Kenton, McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley, and St. Marys Memorial high schools.

Sophomore Eric Easley finished as boys’ sectional champion in the 100-yard backstroke. His time of 55.80 seconds breaks his own VWHS record. This first-place finish qualified him to move on to districts where he is seeded first. He will also compete in the 100-yard breaststroke after placing fourth in 1:05.92.

Four senior boys also qualified by time to compete at districts: Trey Stemen placed third in the 200-yard individual medley (2:18.63); Cody Hanes placed fourth in the 100-yard backstroke  (1:00.78); AJ Foster placed fifth in the 50-yard freestyle (24.07) and seventh in 100-yard freestyle (54.51); and Matt Cucciarre finished fifth in both the 200-yard freestyle (2:05.35) and the 100-yard backstroke (1:01.32).

The 200-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay teams also qualified to compete at districts after finishing third (1:49.38) and fourth (3:43.41), respectively. Team members are AJ Foster, Eric Easley, Cody Hanes, and Trey Stemen.

Three Cougar girls also qualified by time to move on to districts: Senior Taylor Grooms was sectional runner up in both the girls 200- yard freestyle (2:10.80) and the 500-yard freestyle (6:05.08); freshman Hannah Stemen placed third in the 100-yard backstroke (1:10.54); and senior Erin Dingle placed fourth in the 500-yard freestyle (6:07.17) and sixth in the 50-yard freestyle (27.13).

Divers Kase Schalois, Garrett McDowell, Gretchen Klinker and Kaylee Meyers will also compete in the district diving championships to be held this Thursday at BGSU. The swimming competition will be held on Friday.

Girls Results (all distances in yards)

*Scored team points

• 200 Medley Relay:  *5^th (2:13.97 – Hannah Stemen, Brittany Jurczyk, Karlyn Koontz, Holly Hammond)
• 200 Freestyle:  *2nd (2:10.80 – Taylor Grooms), *7^th (2:25.01 –Hannah Stemen), *8^th (2:27.64 – Karlyn Koontz), *15^th (2:44.00 – Marissa Sperry)
• 200 Individual Medley:  *5^th (2:46.11 – Brittany Jurczyk), *6^th (2:47.96 – Andi Foster),*11^th (3:00.14 – Rebecca Johnson)
• 50 Freestyle: *6^th (27.13 – Erin Dingle), *11^th (29.05 – Holly Hammond), *12^th (29.23 – Briana Agler), *14^th (29.99 – Chelsea Henning)
• 100 Freestyle:  *8^th (1:06.32 – Holly Hammond), *9^th (1:08.18 – Mackenzie Agler), *13^th (1:09.34 – Chelsea Henning), *16^th (1:11.95 – Whitney Meyers)
• 500 Freestyle: *2^nd (6:05.08 – Taylor Grooms), *4^th (6:07.17 – Erin Dingle), *12^th (7:45.41 – Merideth Arn), * 13^th (7:49.40 – Reed Wermer)
• 200 Freestyle Relay:  *4^th (1:55.17 – Taylor Grooms, Chelsea Henning, Holly Hammond, Erin Dingle).
• 100 Backstroke: *3^rd (1:10.54 – Hannah Stemen), *5^th (1:13.45 – Brittany Jurczyk), *9^th (1:22.18 – Mackenzie Agler), *12^th (1:25.79 – Marissa Sperry)
• 100 Breaststroke: *14^th (1:31.77 – Andi Foster), *15^th (1:32.54 – Briana Agler), *16^th (1:34.85 -Whitney Meyers), 21^st (1:43.26 – Reed Wermer)
• 400 Freestyle Relay:  *3^rd (4:42.15 – Taylor Grooms, Brittany Jurczyk, Hannah Stemen, Erin Dingle)

Boys Results (all distances in yards)

* Scored team points

• 200 Medley Relay: * 3^rd (1:49.38 – Cody Hanes, Eric Easley, Trey Stemen, AJ Foster)
• 200 Freestyle:* 5^th (2:05.35 – Matt Cucciarre), *9^th (2:17.64 – Daniel Silette), *11^th (2:27.02 – Jacob Scheidt),*14^th (2:30.45 – Kory Schlatter)
• 200 Individual  Medley: *3^rd (2:18.63 – Trey Stemen)
• 50 Freestyle:* 5^th (24.07 – A.J. Foster), *14^th (26.64 – Adam Jurczyk), *16^th (26.76 – Josh Overholt), 24^th (30.48 – Kory Schlatter)
• 100 Butterfly: *3^rd (1:03.72 – Cody Hanes)
• 100 Freestyle: *7^th (54.51/ 53.94 swim off – A.J. Foster), *13^th (56.68 – Adam Jurczyk), *17^th (59.32 – Daniel Silette), 17^th (1:00.82 –Josh Overholt)
• 500 Freestyle: *4^th (5:49.42 – Kase Schalois), *5^th (6:48.96 – Jacob Scheidt)
• 200 Freestyle Relay: *6^th (1:47.22 – Matt Cucciarre, Daniel Silette, Adam Jurczyk, Kase Schalois)
• 100 Backstroke: *1^st (55.80 – Eric Easley), *4^th (1:00.78 – Cody Hanes),* 5^th (1:01.32 – Matt Cucciarre), *13^th (1:24.23 – Jon Lisa)
• 100 Breaststroke: *4^th (1:05.92 – Eric Easley), *6^th (1:11.84 – Trey Stemen), *14^th (1:24.99 – Jon Lisa)
• 400 Freestyle Relay: *4^th (3:43.41 – Eric Easley, AJ Foster, Trey Stemen, Cody Hanes)