“They’re both incredibly focused and driven,” veteran Bellbrook coach Rob Johnson said. “Commitment is an understatement for them. Focus and commitment is really what gets these guys where they are.”
RELATED: Area state swimming, diving qualifiers
That would be at the top of the leaderboard for the boys and girls state meets at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton. Diving is Wednesday and Thursday, swimming on Friday and Saturday.
Bybee is the defending Division II boys state champion in the 100-yard butterfly (48.79) and set a meet and state record in the 200 free (1:36.75). That eclipsed the previous mark of Oakwood’s Jackson Higgins.
Sampson was second in the 100 back (50.92) and fourth in the 200 free at state last year.
They’ll be joined by senior Henry Wong and junior Cole Huggard in the 200 medley and 400 free relays, both of which Bellbrook won at district. Bellbrook won five of 11 district events to place third among D-II boys, its best finish in program history. The Eagles also edged Oakwood by one point following losses to the Lumberjacks in the Southwestern Buckeye League and sectional meets.
RELATED: High School results for Feb. 21
Like track and field, regular season and league swim meets often are dominated by teams with the most depth. That switches to top-end individuals like Bybee and Sampson at district and state.
Uncommitted, Bybee is being recruited by many major college swim powers. He’s ranked No. 1 in Ohio by collegeswimming.com and 21st in the nation for the Class of 2018. He participated in the U.S. Olympic Trials last year and in December trained at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center after accepting an invitation.
“He can pretty much do anything,” Johnson assured. “I expect Cody to win whatever he’s entered in.”
Sampson’s stock soared after he swept the 100 and 200 backstrokes in the Southwest Classic last month, beating outstanding fields that included perennial D-I state champion Cincinnati St. Xavier.
Like most of the best high school swimmers, the Bellbrook foursome mostly train with their club teams during the week: Huggard and Bybee with the Dayton Raiders; Sampson and Wong with the Kettering City Swim Team.
This week is mostly about tapering for maximum weekend performances. Bellbrook will leave for Canton on Wednesday. The Golden Eagles were 10th as a D-II team in 2015 and seventh last year. Contending for a state title is the goal this weekend.
“Certainly they did some terrific things their freshman year, but it’s gotten even better since then,” said Johnson.
• Mason cruised to a D-I district girls title and should contend with defending champ Upper Arlington at state. Cincinnati Mariemont and Oakwood were 1-2 among D-II girls at district. St. X overwhelmed the D-I boys district field and will be favored to win its ninth consecutive state title. Gates Mills Hawken has won 18 straight D-II girls state team titles.
AREA’S BEST BETS
The following are among the state’s top three in their respective events, based on district results.
D-I girls: Sally Clough, Springboro, 2nd 200 free.
D-I boys: Zach Baecker, Springboro, 2nd 200 IM and 2nd 100 breast; Josef Pohlmann, Beavercreek, 3rd 100 fly; Hank Siefert, Xenia, 3rd 500 free.
D-II girls: Macleary Moran, CJ, 2nd 500 free; Arielle Arnett, Tippecanoe, 3rd 500 free.
D-II boys: John Sampson, Bellbrook, 1st 100 back; Cody Bybee, Bellbrook, 1st 200 free, 2nd 100 fly; Caleb Keck, Coldwater, 2nd 1-meter diving; Connor Blatt, Carroll, 2nd 200 IM; Adam Chaney, Fenwick, 2nd 500 free; Kevin Leibold, Alter, 3rd 100 fly; Bellbrook 3rd 400 free relay.
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