It all went according to plan – the seniors’ plan that is.
“My seniors set a goal last April, they told me ‘they’re going to win state,’” Beavercreek coach Chris Meleason said. “They didn’t waver, they had their eyes on the prize the whole time.”
Meleason became a believer as the season went on.
“I thought we had an outside chance at the beginning of the season then we swam the Coaches Classic and I really started thinking we had a shot,” he said. “I knew it would be close and everything had to play out perfectly.”
It could not have been much closer on Saturday as the Beavers were in third place after the 200-yard freestyle relay. But the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays were Beavercreek’s strengths.
Five boys had already climbed onto the podium in individual events – Dillon Edge as a champion for the second time in as many years – but it would all come down to the final event of the night – the 400-yard freestyle relay.
“I told them, ‘you guys have to win and you will, at least, be guaranteed a first-place tie,’” Meleason said.
That’s all the relay team of Edge, Michael Rine, Luke Sullivan, and Ethan Otten needed to hear as the Beavers swam to a first-place finish in 2:59.53 – their best time, dropping more than a second from prelims. St. Xavier finished fourth, giving the Beavers sole possession of the D-I team title.
“Their work ethic is just unreal,” Meleason said. “These boys can drop the mic and walk away with their heads held high.”
While Edge, Otten and Rine are seniors, Sullivan – who placed seventh in the 100-yard backstroke is a junior. The Beavers, who took a record 19 swimmers to state, will also return sophomore Caleb Manning who placed sixth in the 500-yard freestyle.
The podium wasn’t limited to the Beavercreek boys as junior Abby Woolford placed second in the girls 500-yard freestyle event and third in the 200 freestyle with personal best times in both events. Meleason was also recognized as the D-I Boys Coach of the Year.
The state champions returned to town in style with a police escort in Beavercreek at 1 a.m. Sunday morning – lights and sirens and all.
“I’m honored to be able to coach such a great group of swimmers, it was just an amazing experience,” the fifth-year Beavercreek coach said. “There is nothing topping this.”
Back-to-back for the Lumberjack: Oakwood senior Sam Campbell won the boys D-II 500-yard freestyle event for the second time in as many years with a personal best time of 4:26.97.
“Sam is a class act,” Oakwood swim coach Audrey Martin said. “He was definitely nervous, but he channeled his nerves and did what he needed to do.”
Campbell, who will swim for Ohio State University next season, also placed second in the 100-yard backstroke. And while Campbell will graduate, leaving a noticeable void, the Jacks have a balance of experience and youth.
The Oakwood 400-yard freestyle relay team that swam to a second-place state finish includes freshman Truman Brun, sophomore Tristan Prizler and junior Nate Pennington, in addition to Campbell. The Oakwood boys finished seventh as a team in the D-II meet.
“Any time you can get into the top 10, it’s pretty great,” Martin said. “I expected these guys to do great and they did.”
Top teams: The Beavercreek girls finished 13th, the only area D-I girls team to crack the top 20.
The Alter girls – sparked by strong finishes by Emma Tenhundfeld, Ella Leibold and Ava Tenhundfeld, who all made the podium in the 100-yard backstroke event – finished fifth in the D-II girls team rankings. Kenton Ridge was the top local D-II boys team, finishing in fourth place.
Area state placers
(Top 8 finishers)
Division I
Girls
* 200 freestyle – 3. Abby Woolford, jr., Beavercreek (1:48.66)
* 500 freestyle – 2. Abby Woolford, jr., Beavercreek (4:47.44)
* 100 butterfly – 5. Anna Gearhart, so., Centerville (:55.50)
Boys
* 50 freestyle – 5. Ethan Otten, sr., Beavercreek (:20.58)
* 100 freestyle – 4. Ethan Otten, sr., Beavercreek (:45.12)
* 200 freestyle – 1. Dillon Edge, sr., Beavercreek (1:36.16)
* 500 freestyle – 6. Caleb Manning, so., Beavercreek (4:38.43); 8. Michael Rine, sr., Beavercreek (4:41.81)
* 100 backstroke – 7. Luke Sullivan, jr., Beavercreek (:50.06)
* 100 breaststroke – 2. Dillon Edge, sr., Beavercreek (:54.90)
* 200 individual medley – 2. Michael Rine, sr., Beavercreek (1:49.37); 6. Jarrett Payne, so., Sidney (1:51.10); 8. Max Christensen, jr., Springboro (1:52.88)
* 200 freestyle relay – 7. Centerville (1:26.58)
* 400 freestyle relay – 1. Beavercreek (2:59.53)
* 200 medley relay – 1. Beavercreek (1:30.81)
Division II
Girls
* 100 freestyle – 5. Kaylee Price, sr., Bethel (:52.74)
* 200 freestyle – 3. Audrey Conley, sr., Waynesville (1:51.60)
* 500 freestyle – 2. Audrey Conley, sr., Waynesville (4:56.48); 7. Katelyn Smittle, fr., Miami Valley School (5:09.00)
* 100 backstroke – 3. Emma Tenhundfeld, fr., Alter (:56.91); 4. Ella Leibold, so., Alter (:57.56); 8. Ava Tenhundfeld, jr., Alter (:59.34)
* 200 individual medley – 7. Emma Tenhundfeld, fr., Alter (2:09.84)
* 400 freestyle relay – 5. Alter (3:35.93)
Boys
* 50 freestyle – 4. Evan Blazer, jr., Kenton Ridge (:21.19)
* 100 freestyle – 4. Evan Blazer, jr., Kenton Ridge (:46.47); 8. Alex Honigford, jr., Wapakoneta (:47.38)
* 200 freestyle – 5. Preston Troyer, sr., Xenia Legacy Christian Academy (1:41.56)
* 500 freestyle – 1. Sam Campbell, sr., Oakwood (4:26.97); 3. Tristan Prizler, so., Oakwood (4:34.15); 4. Preston Troyer, sr., Xenia Legacy Christian Academy (4:34.53)
* 100 backstroke – 2. Sam Campbell, sr., Oakwood (:50.17); 5. Jordan Davis, sr., Wilmington (:51.66)
* 100 breaststroke – 3. Matt LaBianco, sr., Chaminade Julienne (:56.68); 5. John Kaleta, jr., Fenwick (:57.70); 7. Seth Thomas, sr., Kenton Ridge (:58.50)
* 100 butterfly – 4. Jordan Davis, sr., Wilmington (:49.41); 5. Chase Fyffe, jr., Kenton Ridge (:51.34); 6. Brooks Olson, sr., Fenwick (:51.44); 7. Caleb Reno, so., Troy Christian (:51.83)
* 200 individual medley – 3. Tristan Prizler, so., Oakwood (1:53.60)
* 200 freestyle relay – 2. Kenton Ridge (1:25.77); 5. Wapakoneta (1:27.26)
* 400 freestyle relay – 2. Oakwood (3:10.51)
* 200 medley relay – 6. Kenton Ridge (1:36.20); 7. Fenwick (1:37.07)
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