A little push from fellow Dayton Raiders swimmer Audrey Conley, of Waynesville, was all the Elks senior needed as Conley and Quarin were even – stroke after stroke – for the entire 1,650-yard freestyle event at the Southwest Ohio High School Swimming & Diving Classic. Quarin finished the marathon one-mile event in 16 minutes, 41.86 seconds while Conley clocked 16:42.19 on Sunday at St. Xavier’s Keating Natatorium.
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“We train together and we definitely push each other,” Quarin said. “It would come down to who wanted it more.”
It came full circle for Quarin who last won the 1,650 freestyle event when she was a freshman.
“I’ve become more efficient in my turns which helps,” Quarin said. “Dropping four seconds off my best time, especially in season, is really good.”
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Quarin, 18, also had a solid finish in the 500 freestyle, finishing fifth overall. But the places in that event were based on preliminary times because the Classic finals on Saturday night were cancelled due to inclement weather.
“I feel like there is definitely room for improvement in my 200 and 500,” Quarin said. “More efficient turns should help.”
While Quarin – who will swim for Michigan State – prefers the endurance-testing 1,650, it’s the 200 and 500 freestyle events she will focus on the rest of the season as they are traditional high school events. She is a perennial state qualifier in one or both of the freestyle events, posting her best finish as a freshman – seventh place in the 500.
Team effort: Springboro and Centerville finished second and third, respectively, overall among the girls teams while Mason snagged the top team spot for a fourth consecutive year. The Elks were the top area boys team with a fourth-place finish while Beavercreek was seventh. St. Xavier continued its dominance with a 36th consecutive Classic team title.
One for the record books: Springboro junior Maggie Clough posted a meet record in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:58.59. The previous record was 1:59.30 set in 2017 by Payton Keiner of Cincinnati Christian. The Panthers swimmer won the event last year as well with a time of 2:01.50. Clough also finished first in the 100 butterfly with a time of 57.47.
Southwest Ohio High School Swimming & Diving Classic – Top area Placers
GIRLS
50 freestyle: 1. Hannah Hill, Springboro, :23.87
100 freestyle: 5. Hannah Hill, Springboro, :52.47
200 freestyle: 2. Kate Lair, Alter, 1:55.34
500 freestyle: 5. Liz Quarin, Centerville, 5:11.22
1,650 freestyle: 1. Liz Quarin, Centerville, 16:41.86
50 backstroke: 1. Josie Wise, Greenon, :29.09
100 backstroke: 3. Amy Fulmer, Bellefontaine, :57.10
200 backstroke: 1. Maggie Clough, Springboro, 1:58.59
50 breaststroke: 4. Flynn Roberts, Northmont, :32.95
100 breaststroke: 1. Bridget Engel, Springfield Catholic, 1:04.50
200 breaststroke: 5. Addie Engel, Springfield Catholic, 2:26.13
50 butterfly: 3. Ashtyn Gluck, Beavercreek, :27.39
100 butterfly: 1. Maggie Clough, Springboro, :57.47
200 butterfly: 2. Anna Baker, Fenwick, 2:04.77
100 individual medley: 11. Josie Wise, Greenon, 1:07.05
200 individual medley: 2. Katie Lair, Alter, 2:06.13
400 individual medley: 2. Katie Lair, Alter, 4:26.23
BOYS
50 freestyle: 10. Matt Brunsky, Butler, :22.17
100 freestyle: 5. Kevin Leibold, Alter, :47.47
200 freestyle: 7. Luke Paxton, Badin, 1:45.50
500 freestyle: 3. Kevin Leibold, Alter, 4:38.62
1,650 freestyle: 3. Alan Flower, Centerville, 15:59.43
100 backstroke: 8. Owen Conley, Waynesville, :53.11
200 backstroke: 3. Owen Conley, Waynesville, 1:47.59
50 breaststroke: 8. Dylan Day, Kenton Ridge, :30.04
100 breaststroke: 3. Adam Sherman, Badin, :58.82
200 breaststroke: 6. Calvin Wise, Greenon, 2:10.34
100 butterfly: 3. Kevin Leibold, Alter, :50.92
200 butterfly: 2. Kevin Leibold, Alter, 1:50.87
100 individual medley: 12. Seth Thomas, Kenton Ridge, 1:00.06
200 individual medley: 2. Owen Conley, Waynesville, 1:48.54
400 individual medley: 3. Jason Allen, Beavercreek, 4:07.95
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