“That’s always been one of our best relays,” Oakwood senior Cliff Goertemiller said of the 400-yard freestyle that just missed setting a state record by .28 seconds Friday. “When you’re behind that starting block you can’t let anything get to you (mentally). You have to go with what you know you can do.”
The 400 relay (which also included sophomore Patrick Mulcare, senior Brendan Tirado and junior Brock Turner) was one of five state titles for Oakwood. Turner also won the 200 free and 500 free. For the Jills, sophomore Sydney Lofquist captured the 200 individual medley with a state-record time of 2:01.03 and junior Lydia Pocisk topped the podium in the 100 breaststroke.
“It was more exciting than I thought it would be,” Lofquist said of her state title. “I wasn’t necessarily expecting it. But it was on my mind.”
The same can’t be said for the boys’ state championship. They had been waiting for this one. They beat runner-up and defending state champ Hunting Valley University School 288-169. That’s the same school Oakwood finished second to in 2012, losing by 6.5 points.
“It was worth the wait,” Oakwood coach Jen Jervis said. “It was bigger and better this year than we could have imagined.”
The title is the Dayton area’s first in boys swimming. The Centerville girls won state in 2004, the area’s only girls championship.
The Jills finished second behind Gates Mills Hawken (321 to 260.5), which has won titles in 17 of the last 18 years.
Meadowdale senior Malique Elder became the first City League male swimmer to compete at state. He finished second in the 100 free and third in the 50 free to make history, but had hoped for more.
“It’s not a medal to me if it’s not a gold medal,” said a disappointed Elder. “As a swimmer I knew I had to be there (for the finals). This was supposed to be my day. It’s not.”
Wilmington senior Josh Quallen ended his high school career with a pair of state titles in the 100 butterfly (47.95) and 100 backstroke (48.92), both in state-record times.
The state championships continue today with the D-I diving and swimming finals.
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