Staff Report

Cincinnati St. Xavier returned to the podium with 335 total points to secure its seventh-consecutive state swimming title and 36th overall state championship Feb. 28 at C.T. Branin Natatorium at the OHSAA Division I Swimming and Diving State Tournament.

St. Xavier controlled the meet, topping state runner up Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (134 total points) by 201 points, including four first place finishes.

For St. Xavier, James Wray, Mitchell Frey, Luke Sobolewski and Joe Berno won the 200 yard medley relay with a time of 1:32.03. Sophomore Grant House won the 200 yard freestyle with a time of 1:35.28. House also swam a 44.79 to win the 100 yard freestyle. The team of Matt Slabe, Grant Carr, Frey and House won the 400 yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:03.03.

The swimming title wasn’t the Bombers only state victory this winter season. Senior Wrestler Cole Jones finished his season 41-0 to claim the 220-pound weight class championship in mid-March.

St. Ursula finishes runner up in state swimming
Headed into the final relay, Upper Arlington led Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy by only nine points. With a first place finish, Upper Arlington clinched its 10th state championship Feb. 28 night at C.T. Branin Natatorium at the OHSAA Division I Girls Swimming and Diving State Tournament.

St. Ursula Academy finished as state runner-up (270.5 total points) for the first time since 2001. Its last state title was in 1995. The team of Alexandra Wall, Josie Grote, Marissa DelGado and Anna DelGado finished second in the 200 yard medley relay with a time of 1:45.24. Grote also finished second in the 200 yard individual medley with a time of 2:00.91.

The team of Hannah Foster, Ashley Voelkerding, Molly Zilach and Grote placed second in the 400 yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:26.13.
Cincinnati Ursuline Academy senior Sydney Lofquist won the 500 yard freestyle with a time of 4:44.40, setting the state and state tournament record.

Archdiocese well represented in diving championships
In the OHSAA Division II diving championship Feb. 27, Summit Country Day senior Stewart Spanbauer won the boys state title with a score of 458.85.

On the girls’ side, the title went to Archbishop Alter junior Claire Schuermann who defended her 2014 title and won the Division II diving competition with a score of 483.35.

Moeller coach among those honored
Twenty-one coaches from across Ohio have been recognized by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) as 2013-14 Ohio Coaches of the Year in their respective sport, the NFHS announced. Brecksville-Broadview Heights’ Joan Ganim was named the 2013-14 NFHS National Coach of the Year in the “Other Sports” category, joining 20 other high school coaches from across America as a National Coach of the Year.

William Whatley, Swimming and Diving coach at Archbishop Moeller High School was the only selection from within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association contributed to this report.

Posted March 23, 2015