ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- Rocky River swimmers and divers registered tremendous performances in Geneva, Ohio -- at the DII Boys' Northeast Ohio District Championships -- and in Bowling Green, Ohio -- at the DI Girls' Northwest Ohio District Championships -- on Friday and Saturday (with diving events held Tuesday and Wednesday). The River boys logged a third-place finish in their meet at the Spire Institute; the Pirate girls clocked in with a third-place finish in their meet at Bowling Green State University. Their combined efforts have qualified 12 athletes into 15 events at the upcoming Ohio Championships. [Qualifiers: Boys | Girls]

On the boys' side, Tyler Meyer got the week started with a 13th-place finish in the district 1-meter event at the Spire Institute. Meyer's score of 244.70 (a career-best) was the top performance among a trio of Pirates competing in the meet. In Friday's swimming competition, only Hawken (406 points) and University School (277) managed more points than River's 249. Top-scoring events for the Double-R were the 200-yard medley (Drew Helms, Braden Devorace, Michael Esdon, Mathew Stankivicz -- third place), 50 freestyle (Aidan Carter -- second, Braden Devorace -- third), 100 free (Carter -- first, Devorace -- fourth), 200 free relay (Aidan Carter, Gavin Shi, Philip Carter, Mathew Stankiwicz -- fourth), 100 backstroke (Helms -- fifth), and the 400 free relay (Esdon, Helms, A. Carter, Devorace -- second).

Qualifying into the state meet were all three River relays, Aidan Carter and Devorace in both the 50 free and 100 free, Helms in the 100 back and 200 individual medley, and Esdon in the 200 free and 500 free. [DII NE Ohio Boys' District meet results]

At Bowling Green, divers Cassidy Cox and Makenna Pfaff led off the week for the Maroon & White. In Saturday's DI Northwest District swims at BGSU, River's top-scoring events were the 200 IM (Ella Russell -- fourth place), 50 free and 100 free (Gianna Miller -- second in both), 100 butterfly (Russell -- fifth), 200 free relay (Blair Pichola, Cora Mathewson, Russell, Miller -- second), and 400 free relay (Russell, Taylor Devorace, Mathewson, Miller -- second). 

Qualifying into the state meet were Rocky River's 200 and 400 free relays and Gianna Miller in both the 500 free and 100 free. [DI NW Ohio Girls' District meet results]

The state championships are scheduled to be held Feb. 24-27 at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton, Ohio. 
 


CANNON FIRE ...

NEW MARKS FOR THE DOUBLE-R: The boys' 400 free relay (Esdon, Helms, A. Carter, Devorace) touched in with a final time of 3:13.67. Esdon logged a time of 4:51.69 in the 500 free. And the 200 medley relay quartet (Helms, Devorace, Esdon, Stankivicz) clocked a time of 1:39.06. All three times are new Rocky River records.  

LANE LINES: Kate Tlapa logged career-best times in the 200 free and 500 free. ... Carolyn Wanosik clocked a career-best in the 500 free. ... Cora Mathewson and Blair Pichola both earned career-best times in both the 50 free and 100 free. ... Taylor Devorace posted a career-best in both the 200 IM and 100 fly. ... Hannah Burgess posted a career-best in the 200 IM. ... Hudson Wissman posted a career-best in the 100 back. ... Gavin Shi registered career-bests in both the 50 free and 100 free.

by Skip Snow