CANTON, Ohio (Feb. 24, 2024) -- Rocky River Swimming & Diving closed out its 2023-24 season by making a splash at the Buckeye State title meet Wednesday-Saturday. (
state meet website)
The Pirate boys scored 26 points to earn a tie for 30th place in the DII boys' competition; the River girls tallied nine points to finish in a tie for 39th in the DI girls' competition. The Aquatic Buccaneers competed in six events on the boys' side and four on the girls'. The meet was held at C.T. Branin Natatorium.
The boys earned points in Tuesday's diving competition. Toby Rastetter qualified to the championship round and earned a podium finish in the 1-meter event. Rastatter logged a final score of 355.8 to place fifth. On Thursday, River swimmers qualified for championship races in both the 200-yard freestyle relay (Ezra Linville, Luke Nolan, Trey Roe, Maceo Tabora) and 400 free relay (Roe, Luke Nolan, Ethan Baker, Tabora). The 200-yard quartet qualfied with a season-best time of 1:30.8.
In girls' DI qualifying Friday, Carolyn Wanosik was in on near misses in both Pirate relays competing in Canton (200 free, 400 free) and was also just off the Q mark in the 200-yard IM. Wanosik did turn her busy week into a success, however, when she made the championship in the 100-yard breaststroke. She took 15th place in that event. River's points came from senior Taylor Devorace who closed out her tremendous Pirate career in style in the 200 IM.
Devorace, who took 29th in the IM in last year's state meet, qualified into Saturday's final and earned a 10th-place finish, touching in with a hard-charging time of 2:07.46.
Upper Arlington (313 points) outdueled Mason (207) for the DI girls title. University School (274) won the DII boys crown.
by Skip Snow