by Mike Stirling
Steubenville High School was the host again this year for the 2020 East District Sectionals as twenty Division II swim teams from eastern Ohio converged to compete for slots in the Central, East and Southeast Districts tournament at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion at OSU.
Overall, Tri-Valley boys finished in sixth place while the girls locked down the fourth spot as both concluded the Scotties team events for the 2019-20 swim season. From here, top finisher move on to compete at OSU. On the girls side, Caroline Holmes, Clare Waggle, Larissa Lynch and Marissa Sees led the way and will be joined by teammates Mariah Clark, Seryna Mann and Alex Dale. The Scottie boys are led by Mason McDaniel, Cyrus Dittmar, Hansel Holmes and Nathan Sauerbrey and accompanied by fellow swimmers Blaine Cox and Schawn McDonald.
In last Saturday’s competition, the highlights included two new Tri-Valley school records as well as two 1st place finishes, one second and two thirds. Hansel Holmes, in addition to breaking his own school record in the 100 Butterfly with a new time of 55.41 where he finished 1st, also locked up 2nd in the 100 Backstroke. Holmes teamed with Mason McDaniel, Cyrus Dittmar and Nathan Sauerbrey to set a new record in the 200 Medley Relay with a time of 1:49.82. For the girls Caroline Holmes finished 1st in the 200 Freestyle as well as the 100 Backstroke. Teammate Larissa Lynch recorded 3rd in both the 100 Free and the 200 Free. Holmes, Waggle, Lynch and Sees teamed to finish 4th in the Girls 200 Yard Medley Relay and advance to the OSU tournament.
Dominated by Tri-Valley’s duo of Holmes and Lynch, Clare Waggle finished by capturing 8th place points in the Girls 200 Free to add to the Scottie totals followed by Freshman Emma Lewis.
Cyrus Dittmar finished 7th in the Boys 200 Yard Individual Medley and qualified for Districts. Four Lady Scotties, Alex Dale, Allie Norman, Kayley Harper and Rhiannon Shaw swam the Girls 200 IM. Seventy-one swimmers swam the Girls 50 Free including Seryna Mann, Marissa Sees, Mariah Clark and Macey Felumlee. Mann and Sees finished 11th and 13th respectively. Fifty swimmers left the blocks on the boys side led by Schawn McDonald and Tracy Beale.
In qualifying for Districts in the Boys 100 Yard Butterfly, Holmes and Sauerbrey finished in 1st and 11th respectively as Scotties Mazie Mallett, Emma Lewis, Alex Dale and Emma Meadows represented Tri-Valley girls in the 100 Butterfly.
Leading the way in the 100 Free, Larissa Lynch not only qualified for Districts but led the way for teammates Seryna Mann and Mariah Clark who finished 11th and 13th respectively for the Dawgs followed by Jade White. Schawn McDonald, Gabe Lentz and Tracy Beale were on the blocks for Tri-Valley in the Boys 100 Free.
Scottie Blaine Cox was the entrant for the Dawgs in the marathon 500 Freestyle to team with the girls quartet of Allie Norman, Macey Felumlee, Kayley Harper and Katie Davis in the 20 lap event.
Girls 200 Yard Free Relay of Clark, Sees, Mann and Lynch qualified to go to Districts as did the Boys 200 Yard Relay of McDaniel, Cox, Sauerbrey and Dittmar who also swam well enough to lock down 10th at Steubenville on Saturday.
Senior Caroline Holmes was at her best in her 1st place finish in the Girls 100 Yard Backstroke followed by Emma Meadows, Rhiannon Shaw and Jade White. Younger brother Hansel Holmes led the Boys 100 Yard Backstroke with his 1st place finish followed by Mason McDaniel, Blaine Cox and Bret Mohler.
Breaststrokers Clare Waggle (7th place), Marissa Sees (15th place) were followed by Mazie Mallett and Katie Davis for the girls and Tri-Valley record holder Cyrus Dittmar had a solid 7th place for the boys in the 100 Yard Breaststroke.
To cap the meet, the girls 400 Yard Free Relay team of Waggle, Dale, Mann and Holmes finished 3rd while the boys team of Holmes, Cox, Sauerbrey and McDaniel finished 7th. Both boys and girls relay teams qualified for Districts.
In all, Tri-Valley swimmers had a great meet and a terrific swim season. For those who followed them all season, our thanks go to all swimmers, Coach Christy, Coach Susan and all the support staff. Well done. We look forward to next year.Â
