by Christi Holmes, TVHS Swim Coach
Eleven Tri-Valley Swimmers traveled three hours to the northwest to swim in the 2021 Central, East, and Southeast District Division II Swimming Championship on Thursday, February 18th in Cooper Pool at Bowling Green State University. The BGSU venue was the only large aquatic facility available to host the meet as all other university venues in the three districts remain closed due to the pandemic.
The top 24 individual swimmers and top 16 relays in each event from the sectional events held within the Central, East, and Southeast districts advanced to swim in the District Championship.
It was quite a day for the Dawgs as two of the Scottie swimmers qualified to advance to the State Tournament! Sophomore Hansel Holmes automatically qualified as runner up in the Boys 100 Butterfly with his school-record time of :52.54 and senior Larissa Lynch qualified at-large in the 100 Freestyle with her 4th place finish and personal best time of :54.90. Senior Cyrus Dittmar also found himself atop the virtual podium as he finished 4th in the 200 Individual Medley (2:08.52) and 6th in the 100 Breaststroke (1:03.35) and set new school records in both events.
The Scottie Girls 200 Freestyle Relay of Lynch, senior Clare Waggle, sophomore Alex Dale, and freshman Jesi Fuhriman also swam fast (1:47.51) and earned the 6th place district podium position.
For the first time ever in Tri-Valley Swimming history, the Scottie Boys 200 Free Relay (1:35.32) and Medley Relay (1:45.72) also medaled. With their 7th and 8th place finishes respectively, Dittmar, fellow senior Mason McDaniel, Holmes and sophomore Ethan Ankrom not only combined to finally claim some long overdue team hardware, but also broke both school records in the process.
The two other girls’ relays swam season-best times and placed 9th, just out of medal contention. The 200 Medley Relay (2:05.61) featured senior Clare Waggle, junior Seryna Mann, sophomore Alex Dale and Fuhriman, and the Girls 400 Freestyle Relay (3:57.31) included Lynch, Waggle, Mann, and Dale.
In other races, Lynch finished 9th in 100 Backstroke (1:03.15), Waggle 11th in 500 Freestyle (5:49.69), Dale 12th in 100 Backstroke (1:07.16), junior Blaine Cox 18th in 500 Freestyle (5:37.73), Mann 19th in 500 Freestyle (6:13.19), Cox 23rd in 200 Freestyle (2:04.38), and Dale 24th in 100 Freestyle (1:01.59).
The 2021 Division II State Swimming and Diving Tournament was held on February 24-25, 2021 at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton.
Larissa Lynch competed on Wednesday, February 24 in the 100 Freestyle. She held her seeded position as she finished 23rd tonight in :55.52. She was really nervous but had a great race. It was her second-fastest time ever. Next time she suits up it will be in ONU Polar Bear black and orange!
Hansel Holmes swam in the 100 butterfly on Thursday, February 25 and earned an eighth-place finish with a time of :52.26.
