Swimming: Eagles top Galion & Bucyrus in tri-meet

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NORTH ROBINSON — Colonel Crawford swimmers overcame the absence of several team members to post victories in a tri-meet against Galion and Bucyrus on Monday.

In a tightly-contested girls meet, the Eagles edged Galion, 99-95, with Bucyrus finishing in third place with 34 points.

The Eagles boys squad was an easy winner over its Crawford County rivals, racking up 125 points. Galion was second with 47 points and Bucyrus placed third with 10.

Colonel Crawford coach Shelli Ashley said her teams were missing 10 swimmers on Monday. She was pleased with the performance in light of missing so many swimmers.

“I had two of my returning (2020 state meet) swimmers out along with some others,” Ashley said. “Basically, everyone had to step up and do their part for us to do what we needed to do, and they did. They worked really well as a team. I’m super-proud of these boys. They’ve melded together as a team this year. They’ve kind of been in the shadow of the girls for a long time and they’re finally coming together and bringing it.”

Ashley said the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on her team in the early stages of the season.

“Pretty much all of my top swimmers have been quarantined at one time or another this season,” she said. “I have some out right now who have been out multiple times. It’s definitely a concern as we head toward the end of the season, but I just keep telling them every single person on the team matters. I didn’t swim any JV races today. Normally the kids who swim the JV races stepped up into varsity roles. I had someone today who did the 100 butterfly and she’s a senior and had never done it before, and she rocked it. I couldn’t be anymore proud of her. They have good attitudes and whatever I ask, they’re doing it.”

Galion coach Ted Temple said he put his team through a two-hour workout on Monday morning ahead of the evening meet.

“The kids were a little tired. They said, ‘Coach, you’re crazy,’ but I’m not going to miss the chance to get a workout in,” Temple said. “I think the kids did pretty good. I’m happy with the way they swam. A couple of things weren’t right. A few things were askew, but they’re things we can take care of. We have another month and a half to take care of that.”

The Lady Tigers swim team enjoyed another strong performance at Colonel Crawford.

“We had some season-best times tonight,” Temple said. “(Junior) Troie (Grubbs) and (senior) Kaisey (Speck) stayed unbeaten on the season. (Freshman) Miranda Stone swam her season-best in the 500 freestyle (2nd, 6:05.30) and the 100 backstroke (2nd, 1:09.79). I’m really pleased with how all the girls are coming along.”

Temple said the Tigers boys team continues to be a “work in progress.”

“We had two or three returning lettermen and the rest of those boys are first-year swimmers,” he said. “Four of the eight coming in couldn’t even swim when they came in here. But they did pretty good tonight. We’ve got a couple of freshmen that have promising futures.”

Top girls results

For Galion, Speck won the 200-yard individual medley (2:22.66) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:12.02). Grubbs claimed first place in the 200-yard freestyle (2:04.70) and the 100-yard freestyle (55.75).

Speck and Grubbs teamed up with Caitlyn Karnes and Miranda Stone to win the 200-yard medley relay (1:59.59). Speck, Grubbs, and Stone combined with Adriana Zeger to post a season-best time on the way to winning the 400-yard freestyle relay (4:02.51).

Colonel Crawford’s Cassidy Vogt (26.31 seconds) and Rylee Ritzhaupt (27.14 seconds) placed 1-2 in the 50-yard freestyle. Vogt also claimed victory in the 100-yard butterfly (1:08.58).

Katie Hanft won the 500-yard freestyle (5:48.54) for Eagles. Hanft teamed up with Emma Swisher, Reagan Ritzhaupt, and Rylee Ritzhaupt to win the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:54.02).

Abby Martin of Colonel Crawford won the 100-yard backstroke (1:07.33).

Top boys results

Colonel Crawford’s Lane Kozinski and Branyan Rowland each won a pair of individual races on Monday. Kozinski won the 50-yard freestyle (27.63 seconds) and 100-yard freestyle (1:03.55). Rowland captured first place in the 100-yard butterfly (1:07.8) and 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.27).

Kevin Feik of CCHS won the 200-yard freestyle (2:17.67). Nate Eachus took first place in the 200-yard individual medley (2:21.23).

Jacob Awbrey (25.18 seconds) and Keyan Shipman (25.4 seconds) placed 1-2 in the 50-yard freestyle. Shipman (56.32 seconds) and Awbrey (57.01 seconds) flipped spots and finished 1-2 in the 100-yard freestyle.

The Eagles won the 200-yard medley relay (2:00.81), 200-yard freestyle relay (1:45.44), and 400-yard freestyle relay (4:10.22).

Nathan Barre of Galion claimed first place in the 500-yard freestyle (5:50.23). He placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:16.16).

Galion’s Sam Albert finished third in the 50-yard (25.86 seconds) and 100-yard (57.63 seconds) freestyle races.

Sam Rager of Bucyrus won the 100-yard backstroke (1:05.25).

Galion’s Kaisey Speck pushes toward the wall in the 100-yard breaststroke during a tri-meet against Colonel Crawford and Bucyrus on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, at Colonel Crawford High School. Speck won the breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley at the meet. She also helped Galion win the 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.
https://www.galioninquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2020/12/web1_KAISEY-SPECK-GALION-12212020.jpgGalion’s Kaisey Speck pushes toward the wall in the 100-yard breaststroke during a tri-meet against Colonel Crawford and Bucyrus on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, at Colonel Crawford High School. Speck won the breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley at the meet. She also helped Galion win the 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay. Andrew Carter | AIM Media Midwest

Colonel Crawford’s Cassidy Vogt cuts through the water on the way to winning the 100-yard butterfly race during a tri-meet against Galion and Bucyrus on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, at Colonel Crawford High School. Vogt also won the 50-yard freestyle race.
https://www.galioninquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2020/12/web1_CASSIDY-VOGT-CCHS-12212020.jpgColonel Crawford’s Cassidy Vogt cuts through the water on the way to winning the 100-yard butterfly race during a tri-meet against Galion and Bucyrus on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, at Colonel Crawford High School. Vogt also won the 50-yard freestyle race. Andrew Carter | AIM Media Midwest

Competitors in the boys 400-yard freestyle relay race dive into the pool to start the event during a tri-meet on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, at Colonel Crawford High School. Swim teams from Colonel Crawford, Galion, and Bucyrus competed in the meet.
https://www.galioninquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2020/12/web1_BOYS-400-FREE-RELAY-START-12212020.jpgCompetitors in the boys 400-yard freestyle relay race dive into the pool to start the event during a tri-meet on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020, at Colonel Crawford High School. Swim teams from Colonel Crawford, Galion, and Bucyrus competed in the meet. Andrew Carter | AIM Media Midwest

By Andrew Carter

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