Strong performances in two events at the districts allowed Eli Skaggs to represent Galion in the 2016 Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championship in Canton this week.
Skaggs qualified in the 50-yard freestyle with a second-place finish in 22.01 and the 100 butterfly with a third-place finish in personal best of 53.29 at Bowling Green University on Friday.
“The Galion swimmers did shine in the District with a perfect performance from all of the swimmers,” said Ted Temple, Galion head swimming coach.
The men’s team placed 12th with 86 points out of 66 teams in the meet.
Three of the men’s relays placed at the District meet. The 200 free relay team of Skaggs, Landon Rose, Clay Karnes and Sam Rigdon placed 7th and just missed the cut to qualify for the state meet with season best time of 1:33.04. The 200 medley relay team of Skaggs, Luke Eisnaugle, Rigdon and Lucas Conner swam to a season best time of 1:47.97 and placed ninth. The 400 free relay with the following swimmers of Rose, Lucas Conner, Luke Eisnaugle and Karnes swam to a season best time of 3:40.31, placing 14th in the meet.
Clay Karnes placed 13th in the 500 free and 18th in the 100 butterfly with a season best time of 58.67. Rigdon placed 16th in the 50 freestyle with a season best of 23.26 and 17th in the 100 freestyle with a season best of 52.31. Rose placed 25th in the 100 free with a season best time of 54.17 and 20th in the 200 freestyle with a season best of 1:58.58. Conner placed 26th in the 200 freestyle with a season best time of 2:02.90. Lucas placed 26th in the 500 free with a season best time of 5:39.49.
The Lady Tigers 200 free relay team of Bri Wallis, Elise Barnhart, Sari Conner and Allison DeNero placed 19th in their season best time of 1:48.88. Allison Denero placed 18th in the 100 butterfly in 1:06.03 and was 23rd in the 200 IM with a season best time of 2:26.75. Wallis swam a season best time in the 500 free with a time of 5:53.30 and placing 23rd in the meet. Wallis also swam a season best 200 freestyle in 2:11.61 – placing 31st.
“In my 23 years coaching at Galion, this District meet rates as one of the best meets I have enjoyed coaching,” Temple said. “The swimmers swam well and had lots of time drop.”
Skaggs will swim Thursday and Friday at Canton McKinley High School at 5 p.m.
Aside from Galion, Colonel Crawford has seven qualifiers: Jillianne Gregg, 50 free; Chloe Grove, 500 free; Jake Johnson, 100 breaststroke; Grant Pfeifer, 200, 500 free; 200 girls free relay (Gregg, Madison Sharp, Grove and Callie Ruffener) and 400 free relay (Madison Sharp, Pierce Krassow, Grove and Callie Ruffener).
