February 21, 2000

Prep swimming

Senecas sending three to state

BOWLING GREEN -- Ellen Ewald, Jessica Ewald and Marcia Corthell are set to break new ground for the Calvert swimming program as the first Senecas to advance to the state tournament.

The Ewald sisters placed 1-2 in the Bowling Green State University District in the 100 breaststroke, and Corthell was third in the diving competition. They have qualified for the Division II girls state tournament, which runs Thursday through Saturday at Branin Natatorium in Canton.

Ellen Ewald, a senior in her fourth district tournament, set a personal and school record with a 1:08.05, and Jessica was right behind in 1:08.81. Both girls are now qualified for the YMCA nationals, and Ellen set a Division II girls record for the Northwest District. Corthell had qualified on Thursday, with a diving score of 337.55

Ellen was also 10th in the 100 fly in 1:06.56, also a season best. Jessica took four seconds off her sectional time in the 200 individual medley, placing ninth in 2:25.65.

Calvert's team placement was by far the best in school history, as the girls placed ninth with 97 points. Napoleon won with 379 points, followed by Wauseon (269), Sandusky Perkins (264), Oak Harbor (187), Lexington (156) and Lima Shawnee (145). Galion was seventh with 129, and Colonel Crawford edged Calvert with 105 points. Margaretta (91) was 10th.

Toledo St. Francis dominated the boys competition with 511 points, with Napoleon (197) and Perkins (192) as the nearest followers. Also landing in the top ten were Ashland (138), Lexington (138), Fremont Ross (116), Bowling Green (114), Lima Senior (104), Sylvania Northview (92) and Colonel Crawford (81).

"According to Joe Groscost, who has coached Margaretta since 1966, this is the first set of sisters to ever place first and second at an event that he can remember," Calvert coach Janet Stover said. "It was an incredible three days with many firsts for Calvert. Watching Ellen and Jessica swim side-by-side in the in the breaststroke was breathtaking. They are two of the most dedicated athletes I've ever met. They swim all year long.

"We finished Sunday with the 400 free relay, and it was spectacular. The girls took over seven seconds off their time.

"Chris (Johnson) and Andy (Haines) were tremendous representatives for our school. They both swam personal records in both their events. We have yet to see what these two will accomplish."

The 200 medley relay took five seconds off its best time for the girls as Ann Feasel, Christie Distel and the Ewalds finished 12th. The 200 free relay of Distel, Ellen Ewald, Katie Schumm and Kim Wertz placed 13th wtih a season best time, and the 400 free relay set a school record and finished 14th in 4:13.31. Comprising that team were Jessica Ewald, Schumm, Wertz and Distel.

For the boys, Johnson placed 10th in the 100 buttlerfly with a time of 57.44, breaking his own school record. Another personal record came his way in the 50 free, in which he was 18th in 23.36. Haines was 26th in the 50 free in 23.84 and 26th in the 100 free in 52.59. Both times were personal bests.

Corthell dives Thursday, and the Ewalds will swim Saturday.

TC swimmers turn in best performances at districts

BOWLING GREEN -- Columbian did not advance a swimmer to the state tournament in Canton, but recorded seven lifetime or season bests, one of them a school record, during the Bowling Green State University District.

The school record came from the boys 200 free relay, which placed 27th in 1:41.2. Dan Picciuto, Andrew Greene, Richie Martin and Zach Foster made up the team.

The girls 400 free relay gave Columbian its highest placement of the tournament as Jackie Comer, Crystal Cline, Maria Gernert and Katrina Culver finished 16th in 4:18.81. Two other Tornado girls relay teams were in action, and they both placed 17th with season best times. Cline, Katie Decker, Comer and Culver finished the 200 medley relay in 2:07.79 and Comer, Cline, Gernert and Culvert finished the 200 free relay in 1:54.57.

Individually for the girls, Comer swam the 100 fly in a lifetime best time of 1:07.61, good for 16th place. Decker was 25th in the 200 free in 2:10.7, and Culver's lifetime best time of 1:00.54 in the 100 free put her in 26th place.

For the boys, Foster picked the right stage to swim lifetime best times in both the 200 and 500 free. He was 20th in the 500 free (5:25.57) and 22nd in the 200 free (1:56.8).

"As a team, we had an outstanding meet," Columbian coach Peggy Ewald said. "Zach has a great background in swimming and got a good taste for what it takes at the district level to move up, and he did a great job this weekend.

"Due to a death in the family, Katie Decker was faced with a very tough decision today. To be with her family she scratched from the 500 freestyle and the 400 free relay. Her team understood and stepped up to the challenge in the relay. Jackie Comer has shown the team what hard work and a lot of determination can do.

"We had a terrific end to the season. Everyone can be proud of their performances."