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Chagrin swimmers set sights on state meet
(by Steve Novak - January 21, 2009)
Chagrin swimmers set sights on state meet
By STEVE NOVAK
Just as the swallows return to Capistrano and the buzzards return to Hinckley, Chagrin Falls plans a return of its own -- to the high school swimming and diving state finals.
Last year, several Tigers qualified for the Division II state finals at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton.
According to veteran coach Beth Sonnhalter, the team is headed on the right track toward a return trip down the Interstate 77 to the state finals.
The Tigers have again done well this season. Both the boys' and the girls' teams have a 2-1 record in dual meets. Sonnhalter said she was even pleased with the team's one loss because it came in a contest against a strong Mentor team, and because the margin of victory was only about 25 team points.
During the weekends that the Tigers weren't participating in dual meets, they were taking part in multi-team invitational meets. Earlier this month, the girls' team finished first in the Cloverleaf Invitational among a field of 17 schools. The boys' team finished 10th in the same meet.
Among the individual events at Cloverleaf, sophomore Jackie Shroyer finished second in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:06. In the 100-yard backstroke, Jackie's twin sister, Meghan, was first with a time of 1:02. Jackie was third in the same event with a 1:03 clocking.
In the 100-yard breast stroke at Cloverleaf, junior Lindsey Quinn was the winner with a time of 1:12. Then, in the 200-yard medley relay, the team won with a combined time of 1:56. The four members of the relay team were Quinn, the Shroyer sisters and junior Susannah Shelley.
In the 200-yard medley-relay victory, Shelley had the fastest time with a clocking of 25.9 seconds. Meghan had the next fastest time at 28 seconds. Jackie was third with a time of 30.4 seconds and Quinn posted a 32.5 time for her leg of the relay.
These four swimmers -- Quinn, Shelley and the Shroyers -- are all returning members of the Chagrin Falls delegation that qualified for the Division II state finals last year.
Sonnhalter said she only lost one of the 2007-2008 girls 'state qualifiers due to senior graduation. That lone 2008 graduate last June was Marie Palisky, who specialized in relay events.
On the boys' team for Chagrin Falls, Jamie Englehart is now a junior. He qualified for the state finals both as a freshman and a sophomore. Englehart, whose specialty is the 1-meter dive competition, finished third in the Cloverleaf meet.
Sonnhalter said there's another junior on the team who has posted some impressive performances this season. She said Jon Marc specializes in the 100-yard breast stroke and the 100-yard butterfly.
Sonnhalter said she wouldn't be surprised is Marc also earned an invitation to this year's state finals.
"He should, if he keeps up the way that he's been going," she said.
In a recent posting of the top times in the area for swim events, Marc had the third best time in the 100-yard backstroke with a clocking of 56.7 seconds. The best time was posted by University School's Ben Stewart-Bates with 54.8 seconds.
Sonnhalter said overall team results so far show the advantage of having swimmers who already have the experience of one or more state final competitions in their scholastic career.
"We're young, but we've got so many returning veterans," she said. "That means that life just gets easier around the pool, and we're improving every day."
Saturday, the Tigers participate in the Chagrin Valley Conference meet at Hawken School.
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