District Swimming Preview: 'Locked-in' Wooster relays have eyes set on state berth

Back in January, Wooster’s boys 200-yard freestyle relay came oh-so-close to breaking the program record.

The grouping of Andrei Dordea, Luke Boucher, Aidan McMillan and Gabe Bosler-Kilmer will have another opportunity to shatter that mark Saturday, with a state berth on the line, as they lead a large area contingent at the Cleveland District.

“These boys have worked together all season with the goal of being top eight in the state and they’re on their way to doing it,” Generals coach Chris Matthew said of the group, that currently has the 10th-fastest time in the state (1:27.32). “Their focus, really since the end of last season, is one of the secrets to their success. They are locked-in and ready to go.”

The 200 free unit headlines a group of locals set to take part in both the Division I and Division II meets at Cleveland State’s Busbey Natatorium.

In the big-school portion of the meet, which holds its diving finals on Thursday, followed by swim events on Saturday, Wooster will be well-represented in both the boys and girls meets, with the goal of earning a spot in next weekend’s state meet in Canton.

Along with competing on the top-ranked 200 free relay, Dordea comes in with the fastest overall time in the 50 free after his sectional win in 21.53.

“Dre is focused in every area that one has to be for this level of competition,” she said. “He’s such a team guy, someone who all the other boys look up to. That’s what makes him such a great student athlete and leader.”

Sectional Success: Andrei Dordea leads Wooster boys to runner-up at Canton Sectional swim meet

A pair of Generals find themselves in a loaded 100 butterfly as both Bosler-Kilmer and Cooper Udell are scheduled to compete with the top group. Santiago Salazar clocked a pair of personal records a week ago in the 100 free and 100 backstroke, while three Wooster swimmers — Cole Walenciak, Cole Kuzma and Caleb Kostohryz — are all coming off of strong times in the 500 free.

On the girls side, Colleen Franz will look to make a return trip to state in the one-meter dive; something that is no easy feat to repeat in a district loaded with talented divers.

“Colleen is such a consistent, strong diver,” Matthew said of Franz, who trains with coach Phil Barr out of Canton. “That’s what it takes to get to state. She knows she can’t have one bad dive out of her level and that’s what she did last year when she qualified.

“She has last years’ experience under her belt, which will carry her forward this week.”

Freshman Olivia Kelly enters the weekend after clocking her career-best time in the 200 individual medley, while Piper Udell and Lauren Hershberger are around their season averages in their respective events and will compete on freestyle relays with Miley Green and Ellie Hansen.

After battling flu-like symptoms at the sectional meet, Alessandra Gerber is working her way back to 100% and is the team’s top seed in the 200 IM.

Division II

Speedsters Anna Pittman of Waynedale and Trei Durstine of Smithville come into the district weekend among the top-10 in their respective 50 free preliminary races. Both are returning district qualifiers that are looking for their first career state trips and finishes of second and third at last weekend’s Akron Sectional, they could be well on their way.

And it all starts with how to approach the event when they step onto the starting blocks, which coach Tammy Lyons admits is a little different.

“Both Anna and Tri had close to perfect races at sectionals,” she said. “Trei is a numbers guy and studies the times in the district all season. Trei is analytical at practice, working on pieces of his races at a time.

“Anna just loves to race. She has also matured as an athlete. She has always been a hard worker but is now working with a purpose and plan.”

Both individuals will compete in the 100 free, while Trei Durstine helped lead the Smithies first-ever district relay — the 200 free — with teammates Wyatt Skarl, Taygen Nelson and Reis Durstine.

Reis Durstine and fellow local Sawyer Zimmerman of Orrville will both take part in the 500 free.

Orrville’s Aleah Daugherty will be making her third straight district appearance, coming in ranked high for both the 500 free (13th) and 200 IM (15th).

Combine that with anchoring a pair of Red Rider freestyle relays and the junior is poised for an historic weekend.

“There is not a harder worker or more dedicated swimmer in the pool,” Lyons said. “She has her sights on the state meet and with a taper anything is possible.”

Brenna Martin has also returned to districts with personal-best swims last week in the 100 free and 100 fly, while freshman Kinsley Martin is coming off of career race in the 100 fly.

In just her second season in the sport, Waynedale’s Clara Sundberg is back at districts after a PR in the 500 free at sectionals and the 100 breaststroke.

Another district veteran, Dalton junior Noah Michaels is making his third straight appearance and has done it in a new event – the 100 fly, where he is coming off of a 59.49.

CLEVELAND DISTRICT

WHEN: Thursday (D-I diving; girls – 11 a.m., boys – 6 p.m.), Friday (D-II swimming; boys/girls – noon), Saturday (D-I swimming; boys/girls – noon)

WHERE: Robert F. Busbey Natatorium – Cleveland State (2451 Euclid Ave., Cleveland)

TICKETS: Visit www.ohsaa.org/tickets.

AREA QUALIFIERS

Division I

Wooster: Santiago Salazar (jr., 100 free, 100 back, medley relay), Luke Boucher (sr., 200 IM, 200 free relay, 400 free relay, medley relay), Cooper Udell (sr., 100 fly, 100 back, medley relay), Aidan McMillan (fr., 50 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay, medley relay), Cole Walenciak (sr., 200 free, 500 free), Caleb Kostohryz (sr., 200 free, 500 free), Cole Kuzma (jr., 500 free), Andrei Dordea (sr., 50 free, 100 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay), Gabe Bosler-Kilmer (so., 50 free, 100 fly, 200 free relay, 400 free relay), Thomas Foster (jr., 1-meter dive), Steven Fox (sr., 1-meter dive), David Taylor (fr., 1-meter dive), Colleen Frantz (jr., 1-meter dive), Piper Udell (so., 100 free, 200 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay), Olivia Kelly (fr., 200 IM), Alessandra Gerber (fr., 100 free, 200 IM, 200 free relay, 400 free relay), Ellie Hansen (fr., 400 free relay), Miley Green (jr., 50 free, 200 free relay), Lauren Hershberger (jr., 100 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay), Kellen Smith (so, 100 free), Kenzie Grimwood (fr., 500 free), Margaret McBride (jr., 500 free), Melia Brown (fr., 1-meter dive)

Division II

Chippewa: Jonathan Monteith (so., 100 breaststroke)

Dalton: Noah Michaels (jr., 100 fly)

Loudonville: Nicole Rooks (fr., 100 fly)

Norwayne: Scarlett Butler (jr., 100 fly, 200 IM)

Orrville: Sawyer Zimmerman (sr., 500 free), Brenna Martin (jr., 100 free, 100 fly, 200 free relay, 400 free relay), Aleah Daugherty (jr., 500 free, 200 IM, 200 free relay, 400 free relay), Kinsley Martin (fr., 100 fly, 200 free relay, 400 free relay), Caelea Cochran (so., 200 free relay, 400 free relay)

Smithville: Trei Durstine (jr., 50 free. 100 free, 200 free relay), Reis Durstine (fr., 500 free, 200 free relay), Wyatt Skarl (so., 200 free relay), Taygen Nelson (so., 200 free relay)

Waynedale: Anna Pittman (so., 50 free, 100 free), Clara Sundberg (sr., 500 free, 100 breaststroke)

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Swimming & Diving: Previewing the Div. I and II district meets