PHOTO BY ROBERT TAYLOR
Senior Mike Pavlak and the Wadsworth Grizzlies' swim teams will compete Saturday at the 8th annual Canton City Schools Christmas Invitational. Pavlak, a two-time state qualifier, was ninth a year ago in the 200 IM.
The 37th annual Viking Invitational, hosted at Cleveland State's Busbey Natatorium, is slated to begin this Saturday (Dec. 17) at 8 a.m.
Team scheduled to participate include Nordonia, Stow-Munroe Falls, Walsh Jesuit, Lyndhurst Brush, Lakewood, Mayfield, Mentor, North Royalton and Normandy.
Walsh junior Danielle Margheret is the defending champion in the 100-yard breaststroke. She later advanced to win the OHSAA Division II state championship in that event.
How tough is the Viking?
A year ago, Medina senior Aidan Dorman set a school record in the breaststroke and placed fourth.
Approximately 600 swimmers will invade C.T. Branin Natatorium this Saturday for the 8th annual Canton City Schools Christmas Invitational, beginning at 8 a.m.
Teams from Archbishop Hoban, Copley, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Firestone, Green, Revere, Twinsburg and Wadsworth are planning to attend.
Wadsworth senior and two-time state qualifier Mike Pavlak placed ninth in the 200 IM at last year's Canton City Schools event.
Petruzzi, Varrelmann pace Medina
When the Medina girls swimming team defeated North Royalton last Friday (Dec. 9), sophomore Sami Petruzzi won four events for the Bees (200 medley relay, 200 free, 100 butterfly, 400 free relay).
Petruzzi was clocked at 2:03.40 in the 200 free and 1:02.22 in the fly.
On the boys side, North Royalton prevailed; however, Medina junior Tim Varrelmann won the 200 free (1:49.30), 100 free (50.30) and swam a leg on the Bees' first-place medley relay.
Hawken swims by past Falcons
That Gates Mills Hawken has won 13 straight OHSAA Division II state titles in girls swimming was reinforced Tuesday (Dec. 13) for the Firestone Falcons.
The Hawks won eight events at C.T. Branin Natatorium last February to clinch the state trophy and rolled up 334 points to nearly double the total accumulated by second-place Granville (171).
Firestone has a strong tradition of its own, but Hawken has too much firepower.
Hawken won the girls meet 126-59 and took the boys dual as well 120.5-51.5.
"We didn't have the depth for them," Firestone coach Cindy Virdo said.
Firestone junior Katie Miller won the 200-yard freestyle (1:53.98) and 500 free (5:00.61) and was Firestone's only double winner. Miller is the defending Division I state champion in the 200 IM.
Pool record
Last Friday (Dec. 9) and Saturday (Dec. 10), the Hudson Explorers picked up four dual meet swimming victories, sweeping both Mentor and Massillon Jackson at the Explorers' East Woods Pool.
The big news on Saturday had Hudson senior Jimmy Dagley setting a pool record in the 100-meter backstroke (58.32).
Courage at Crestwood
On Monday (Dec. 12) at Hiram College, the Crestwood boys swimming team rallied around sophomore John Kilbourne, after his father had died on Saturday. Kilbourne elected to compete and the Red Devils overwhelmed Archibishop Hoban 97-61.
“My dad actually swam as a kid,” Kilbourne said. “He was a scuba diving teacher and he loved to watch me swim. So, I came (to the meet) and it helped get my mind off things.”
Kilbourne swam four events and scored 5.5 points for his team.
“When I do sports, I normally get really competitive with it,” he said. “I stick to doing my sport and not let down my team. My team is my family.”
His father became ill just over two weeks ago.
“I am impressed,” Holler said. “He hasn’t missed. His dad would have wanted him to (be here). His dad was at every meet, always cheering him on.”