A year ago, the Cougars were runner-up to Cincinnati Indian Hill and immediately set a goal to hoist the trophy this winter.
“We knew coming into this year that we had a really good chance because they lost a lot of guys,” said Cougars coach Heather Shaffer. “At districts last year, that very day we made the goal that next year we’d come back here and win it. It’s been our No. 1 goal all year and we did it.”
The Cougars had four boys — seniors Dylan Day and Seth Thomas and juniors Chase Fyffe and Evan Blazer — advance to the state meet in all four of their events, including two individual events and two relays. Cougars senior Matthew Mayhan also qualified as part of the team’s 200 medley relay team, while senior Carson Brann and junior Hayden Sallot also swam on the team’s 400 relay team.
“We knew how to spread our boys out a little bit,” Shaffer said. “It’s been a conversation we’ve been having all year long getting ready for it. We knew (winning districts) was definitely doable and we knew that this was the only chance we’d have to do it. It was either get it done now or don’t get it done at all. It was a lot of motivation to get it done now.”
The Cougars 200 free relay team of Day, Thomas, Fyffe and Blazer won the D-II state championship last season in a time of 1 minute, 27.43 seconds. Last weekend, the Cougars set a meet record in the 200 free relay in a time of 1:26.04.
“It’s more expected this year, but it’s still absolutely amazing to think that we swam faster than anybody has swam before (at that meet),” Shaffer said. “It’s a testament to how hard they worked and how bad they really wanted to win the meet.”
The Cougars 200 relay team enter the state meet ranked first in the state, but Rocky River is right behind at 1:26.54.
“We’ve still got some work to do,” Shaffer said. “We have to swim pretty much perfectly to keep that spot.”
Blazer won the 100 free in 46.39 and finished second in the 50 free in 21.23. He enters the state meet ranked third and fifth in each event, respectively.
As a team, the Cougars are projected to finish runner-up at the state meet, according to SwimMeet.com. Prelims will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton with finals scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday night.
As the season comes to a close, Shaffer and her team will cherish their last meet together, she said.
“They’re an absolutely amazing group of boys to coach,” Shaffer said.
The Kenton Ridge girls team also had one individual and one relay team qualify for the state meet. Cougars freshman Jayleigh Brown qualified in the 50 free, finishing fourth at districts in 24.31. The Cougars 200 free relay team of freshman Alyssa Shaffer and Jayleigh Brown and juniors Ryleigh Brown and Brooke DeHart also qualified, placing eighth (1:42.58).
Shawnee senior Alaina Derringer also qualified in the 100 breast, finishing eighth at districts in 1:08.86.
STATE QUALIFIERS
Boys
D-II
200 Medley Relay: Kenton Ridge
200 Individual Medley: Dylan Day, Kenton Ridge
50 Free: Evan Blazer, Kenton Ridge; Seth Thomas, Kenton Ridge
100 Fly: Chase Fyffe, Kenton Ridge
100 Free: Evan Blazer, Kenton Ridge
200 Free Relay: Kenton Ridge
100 Back: Chase Fyffe, Kenton Ridge
100 Breast: Seth Thomas, Kenton Ridge; Dylan Day, Kenton Ridge
Girls
D-II
50 Free: Jayleigh Brown, Kenton Ridge
200 Free Relay: Kenton Ridge
100 Breast: Alaina Derringer, Shawnee
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