Olympian Hunter Armstrong presence still felt at OHSAA state swim meet inside C.T. Branin
Four years ago in the OHSAA state swim meet, Hunter Armstrong was the second-fastest man in Ohio in his two individual events.
Now in his first season on the Pro Swim Series, Armstrong is a world beater.
At a meet in Tennessee last month, the former Dover Tornado produced the second-fastest January 100 backstroke time in history, a 52.68.
OHSAA state swimming:Eight Federal League swimmers earn 'A' finals during OHSAA Division I state meet prelims
Armstrong is in training for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris after a strong showing in the 2021 Summer Games.
"It's so cool to watch him," said 2023 Jackson standout Luke Vickers, who has committed to Ohio State, where Armstrong broke records last winter.
In the 2019 OHSAA state finals, Adam Chaney beat Armstrong 19.79-20.14 in the 50 freestyle and 43.67-44.27 in the 100 free. Both of their names have grown in the swim world.
Late last week, Chaney swam on a University of Florida 200 free relay that set an SEC record.
Two of the big stars in this week's state meet, Scotty Buff of Toledo St. Francis and Jonny Marshall of Akron Firestone, both are committed to Florida.
Dover's latest dynamo, senior Lucas Lane, is headed for Ohio State after winning Division II state championships in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle races.
Lane was a man on fire in the 200, winning with four seconds to spare.
GlenOak back in OHSAA state meet behind Jacob Harms
Zac Hawkins was an assistant cross country coach at GlenOak when he met an eighth-grade runner named Jacob Harms.
Harms, one of the tallest runners around, might have gone into basketball as his winter sport, but Hawkins, GlenOak's head swim coach, presented him with an option.
Harms was anchor man on GlenOak's 200 freestyle relay that reached this week's state meet.
Harms was the tallest man on the C.T. Branin Natatorium pool deck during for Friday's Division I prelims.
"He doesn't use the steps to get on the starting block," Hawkins said. "He just steps onto the block. That gets the other kids' attention.
"I'm thrilled with his progress. He was swimming 30- and 31-second 50s as a freshman."
Harms' relay split at districts was 10 seconds faster than 31.
"He's got grit and a willingness to go through a lot of pain, which is necessary in both cross country and swimming," Hawkins said.
GlenOak was fired up about its first state-qualifying group in a few years. Senior Blayne Maurer, senior Layne Studer and junior Matt Calvert worked their way to the state meet with Harms. They barely missed advancing from Friday's prelims to Saturday's B finals.
Hoover, Jackson state records hanging around Branin Natatorium
A few state records recorded by Stark County swimmers have grown roots in the Branin Natatorium pool.
Hoover recorded a state record 1:32.35 in the 200 freestyle relay in 2019 with the group of Amanda Palutsis, Kate Lochridge, Caroline Ehlers and Parker Timken). The fastest 2023 time in Ohio heading into Saturday's Division I finals was Upper Arlington's 1:33.69.
In 2019, the Hoover quartet of Caitlin Cronin, Maya Lewis, Parker Timken and Caroline Ehlers set a state 200 medley relay record in 1:41.02. Upper Arlington's 1:43.98 in Friday's prelims is this year's top Ohio time.
Jackson's Chase Kinney set a state tournament record in the girls 50 freestyle with a 22.53 in 2013. This year's fastest time, pending Saturday DI finals, is a 22.98 by Dublin Jerome's Olivia Matson.
2022 Perry's Sophie Baker makes move as state-meet sophomore
Perry sophomore Sophie Baker turned in one of Friday's hidden gems during Division I prelims when she qualified for the B finals in the 100 backstroke. Her time drop from districts was the biggest of any of the 32 swimmers in the event.
She swam the fastest time by a sophomore.
Baker's state prelims time last year as a freshman was 57.56. Her 57.15 Friday was the exact time swum by then-Jackson senior Janine Murphy in last year's state B finals.
Cincinnati St. Xavier buzzing around after missing 2022 state swim title
Beavercreek ended Cincinnati St. Xavier's 13-year Division I state-meet team championship streak by a narrow margin last year. The final tally was 211.5 points for Beavercreek, 207.5 for Xavier.
Beavercreek was hit hard by graduation. Xavier hit hard in Friday's prelims.
The Bombers opened prelims with the fastest time in the medley relay. In the first individual event, the 200 freestyle, only Firestone superstar Jonny Marshall had a better time than Xavier's Thackston McMullan, and it wasn't by much. McMullan had the best time in the 500, by a lot.
By the time Xavier posted the top times in the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays, The X-citement was back for the Cincinnati crew.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Olympian Hunter Armstrong became swim star for Dover in OHSAA meet
