By: Marc Hardin, prepsports@enquirer.com
(Photo: The Community Recorder/James Weber)
The Covington Catholic and Notre Dame Academy swimming and diving teams are under new guidance this season with former swimmers as first-year head coaches who returned to their alma maters.
The coaches may be new, but Saturday's Region 7 championship meet results looked familiar for the defending champions. The Colonels and Pandas both won their 18th consecutive titles at Silverlake in Erlanger, handing CovCath coach Chris Goodpaster and Notre Dame coach Courtney Sorrell regional crowns on their first tries at their old schools.
CovCath won nine of 12 events on a record-shattering day and finished with 635 points, good for a wide margin over boys' runner-up Highlands (341) and third-place Dixie Heights (246). Boone County (162) finished a program-best fourth.
"It's great, but we still have our eyes on the big picture," Goodpaster said of taking on defending state champion Louisville St. Xavier at the Feb. 25-27 state meet at University of Louisville's Ralph Wright Natatorium. CovCath is returning state runner-up. "I think we can get close. They have 90 swimmers. We have 30, so that's big odds."
Notre Dame took nine events en route to a winning girls' score of 563. Dixie Heights (311) finished second, followed by third-place Highlands (299) and Beechwood (229).
"A win is exciting no matter what. But this is the first time I can be proud for Notre Dame as the coach, and it feels great," said Sorrell. "The mood has been happy for the girls the entire meet."
Highlands repeated as combined team champ with 640 total points. The Bluebirds were followed by runner-up Dixie Heights (557), third-place Beechwood (313) and Ryle (279). "This is our fifth straight combined win, and it's my ninth," said Highlands coach Amanda Johnson, who won four combined titles while previously coaching at Beechwood.
One year after setting eight regional records, the area's best outdid themselves with a combined 10 regional marks, which is thought to be a record. CovCath was in on four new standards, two by the meet's outstanding male athlete for the second year in a row, senior Brendan Meyer, who set records in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle races.
Meyer broke his own year-old record in the 500 with a wining time of 4 minutes, 28.39 seconds. He broke former CovCath standout and current Stanford swimmer Max Williamson's three-year-old record in the 200 with a winning time of 1:40.11. "What a great atmosphere," Meyer said. "It's going to be tough at state, but we have a chance."
The top two finishers in each event automatically qualified for the state meet. They will join 22 at-large berths in each event from around the state.
Other boys' regional record-setters were CovCath's Nick Smith, who broke Cory Chitwood's nine-year-old mark in the 200 individual medley, the CovCath 200 freestyle relay team, and Scott's Ty Grubb in the 100 breaststroke.
Girls' record-breakers included Notre Dame sophomore Sophie Skinner with three, in the 100 and 200 freestyle races and the 400 freestyle relay. Skinner was voted outstanding female athlete of the meet for the second straight year. NDA's Madeleine Vonderhaar broke her own record in the 100 breaststroke and swam a leg on the record-breaking 400 free relay team. Dixie Heights' Mallory Beil set a record in the 100 butterfly, besting former NDA star Ellen Williamson's six-year-old mark.
Boys' divers clinching state berths were CovCath champion Evan Brungs and runner-up Gus Staubitz, who became the first-ever automatic state qualifier in any event from Holy Cross. Clinching state diving berths for the girls were Scott champion Lindsey Fox and runner-up Eagles teammate, Alexis Epperson.
Saturday's Region 7 girls' swimming and diving championship results at Silverlake (event champions): Diving: Lindsey Fox (Scott) 477.15 points, 200 medley relay: Notre Dame Academy 1:46.69, 200 freestyle: Sophie Skinner (NDA) 1:48.34, 200 individual medley: Madeleine Vonderhaar (NDA) 2:03.10, 50 freestyle: Bray Zimmerman (Beechwood) 24.43, 100 butterfly: Mallory Beil (Dixie Heights) 55.46, 100 freestyle: Sophie Skinner (NDA) 50.34, 500 freestyle: Allie Piccirillo (NDA) 4:59.35, 200 freestyle relay: Notre Dame 1:37.90, 100 backstroke: Amanda Smith (NDA) 56.04, 100 breaststroke: Madeleine Vonderhaar (NDA) 1:03.24, 400 freestyle relay: NDA 3:28.60.
2016 All-Region Girls' Team: Lindsey Fox (Scott), Sophie Skinner (NDA), Madeleine Vonderhaar (NDA), Bray Zimmerman (Beechwood), Mallory Beil (Dixie Heights), Allie Piccirillo (NDA), Amanda Smith (NDA), Sam Glass (NDA), Mollie Bushelman (Beechwood). Female athlete of the meet: Sophie Skinner (NDA). Girls' coach of the year: Courtney Sorrell (NDA).
Girls' team standings: Notre Dame 563, Dixie Heights 311, Highlands 299, Beechwood 229, Ryle 156, Cooper 121, Covington Latin 99, Conner 95, Holy Cross 87, Campbell County 72, Simon Kenton 66, St. Henry 56, Scott 54, Boone County 41, Calvary Christian 16.
Saturday's Region 7 boys' swimming and diving championship results at Silverlake (event champions): Diving: Evan Brungs (Covington Catholic) 534.45 points, 200 medley relay: Covington Catholic 1:37.12, 200 freestyle: Brendan Meyer (CovCath) 1:40.11, 200 individual medley: Nick Smith (CovCath) 1:51.36, 50 freestyle: Owen Downard (Highlands) 21.85, 100 butterfly: Matthew Sims (Dixie Heights) 50.90, 100 freestyle: Nick Smith (CovCath) 46.43, 500 freestyle Brendan Meyer (CovCath) 4:28.39, 200 freestyle relay: CovCath 1:26.73, 100 backstroke: Blake Hanna (CovCath) 51.99, 100 breaststroke: Ty Grubb (Scott) 57.33, 400 freestyle relay: CovCath 3:09.87.
2016 All-Region Boys' Team: Evan Brungs (CovCath), Brendan Meyer (CovCath), Nick Smith (CovCath), Owen Downard (Highlands), Matthew Sims (Dixie Heights), Blake Hanna (CovCath), Ty Grubb (Scott), Josh Smith (CovCath), Bryce Day (CovCath). Male athlete of the meet: Brendan Meyer (CovCath). Boys' coach of the year: Lance Melching (Boone County).
Boys' team standings: Covington Catholic 635, Highlands 341, Dixie Heights 246, Boone County 162, Ryle 123, Scott 120, Campbell County 113, Simon Kenton 105, Holy Cross 101, Beechwood 84, Cooper 81, Conner 77, St. Henry 41, Villa Madonna 24, Holmes 18, Calvary Christian 2.
Combined team standings: Highlands 640, Dixie Heights 557, Beechwood 313, Ryle 279, Boone County 203, Cooper 202, Holy Cross 188, Campbell County 185, Scott 174, Conner 172, Simon Kenton 171, St. Henry 97, Calvary Christian 18.