Sardine boys place 1st, girls 3rd

By Cort Reynolds

WAPAKONETA__The Bluffton Sardines summer swim team captured the combined and boys team titles at the annual eight-team Western Ohio Aquatic League championship meet in the Wapakoneta village pool July 11-12.

WOAL is for swimmers aged 5-18 who are members on one of the league’s eight teams. Over 500 swimmers competed in the hot two-day event at Wapakoneta.

Findlay finished second in the combined boys/girls team race by 221 points to the triumphant Sardines.

Bluffton rolled to the boys team crown by nearly 300 points over second-place Westside.

The Sardine girls finished a strong third, 116.5 points behind Findlay for the girls team title.

Sardine Jackson Bowlus touched first in three individual races in the boys 15-and-over age group to pace the victors. Bowlus also swam the opening leg for two victorious relay quartets.

Bluffton’s Jenna Downey (girls 15-and-over), Parker McGraw (boys 15-and-over) and Weylyn Sutton (girls eight-and-under) each won one event.

McGraw and Lottie Northrup (girls six-and-under) each took second in a pair of races.

The Sardines also grabbed first in five relay events to rack up 200 points.

Bluffton won four of the 14 age group crowns, and took second in five other age divisions as well. 

Third-place Westside edged Wapak by 75 points in the combined standings to nose out the Waves in a close race.
 

Bluffton 1st-place finishers

Event Place Team Name Age Finals Time

Girls 15 & Over 50 SC Meter Freestyle 

1 BLUF-EH 17 Downey, Jenna M 28.01

Boys 15 & Over 50 SC Meter Freestyle 

1 BLUF-EH 17 Bowlus, Jackson T 24.91

Boys 15 & Over 100 SC Meter IM 

1 BLUF-EH 16 McGraw, Parker W 1:04.05

Girls 8 & Under 25 SC Meter Butterfly 

1 BLUF-EH 8 Sutton, Weylyn M 1 21.25

Boys 15 & Over 50 SC Meter Backstroke 

1 BLUF-EH 17 Bowlus, Jackson T 28.06

Boys 15 & Over 50 SC Meter Butterfly 

1 BLUF-EH 17 Bowlus, Jackson T 27.33 
2 BLUF-EH 17 Koh, Thomas D 28.02

Boys 13-14 200 SC Meter Medley Relay 

1 A BLUF-EH J2:15.97 
1) Crosser, Bennett A 13 2) Ungashick, Ashton T 14 3) Verb, Camden R 14 4) Hixon, Everett J 14

Boys 15 & Over 200 SC Meter Medley 

1 A BLUF-EH J1:56.32 
1) Bowlus, Jackson T 17 2) Chrissobolis, Timothy J 16 
3) Koh, Thomas D 17 4) Diller, Xavier D 18

Boys 13-14 200 SC Meter Freestyle Relay 

1 A BLUF-EH J1:56.13 
1) Crosser, Bennett A 13 2) Fritsch, Max W 14 3) Hixon, Everett J 14 4) Verb, Camden R 14

Girls 15 & Over 200 SC Meter Freestyle Relay 

1 A BLUF-EH J1:57.09 
1) Maag, Karlee J 16 2) Diller, Kari E 15 3) Essinger, June B 17 4) Downey, Jenna M 17

Boys 15 & Over 200 SC Meter Freestyle Relay 

1 A BLUF-EH J1:43.73 
1) Bowlus, Jackson T 17 2) Wright, Charles A 17 3) McGraw, Parker W 16 4) Diller, Xavier D 18

Combined team scores

1. Bluffton Swim Team 2570 points
2. Findlay YMCA Frogs 2349 
3. Westside Wave Swim Team 2152 
4. Wapakoneta Waves 2077 
5. Shawnee Country Club 1382.5 
6. Ada Summer Swim Team 844 
7. Kenton Area Swim Team 810.5 
8. Van Wert YMCA Marlins 779 

Girls team scores

1. Findlay YMCA Frogs 1243.5 points
2. Wapakoneta Waves 1205 
3. Bluffton Swim Team 1127 
4. Westside Wave Swim Team 991.5 
5. Shawnee Country Club 909 
6. Kenton Area Swim Team 604 
7. Van Wert YMCA Marlins 412 
8. Ada Summer Swim Team 223 

Boys team scores

1. Bluffton Swim Team 1443 points
2. Westside Wave Swim Team 1160.5 
3. Findlay YMCA Frogs 1105.5 
4. Wapakoneta Waves 872 
5. Ada Summer Swim Team 621 
6. Shawnee Country Club 473.5 
7. Van Wert YMCA Marlins 367 
8. Kenton Area Swim Team 206

WOAL Championship Meet Totals by Age Group

6 & Under Girls   

1 Bluffton Swim Team 104 points
2 Wapakoneta Waves 97 

6 & Under Boys 

1 Bluffton Swim Team 117 
2 Westside Wave 77 

8 & Under Girls 

1 Wapakoneta Waves 198 
2 Bluffton Swim Team 166 

8 & Under Boys 

1 Wapakoneta Waves 179 
4 Bluffton Swim Team 116 

7-8 Girls 

1 Wapakoneta Waves 70.5
2 Bluffton Swim Team 45.5

7-8 Boys 

1 Wapakoneta Waves 87 
2 Bluffton Swim Team 86 

9-10 Girls 

1 Findlay YMCA Frogs 351 
2 Bluffton Swim Team 279 

9-10 Boys 

1 Wapakoneta Waves 331 
4 Bluffton Swim Team 166 

11-12 Girls 

1 Findlay YMCA Frogs 282 
6 Bluffton Swim Team 127 

11-12 Boys 

1 Westside Wave 327 
4 Bluffton Swim Team 203 

13-14 Girls 

1 Findlay YMCA Frogs 242.50 
7 Bluffton Swim Team 121 

13-14 Boys 

1 Bluffton Swim Team 
2 Westside Wave 176 

15 & Over Girls 

1 Westside Wave 323.50 
2 Bluffton Swim Team 284.50 

15 & Over Boys 

1 Bluffton Swim Team 415 
2 Findlay YMCA Frogs 299.50