Above) Bluffton Sardine Marshall McConnahea plays the National Anthem; Swimmers enjoy Christmas in July; Coaches make a splash on Champs opening day.

By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON – Celebrating their 50th season in style, the host Bluffton summer swim team sits first out of eight teams after day one of the two-day West Ohio Aquatic League championship meet Friday, July 12, at the Bluffton Community Pool.

Bluffton ace Jackson Bowlus touched first in three individual races in the boys 15 and over division Friday to pace the hosts to first place at the midway point. 

Sardine Ethan Roby won two races Friday in the boys 11-12 age group.

Beau Sutton captured first in the girls eight and under bracket 25 freestyle.

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The Sardines are first in the combined team standings, and sit a close second to Westside in the girls race. The Sardines also lead the boys standings at the halfway point.

Westside is a close second to Bluffton in the combined and boys standings, while Wapakoneta is third in all three.

Day two of competition starts Saturday morning in Bluffton, and the meet concludes mid-afternoon Saturday. 

Top Sardine day 1 WOAL finishers:

Boys 11-12 50 SC Meter Freestyle 

1 BLUF-EH 12 Roby, Ethan D 32.66  

 

Boys 15 & Over 50 SC Meter 

1 BLUF-EH 16 Bowlus, Jackson T 25. 16

 

Boys 15 & Over 100 SC Meter IM 

1 BLUF-EH 16 Bowlus, Jackson T 1:04.63  

 

Boys 15 & Over 50 SC Meter Butterfly 

1 BLUF-EH 16 Bowlus, Jackson T 27.85  

 

Boys 11-12 50 SC Meter Butterfly 

1 BLUF-EH 12 Roby, Ethan D 36.58 

 

Girls 8 & Under 25 SC Meter Butterfly 

1 BLUF-EH 8 Sutton, Beau L  23.14 

4 16 BLUF-EH 8 Northrup, Pippa K 26.25  

 

Girls 8 & Under 100 SC Meter Medley 

1 A BLUF-EH 1 J1:48.32 

Crosser, Carys H 8 2) Sutton, Beau L 8 3) Northrup, Pippa K 8 4) Northrup, Tessa M 8 A

 

Girls 13-14 200 SC Meter Medley Relay 

1 BLUF-EH  J2:27.66 

1) Diller, Kari E 14 2) Sterrett, Madelyn N 13 3) Mohr, Kelsey B 14 4) Boblitt, Charlie S 14 

 

Boys 9-10 50 SC Meter Butterfly 

2 BLUF-EH 10 Shank, Roman P 44.43  

 

Girls 15 & Over 50 SC Meter Butterfly 

2 BLUF-EH 16 Downey, Jenna M 31.17  

 

Girls 7-8 25 SC Meter Freestyle 

2 BLUF-EH 8 Crosser, Carys H  20.56 

3 BLUF-EH 8 Northrup, Tessa M 20.76 

4  BLUF-EH 8 Hull, Carly M 20.87  

 

Girls 15 & Over 50 SC Meter Freestyle 

2 BLUF-EH 16 Downey, Jenna M 28.60 

4 BLUF-EH 18 Stechschulte, Izzy R 28.83  

 

Boys 9-10 50 SC Meter Freestyle 

2 BLUF-EH 10 Shank, Roman P 35.50  

 

Boys 11-12 100 SC Meter IM 

2 BLUF-EH 12 Crosser, Bennett A 2 1:25.03  

 

Boys 9-10 200 SC Meter Medley Relay 

2 A BLUF-EH 2 J3:28.58 

Ungashick, Adrian T 10 2) Oberly, Grayson L 10 3) Shank, Roman P 10 4) LaPoint, Max A 9  

 

Boys 13-14 200 SC Meter Medley Relay 

2 A BLUF-EH J2:23.97  

Armstrong, Owen L 14 2) Verb, Camden R 13 3) Ungashick, Ashton T 13 4) Fritsch, Max W 13  

 

Girls 15 & Over 200 SC Meter Medley 

2 A BLUF-EH J2:15.08 

1) Downey, Jenna M 16 2) Essinger, June B 16 3) Wilson, Macy M 18 4) Stechschulte, Izzy R 18 

 

Boys 15 & Over 200 SC Meter Medley Relay 

2 A BLUF-EH J2:00.21  

Bowlus, Jackson T 16 2) Diller, Xavier D 17 3) Schaublin, Grady D 18 4) Stahler, Landon 

 

Girls 13-14 50 SC Meter Freestyle 

3 BLUF-EH 14 Diller, Kari E 30.30  

 

Girls 9-10 50 SC Meter Butterfly 

3 BLUF-EH 10 Agner, Madelyn P  47.43  

 

Girls 15 & Over 100 SC Meter IM 

4 BLUF-EH 18 Stechschulte, Izzy R 1:13.99  

 

Combined Day 1 WOAL Team Scores 

1. Bluffton Swim Team 1,154 points

2. Westside Wave Swim Team 1,128 

3. Wapakoneta Waves 964 

4. Shawnee Country Club 817 

5. Findlay YMCA Frogs 655 

6. Van Wert YMCA Marlins 501 

7. Kenton Area Swim Team 454 

8. Ada Summer Swim Team 372 

 

Girls Scores

1. Westside Wave 579 

2. Bluffton 571 

3. Wapakoneta Waves 506 

4. Shawnee Country Club 405 

5. Findlay YMCA Frogs 362 

6. Kenton Area 275 

7. Van Wert YMCA Marlins 262 

8. Ada Summer 208

 

Boys Scores

1. Bluffton Swim Team 583 

2. Westside Wave 549 

3. Wapakoneta Waves 458 

4. Shawnee Country Club 412 

5. Findlay YMCA Frogs 293 

6. Van Wert YMCA Marlins 239 

7. Kenton Area Swim Team 179 

8. Ada Summer Swim Team 16