UPDATED with photos by Charles Wright on Feb. 22. CORRECTION Bowlus placed 21st in 50 freestyle.

By Cort Reynolds

CANTON – Bluffton High School junior Jackson Bowlus qualified to the state B finals in one event with a solid preliminary heat performance in the Ohio Div. II swimming meet at Canton’s C.T. Branin Natatorium Thursday evening, February 20.

Bowlus took 15th amidst a field of 32 boys in the 100-yard backstroke preliminary heats Thursday evening. He swam a 53.78 to advance to the B Finals Friday night. Hamilton Ross senior Cooper Burt captured first in the 100 back prelims with a time of 48.94.

Bowlus touched 21st out of 32 boys in the 50 freestyle prelims Thursday evening. He recorded a time of 22.12 to miss the B Finals by .11. Senior Mason Francis won the 50 free prelims in 19.79.

Bluffton junior Jenna Downey finished 18th out of 32 girls in the 50-yard freestyle preliminaries Thursday with a time of 24.94. Bexley freshman Katie Drummond won the 50 free prelims in 23.48.

Downey also took 21st in the 32-swimmer 100 butterfly heats Thursday night. Senior Carrie Furbee of Grandview Heights won the 100 fly preliminary with a time of 53.58.

The Div. II state meet finals are set for Friday evening from 5-9 p.m. A top-eight finish in the preliminary heats confers a spot in the A Finals. Preliminary round 9-16 finishers qualify for the B Finals.