CANTON (Crawford County Now) — The Colonel Crawford High School swim team made a splash this season by qualifying eight swimmers for the OHSAA State Championship Meet at the prestigious C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton.
Girls swimmers include Ashtyn Rickel, Ava Finnan, Riley Finnan, Meadow Foust, and alternate Evy Grau. The boys’ qualifiers were Landon Sutter, Ian Gonzales, Andrew Heinle, Parker Keller, and alternate Aiden Shull.
For the girls’ team, two swimmers qualified in individual events. Rickel, a senior, competed in the 50 and 100 freestyles, while Ava Finnan, a junior, earned her spot in the 200 and 500 freestyles. The girls’ team also secured two relay entries, with the 200-relay and 400- freestyle relays featuring Rickel, Foust, Riley Finnan, and Ava Finnan.
The boys’ team was also well-represented at the state level. Sutter, a senior, qualified in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke events. Additionally, the boys’ team earned a state relay berth in the 200-freestyle relay, consisting of Heinle, Gonzales, Keller, and Sutter.
The Eagles competed in the State Prelims on Thursday, with hopes of advancing to the state finals on Friday night. Rickel delivered an outstanding performance, qualifying for the finals in both of her individual events as well as both girls’ relays.
Rickel showcased her talent, securing 16th place finishes in both the 50 and 100 freestyles, earning individual All-Ohio honors. The girls’ relay teams also made their mark, with the 200-freestyle relay finishing 13th and the 400-freestyle relay finishing 12th, granting All-Ohio honors to all four relay swimmers.
The Colonel Crawford swim team had a standout season, with both the boys’ and girls’ teams winning the North Central Ohio Swim League. The girls’ team also finished third in the Northwest District.