The St. Francis de Sales boys swimming team continued its domination in the pool by winning the Three Rivers Athletic Conference swimming and diving championships for the third consecutive year on January 17 and 18, 2014 at the Hawk-Bucci Natatorium at Ross High School in Fremont, Ohio.
Of the 11 events that constitute a swimming meet, the Knights won all but one race and set records in eight of them.
The lone race that St. Francis did not win went to the Findlay 400-yard free relay team of senior Ross Stansbery, sophomore Tucker Stocker, senior Jeremy Wilson, and sophomore Justin Hopkins in a conference record time of 3:20.25.
The Knight’s 758 first-place points provided a comfortable margin over three-time runner-up Findlay (521 points). Fremont Ross claimed third place for the third consecutive year with 326 points followed by St. John’s Jesuit (289.5 points), Clay (158 points), and Lima Senior (154.5) respectively. Central Catholic and Whitmer did not field teams.
Senior Jack DiSalle (200 yard and 100 yard freestyle) and junior Christian Sobczak (200 yard IM and 100 yard back) won two races apiece in record-setting times and combined with teammates sophomore William Knight and junior Evan Williams to take first place in the 200 yard free relay for St. Francis.
Other Knight swimmers eclipsing TRAC records during the meet were senior Nick Brodie in the 50 yard free with a time of 21.05; junior Ben Gordon in the 100 yard fly (53.12) and junior Aaron Borgman in the 500 yard free (4:47.73). Senior Jack Barone bettered his record that he established last year in the 100 yard breast with a time of 59.97.
For his efforts, Sobczak was named the TRAC Swimmer of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Senior Mitchell Layman of St. John’s Jesuit repeated as the TRAC diving champion. Layman was named the Diver of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Knight first-year head coach Brent Ransom was selected by his coaching colleagues as the Coach of the Year.
The final team standings and individual event winners are as follows:
Swimmer of the Year: Christian Sobczak, Junior – St. Francis de Sales
Diver of the Year: Mitchell Layman, Senior – St. John’s Jesuit
Coach of the Year: Brent Ransom – St. Francis de Sales
Final Results
1. St. Francis de Sales – 758 points
2. Findlay – 521 points
2. Fremont Ross – 326 points
4. St. John’s Jesuit – 289.5 points
5. Clay – 158 points
6. Lima Senior – 154.5 points
Event Winners:
200 Yard Medly Relay
St. Francis de Sales (Nick Birkemeier, Senior; Ben Gordon, Junior; A.J. Wawrzyniak, Freshman; Jack Barone, Senior) 1:42:64
200 Yard Free
Jack DiSalle, Senior – St. Francis de Sales 1:46.93 (TRAC record)
200 Yard Individual Medley
Christian Sobczak, Junior – St. Francis de Sales 1:57.51 (TRAC record)
50 Yard Free
Nick Brodie, Senior – St. Francis de Sales 21.05 (TRAC record)
100 Yard Fly
Ben Gordon, Junior – St. Francis de Sales 53.12 (TRAC record)
100 Yard Free
Jack DiSalle, Senior – St. Francis de Sales 47.66 (TRAC record)
500 Yard Free
Aaron Borgman, Junior – St. Francis de Sales 4:47.73 (TRAC record)
2oo Yard Free Relay
St. Francis de Sales (Jack DiSalle, Senior; William Knight, Sophomore; Christian Sobczak, Junior; Evan Williams, Junior) 1:30.65
100 Yard Back
Christian Sobczak, Junior – St. Francis de Sales 53.51 (TRAC record)
100 Yard Breast
Jack Barone, Senior – St. Francis de Sales 59.97 (TRAC record)
400 Yard Free Relay
Findlay (Ross Stansbery, Senior; Tucker Stocker, Sophomore; Jeremy Wilson, Senior; Justin Hopkins, Sophomore) 3:20.25 (TRAC record)
1 Meter Diving
Mitchell Layman, Senior – St. John’s Jesuit
To view the official meet results and TRAC Swimming and Diving Championship Meet records click on these links:
TRAC 2014 Swimming and Diving Championship Meet Results