OSU Buckeye Swimmers Win 7 of 9 Events on Day 1 of Geneva Sectionals

2021 Central Zone Speedo Sectionals 

• July 15-18, 2021
• SPIRE Institute, Geneva, OH
• Hosted by Blazing Barracudas and Hudson HEAT
• Meet Site
• Psych Sheet
• Live Stream
• Results via Meet Mobile: “2021 Speedo Sectional Meet”

The 2021 Central Zone Speedo Sectionals kicked off at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, OH, starting off with the A, B, C, and D (18&U) finals of the women’s and men’s 200 back, 50 free, 200 breast, and the timed finals of the women’s 800 free, men’s 1500 free, and women’s 800 free relay. Participating teams represent either Michigan (LSC: MI) or Ohio (LSCs: OH and LE). The Ohio State (OSU) Buckeyes picked up wins in 7 of the 9 events on Thursday.

Kicking off the meet was a stellar dual in the women’s 200 back between OSU teammates Kyra Sommerstad and Morgan Kraus, finishing within 0.18s of one another. As Sommerstad finished home, Kraus switched gears to challenge her training-mate. Despite splitting 33.95 to Kraus’ 33.52 closing 50, Sommerstad walked away with the win 2:15.40 to 2:15.58. Both women set lifetime bests, with Sommerstad taking a full second off her 2:16.50 entry time while Kraus went from a 2:20.74 entry to 2:16.35 in prelims before breaking the 2:16-barrier.

In the race for third, Dublin Community (DCST)’s 16-year-old Elizabeth Grether touched out 17-year-old Kelsey Cooper by 0.07s, 2:17.27 to 2:17.34, both lifetime bests. In prelims, Cooper led with a then-personal best of 2:19.65 while Grether hit 2:20.77.

On the men’s side, OSU 20-year-old Thomas Watkins swam 2:02.09/2:02.28 to led both the prelims and finals fields. Placing second was Firestone Akron (FAST)’s 16-year-old Jonathon Marshall, who improved from a 2:05.87 entry time, to 2:05.05 in prelims, to 2:04.20 in finals. Marshall’s time now ranks him at No. 18 in the nation in the 15-16 age group.

Rounding out the top four times in the A-final were OSU Buckeyes Robert Kondalski (2:05.73) and John Sampson (2:06.30). Winning the B-final was Notre Dame’s Kaden Smesko of FAST, slicing 5.11s off his morning swim to hit 2:04.88.

Changing it up to the women’s 50 free, OSU 20-year-old Amy Fulmer broke 26 seconds twice for the first time on Thursday. She bested her 26.08 entry time with her top prelims swim of 25.94 and winning finals time of 25.77. Akron’s Sarah Watson of FAST also dipped under 26 for the first time at 25.84. Another OSU Buckeye, Katherine Zenick (25.88), and Club Wolverine 18-year-old Claire Newman (25.97) also broke the 26-second barrier.

Leading the men’s 50 free prelims with a lifetime best was 21-year-old Semuede Andreis of OSU, dropping from 23.14 to 22.60. He later won the A-final at 22.80, remaining the only swimmer under 23 seconds. Teammates Jack Burroughs (23.52) and Jay Johnson (23.57) rounded out the top three times with lifetime bests. Top seed Upper Arlington 18-year-old Avery Voss placed fourth at 23.60 after being seeded at 23.06.

Two FAST swimmers swept the women’s and men’s 200 breast events, the only two events OSU did not top on Thursday. Akron’s  Andrea Fischer won the final at 2:35.04, holding off OSU’s Josie Panitz (2:35.98), who led prelims with a 2:33.65. Buckeye Hannah Bach took third at 2:37.09. Winning the B-final was Akron’s Madeline Dyer of FAST, hitting a massive personal best of 2:37.22 to rank fourth overall.

Shortly after, Denison 21-year-old Richard Kurlich topped the men’s 200 breast at 2:18.52, two seconds off his entry time. Finishing 2-3 for OSU were 19-year-old Nathan Holty (2:19.48) and 20-year-old William Regan (2:20.44).

Into the distance events, OSU 19-year-old Maya Geringer won by 18 seconds with a 8:50.50. In the race for second, Bobcat 19-year-old Morgan Croaning touched out HEAT 16-year-old Margaret Patterson 9:08.31 to 9:08.84. Croaning’s swim was also a 20.21s drop while Patterson chopped a solid 11.48s.

In the men’s 1500 free, 19-year-old Charlie Clark gave OSU a Thursday night distance sweep and its seventh win of the session with his top time of 15:26.67, which was 23 seconds faster than runner-up OSU teammate 18-year-old Jonathan Edwards (15:48.85).

Capping off the session was the women’s 800 free relay, where the B OSU relay out-swam the A OSU relay. The B-relay of Fulmer (2:03.56), Geringer (2:05.80), Tristan Harrison (2:10.32), and Zenick (2:04.13) combined for a 8:23.81 winning effort while the A-relay of Kennady Kilger (2:05.91), Liberty Gilbert (2:07.65), Mia Lachey (2:07.75), and Katherine Trace (2:03.50) teamed up for a 8:24.81 runner-up effort.