‘Classic’ still going strong at 35

From a single site for both the preliminaries and finals to nine preliminary sites scattered across the district, the Southwest Ohio High School Swimming & Diving Classic has come a long way.

In its 35th year, the “Classic” — as it is often referred to — remains the largest invitational of its kind in the country. Close to 3,000 swimmers and divers will vie for first-place finishes and bragging rights as the two-day event gets underway Saturday.

Five things to know about the Classic

Bigger and better: Once held entirely at St. Xavier’s Keating Natatorium, the Classic will be competed at nine sites this year. Diving preliminaries will be held at Miami University, Mason, Milford and Trotwood-Madison high schools with the finals at the University of Cincinnati. Countryside and West Carrollton YMCAs, Miami University, the Dayton Raider Aquatic Center and Mason, Milford, Princeton and Trotwood-Madison high schools will host swimming preliminaries with the finals held at Keating Natatorium.

More than 2,700 swimmers and 150 divers, representing 111 schools, will compete this year. All athletes, regardless of division, compete against each other.

District of champions: It’s a title that the Southwest District has earned as area swimmers are among the best in the state year after year. St. Xavier clinched the Division I boys state team title last year and 40 Southwest District swimmers placed in the top 10 individually. In the boys D-II ranks, five of the top 10 teams were from the district, including Bellbrook (second), Carroll (eighth) and Oakwood (10th). And 51 swimmers placed in the top 10 individually.

The girls fared just as well as Mason placed second at state as a team in D-I and four other district teams cracked the top 10, including Centerville in 10th. Forty-seven girls posted top 10 state finishes. Mariemont and Oakwood finished third and fifth, respectively, at the D-II state competition and 55 district swimmers recorded top 10 finishes.

Record-breaking performances: Southwest District success is nothing new as swimmers and divers from the district hold 25 of 36 Ohio High School State Meet swimming and diving records after adding two more in 2017.

Ones to beat: Domination might be an understatement as the St. Xavier Bombers have won every boys’ Classic team championship since the event began and will battle for a 35th consecutive crown this year. Seven Hills has been runner up the past three years. On the girls’ side, Mason is in the hunt for a third straight Classic title. The Centerville girls placed second last year.

Something for everyone: Unlike traditional high school meets, the Classic includes longer NCAA and USA Swimming events – like the 400-yard individual medley and the 1,650-yard freestyle — as well as shorter events — like the 50-yard breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke. This affords long-time club swimmers as well as new swimmers the opportunity to compete.

For more information as well as meet results, visit swimmeet.com. Here’s who we consider the top high school basketball area girls teams:

1. Tecumseh (8-3): lost 56-48 at Kenton Ridge; d. Urbana 94-11; hosts Spg. Shawnee on Sat.; at Alter on Mon.; hosts Northwestern on Wed.

2. Beavercreek (10-3): d. Northmont 65-38; hosts CJ on Mon.; at Miamisburg on Wed.

3. Wayne (8-4): d. Springfield 80-46; vs. Newark on Sun.; vs. Regis Jesuit on Mon.; hosts Springboro on Wed.

4. Lebanon (12-1): d. Ursuline 51-48; d. Kings 53-40; d. Fairmont 5044; hosts Centerville on Wed.

5. Springboro (9-3): lost 59-48 to Mount Notre Dame; vs. Tippecanoe on Sat.; at Lakota East on Mon.; at Wayne on Wed.

Butler, Centerville, Fairborn, Fairmont, Miamisburg, Northmont, Piqua, Sidney, Springfield, Stebbins, Troy, West Carrollton, Wilmington, Xenia.

1. Tippecanoe (11-1): lost 54-53 at Versailles; d. Fairborn 47-33; vs. Springboro on Sat.; hosts Stebbins on Wed.

2. Trotwood-Madison (10-1): d. Greenville 69-25; d. Butler 59-46; at Troy on Wed.

3. Valley View (11-0): d. Dixie 66-29; played Bellbrook on Thu.; hosts Monroe on Sat.

4. Spg. Shawnee (8-3): d. Bellefontaine 41-28; d. Greenon 57-53; at Tecumseh on Sat.; hosts Urbana on Wed.

5. Franklin (9-3): d. Eaton 47-41; d. Brookville 59-26; d. Miamisburg 60-52; played Little Miami on Thu., hosts Bellbrook on Sat.; hosts Dixie on Mon.

Alter, Bellbrook, Bellefontaine, Belmont, Carroll, Chaminade Julienne, Clinton-Massie, Dunbar, Eaton, Fenwick, Graham, Greenville, Kenton Ridge, Meadowdale, Northwestern, Oakwood, Ponitz, Stivers, Thurgood Marshall.

1. Versailles (13-1): d. Parkway 59-30; d. Tippecanoe 54-53; played Marion Local on Thu.

2. Waynesville (12-0): d. Milton-Union 50-46; hosts Northridge on Sat.; hosts Carlisle on Tue.

3. Preble Shawnee (10-2): d. Cin. Christian 53-23; d. Monroe 55-51; played Carlisle on Thu.; at Dixie on Sat.; at TC North on Tue.

4. Greeneview (8-2): d. WL-Salem 44-33; d. Northeastern 96-33; played West Jefferson on Thu.; at Mechanicsburg on Sat.

5. West Liberty-Salem (9-4): lost 44-33 at Greeneview; d. Southeastern 60-27; played Greenon on Thu.; hosts Madison Plains on Sat.

Anna, Arcanum, Bethel, Brookville, Carlisle, Dayton Christian, Dixie, Greenon, Indian Lake, Miami East, Milton-Union, Northeastern, Northridge, Urbana.

1. Minster (11-0): d. Delphos SJ’s 50-26; played St. Henry on Thu.; vs. Sheridan on Sat.

2. Tri-Village (10-2): d. Covington 52-42; played Miami East on Thu.; at National Trail on Sat.; hosts Cedarville on Tue.

3. New Bremen (11-1): d. Marion Local 47-38; played Fort Recovery on Thu.; at St. Marys on Tue.

4. Fort Recovery (9-1): d. Van Wert 49-32, d. Jackson Center 49-42; played New Bremen on Thu.; at South Adams (Ind.) on Tue.

5. Russia (10-3): d. Fairlawn 61-15; lost 29-23 at Fort Loramie; d. St. Marys 46-35; played Houston on Thu.; hosts Covington on Tue.

Ansonia, Botkins, Bradford, Catholic Central, Cedarville, Covington, Fairlawn, Fort Loramie, Franklin Monroe, Houston, Jackson Center, Jefferson, Legacy Christian, Lehman Catholic, Marion Local, Mechanicsburg, Miami Valley, Mississinawa Valley, National Trail, New Knoxville, Newton, Parkway, Southeastern, St. Henry, Tri-County North, Triad, Troy Christian, Twin Valley South, Yellow Springs.

— MARC PENDLETON