High expectations of Bybee, Bellbrook

A season ago, BELLBROOK —

Bellbrook High School’s Cody Bybee broke a 26-year-old record at the Division II swimming and diving state championships. What does the senior have planned for an encore?

“I’m sure what Cody is going for is an even stronger state and pool record,” Bellbrook coach Rob Johnson said. “He broke a pool record that stood for 26 years. Knowing Cody, he’s going to try and turn it into something that’s going to last at least as long until somebody else breaks that.”

Bybee leads the Golden Eagles into what has the potential to be a state title haul at the D-II state championships at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton. Bybee enters as the top-seeded swimmer in both the 200yard freestyle and the 100 butterfly. He’s won both events the past two seasons.

Senior teammate John Sampson is seeded No. 1 in the 100 backstroke, where he’s the defending state champ, and No. 3 in the 200 free.

The 200 medley relay team of Bybee, Sampson, senior Cole Huggard and junior Carter Caldwell is seeded No. 1 while the 400 free relay team of Sampson, Huggard, Cody Bybee and freshman Cam Bybee is No. 2.

Huggard is also seeded No. 5 in the 100 breaststroke and No. 8 in the 200 individual medley.

Expectations are high for Bybee in the 200. Last season the Arizona State University recruit swam the event in 1 minute, 34.55 seconds. That broke the pool record of St. Xavier High School’s and three-time Olympic medalist Joe Hudepohl, who finished in 1:34.96 in 1991.

The national high school record is 1:33.26 set by California swimmer Grant Shoults in 2016.

Bybee’s time of :46.97 in the 100 fly also set a state record last season.

“If you look at the 200 free last year after the first two laps he was a body-anda-half ahead of everyone,” Johnson said. “By the time the final lap rolled around he was probably six body lengths ahead of everyone. ... No doubt there’s competition out there but we’re confident in Cody.” “Cody is by far one of the most driven people I’ve ever known. The thing with Cody is he’s really not worried who’s next to him. When he sets out to do something it’s surprising if he doesn’t do it.”

The Division II preliminaries were held Thursday night with the finals today. The Division I finals are Saturday.