Comet Moore, Eagle Brooks make state

The top two swimmers and relays at the district meets automatically advance to Canton.

Last year, Amherst’s Nathan Moore found out he made the state meet when his coaches told him at dinner following the district meet.

No one had to tell the Comets’ junior he will be going to Canton this year — he made sure of it.

Moore became the first Amherst district champion via a win in the 200 freestyle and added a win in the 100 freestyle for good measure to lead a strong outing by The Morning Journal area that featured three district titles and an additional automatic qualification at the Division I Northwest District meet on Feb. 18 at Bowling Green’s Cooper Natatorium.

The top two swimmers and relays at the district meets automatically advance to Canton, with 16 at-large bids going to the next fastest times at the four D-I district meets across the state.

Avon senior Ben Brooks joined Moore with automatic qualifications via a district title in the 200 IM (1:51.41) and a secondplace finish in the 100 breaststroke (56.90)

Moore set a pair of Amherst records at the meet, with his 100 freestyle swim of 46.92 topping his 2016 record of 47.16, while his 200 freestyle swim of 1:42.40 broke the record of 1:43.96 set by Chris Coffin at the 2000 Northeast District meet.

“Last year, my coaches didn’t say anything to me here about state,” Moore said. “When we

were eating afterwards, they were just kind of like, ‘Well, you made it.’ Now, though, it’s no stress. I made it. I just don’t think it’s set in yet.”

Make no mistake, Moore had to work to earn the district titles.

In the 200 freestyle, Moore edged out Toledo St. Francis DeSales’ Brady Ireland by 0.07 seconds to claim the title, with Moore admitting that he barely even knew the freshman was there.

“I saw him on the 150 turn,” Moore said. “I come out of that to my right and barely saw him and was like, ‘Oh, geez.’ I mean, he was three lanes away, so I just had a little glimpse but saw him there. I knew I had to push to win it.”

In the 100 freestyle, Moore kicked it into a new gear to pass St. Ignatius’ Cian O’Haimhirgin in the final 50 yards after trailing by nearly a second through the first half of the race. Moore swam a scorching 23.90 — nearly a second faster than anyone else’s

back half in the race — to beat O’Haimhirgin by just over a quarter of a second.

“I knew he (O’Haimhirgin) was going to go out fast,” Moore said. “I’ve always been a backhalf swimmer, so I knew if it was close when I made the turn, I would have him.”

Moore is hoping to swim three events in Canton, as his 200 medley relay team — which includes Sam Parker, Max Mlincek and Jake Kiska — placed seventh (1:38.38) and has an outside shot of earning an at-large bid.

“I don’t know if our medley is going to make it out,” Moore said. “I think we have a shot. It would be nice to make it in that, too.”

Brooks will join Moore in Canton, as he dominated the field in the 200 IM to claim the district title for the second year in a row before claiming second in a tight race for the 100 breaststroke crown.

“I said last year at the state meet that it was my goal to win a state title this year,” Brooks said. “I did what I had to do to make that a possibility.”

Brooks was trailing Sylvania Southview’s R.J. Kondalski by nearly a second

and a half after the first 100 yards of the individual medley, but as has been Brooks’ calling card his whole career, the senior kicked into a new gear for the breaststroke leg and gained the lead by over a second heading into the final 50 yards.

“The IM felt good,” Brooks said. “The breaststroke in the IM felt great. He (Kondalski) had a great race, but I saw him in front of me and I was like, ‘You’re not beating me.’ You just have to have the mentality that you aren’t going to lose.”

In the 100 breaststroke, Brooks trailed Fremont’s Andrew Evans the entire way and said that the stroke never felt quite right while the race was going on.

“I just did not have my breaststroke today,” Brooks said. “I had it for the IM, but I just couldn’t find it in the 100. My forearms were just dead.”

Rather than take it as a negative, he’s viewing it as a positive as he prepares for Canton.

“I just finally started tapering yesterday,” Brooks said. “It’s going to be amazing. I mean, I had a 56.9, not tapered, barely rested

or anything. And to have things to improve on that I know I can, it’s going to be a fun swim next week.”

While Moore and Brooks — along with Westlake senior Matt Akers and Avon Lake senior Megan Peepers who earned spots in Canton earlier in the week during the district diving competition — can rest assured of their upcoming trip, other area swimmers have a bit more time to wait.

In particular, a pair of Rocky River girls will be watching eagerly: seniors Anna Brandt and Laura Banks.

Brandt placed fourth in the 50 freestyle (24.39) and fifth in the 100 freestyle (53.63), while Banks placed fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.92), putting them thick in the mix for at-large bids.

“Going as an individual would be awesome,” Brandt said. “It would mean the world to me to qualify in my final year. But it would be great to make it in the medley relay as well. I’m honestly hoping to make it in both individual and the relay. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Both stand a solid chance to advance. Last year, the final

times to earn at-large bids were 24.36 for the 50 freestyle, 52.86 for the 100 freestyle and 1:06.55 for the breaststroke.

“I think a 1:04 stands a good chance of making it,” Banks, who made podium in the breaststroke at the state meet last year, said. “It was just a tight race. A 1:04 as fifth place means we all went fast. I think there’s going to be a lot of girls from here in Canton.”

Only one boys swimmer is on the bubble with a strong shot at making it to Canton: Amherst junior Max Mlincek (seventh, 100 breaststroke, 59.80).

Other girls swimmers and relays that are on the bubble to appear in Canton include: Avon Lake’s 200 medley relay (eighth, 1:50.68), Avon Lake senior Libby Smith (sixth, 200 IM, 2:11.55; sixth, 100 breaststroke, 1:04.92), junior Chloe Casterline (ninth, 100 breaststroke, 1:06.73) and freshman Maggie Williams (fourth, 500 freestyle, 5:18.98), Rocky River’s 200 medley relay (seventh, 1:48.39) and 200 freestyle relay (third, 1:38.69), and Westlake sophomore Erica Francesconi (seventh, 200 IM, 2:11.56).

Moore

Brooks