The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Chardon’s Bennett meets an Olympian
You could make a strong case Olympic sports, in this case swimming, stand the best chance for young athletes to have the most accessibility to the heroes of their sport. Sarah Bennett would be perfect to make that case after one such meeting before high school season.
In September, the Chardon standout sophomore met fourtime Olympic gold medalist Allison Schmitt during a USA Swimming national conference.
Schmitt was making a presentation on mental health, and afterward Bennett, an athlete representative for Lake Erie Swimming, got a picture with the three-time U.S. Olympian.
“I’m on the (Lake Erie Swimming) board, so I get to go to awesome places and help represent Lake Erie with USA Swimming,” Bennett said. “I went to a conference in Dallas, which was pretty amazing. I had the best time, and I met Allison Schmitt. She gave an awesome talk about mental stability and mental stress.
“The athletes and the coaches (are accessible). I’ve had a lot of chances to work with so many awesome coaches and athletes, especially people at USA. That’s my favorite program. I just love going to that conference and hearing those stories.”
Bennett is hopeful to add a story of her own this fall as Chardon pursues elusive state berths in the sport.
At the Western Reserve Conference meet Jan. 6, Bennett won 100-yard backstroke, was second in 100 butterfly and swam strong legs on the Hilltoppers’ second-place 200 medley and winning 200 freestyle relays.
In 100 back, Bennett recorded a 30.16 closing 50, which was good for a .89 drop from her winning swim at the Division I SPIRE Sectional last winter. Her 58.39 is 1.63 faster than when she was ninth at the D-I Cleveland State District as a freshman, and that low-58 would have placed fourth at CSU.
“I’m planning on bringing it back in like a 29 this year,” Bennett said of 100 back. “I have to build a little more muscle up and definitely better underwaters. It’s encouraging, but I know I can do better.”
Bennett also dabbled in 100 fly, taking second to Madison’s Zoey Fedele with a 59.78. She led at the turn with a 27.21 split before Fedele had a powerful 30.65 closer to win by nearly two seconds in 57.97.
“Fly is kind of fun for
me, although I did die really hard in the second 50,” Bennett said. “But it’s nice to do something different and help support the team in any way I can.”
The 200 free relay also yielded encouragement with a 1:40.55, with Bennett recording a 24.63 opener.
It’s all setting up nicely for the Hilltoppers as they strive for unprecedented success with the postseason looming next month.
After the thrill of meeting an Olympian, a trip to Canton next month would make this sophomore year all the better for Bennett.
“We’re so excited,” she said. “(Chardon coach Matt Parrish) is always encouraging us to reach our goals, and my goal for a while has been state.”
Honor roll
A look at a few of the top performances by area swimmers from meets held this past weekend:
• The Northeast Classic, with its morning preliminaries at the University of Akron and finals at Canton McKinley, averted the brutal
weather to get in without a hitch.
On the boys side, Euclid’s Andrius Kijauskas was fourth in 200 free (1:45.01) and 10th in 100 fly (53.10). North’s Brian Regovich was fourth in 500 free (4:52.96) and 13th in 200 free (1:48.53). Other area ‘A’ and ‘B’ boys finalists were North’s Jimmy Wallace (11th, 50 free) and 400 free relay (12th) and Gilmour’s Matt Vanone (15th, 100 fly).
On the girls side, Kenston diver Mary O’Neill was third with a score of 406.80, and Beachwood’s Amanda Leizman was fifth (334.15).
South’s Brenna Yerse was fifth in 100 free (53.87) and eighth in 50 free (24.89), the latter marking a .57 cut from WRC last weekend.
Gilmour’s 200 medley relay (seventh), Celeste Koerwitz (fifth, 500 free and eighth, 200 free), Abby Meyer (15th, 200 IM), 200 free relay (11th), Meadow Hynd (16th, 100 back). Cate O’Haimhirgin (sixth, 100 breast) and 400 free relay (ninth) also made the night finals. North’s girls 200 medley relay was 16th.