Area contingent plays waiting game once more

If the waiting game for Division I swimmers who made it to state as at-large qualifiers was a soundtrack, the song of choice would depend on the preferred era. All they want, after all, is another chance in Canton.

Cue up Queen’s “Under Pressure” for a vintage perspective — “Can’t we give ourselves one more chance?” Cue up Notorious B.I.G.’s “One More Chance” from the ’90s, as Faith Evans sings, “Baby give me one more chance.”

But for today’s generation, provided they know there’s one more week ahead after the agony of not knowing, the soundtrack is music to their ears no matter what it sounds like.

On Feb. 17 at the D-I Cleveland State District, no automatic berths from the top two in each event were secured by area swimmers,

Online: Race video from boys 200 free and 100 fly and girls 200 medley relay, 200 IM, 100 fly, 100 free, 200 free relay and 100 back, photo gallery of podium pictures from both days of CSU District competition, projected state qualifiers list and full audio interviews with Chardon’s Katherine Jerry and Sarah Bennett, Mayfield’s Gianna Ferrante and Euclid’s Andrius Kijauskas. NEWS-HERALD.COM.

which meant a weekend with some semblance of doubt until the Ohio High School Athletic Association releases official psychs.

“I’m going to be sitting at home biting my fingernails off the entire time,” Chardon’s Sarah Bennett said. “I am so, so nervous about it. You never really know at this point — even with Meet Mobile, even though that gives us a better look.”

According to projections by The News-Herald on Feb. 17 before the official release of the psychs by the OHSAA, it appears Bennett and an armada of Hilltoppers will be able to salvage some of their nails.

Chardon looked to have qualified in girls 200-yard medley and 200 freestyle relays and also got Bennett (100 backstroke) and Katherine Jerry (50 and 100 free) to state in individual events next weekend.

Bennett was third in 100 back with a time of 57.93 seconds. The Hilltoppers’ standout sophomore went out with a 27.97 split and came home in 29.96, the latter good for 2.00 drop vs. district a year ago.

“I still can’t believe I went that,” Bennett said. “I’m still processing it really.

“We’ve been working on coming back a little bit more in practice. I wish I went out a little faster, because I knew I could bring it home no matter what. I know what I can do to fix it. Hopefully I get another chance at that next week.”

Chardon delivered a 1:39.25 in 200 free relay to take a solid fifth there. Bennett opened with a 24.89, followed by solid middle splits from Jayne Sopenski (24.84) and Anne Evans (25.02) into Jerry’s 24.50 anchor. The time marked a 1.30 cut from when the Hilltoppers won the Western Reserve Conference meet title in the event last month.

Jerry enjoyed a couple of nice individual-event swims, taking eighth in 50 free with a 24.27, a .15 cut from district in 2017, and hit a 25.20 on her opening 50 en route to a 52.75 to take seventh in 100 free.

“I am really excited,” Jerry said. “Even if we don’t qualify, at least we know that we gave it our all in both the relays and in my individual events. The 50 didn’t really go as planned, but the 100 I feel pretty good about. All I can say is I tried my very best.

“So if I made it, I will be on cloud nine. And if I didn’t, then I’m just going to keep trying next year.”

It appears Mayfield will be hitting the road with Chardon down Interstate 77. The Wildcats turned in a gutsy girls 400 free relay, getting a 52.18 anchor split from Gianna Ferrante and a 53.78 opener from Karen Argie to help spur a 3:34.76 that placed fifth.

Ferrante was sixth in 200 IM in 2:07.24, including a 31.60 backstroke split that was .12 faster than district last winter. The lone area D-I swimmer to compete on Day 2 at state in 2017, Ferrante admitted she was hoping for more from IM, especially on the back end of the swim. But projections indicate she qualified as an at-large comfortably.

The Wildcats’ 200 medley relay, which was seventh in 1:48.02, appears to have just nudged into the state field as well.

“I am beyond excited. Everybody is so excited,” Ferrante said of 400 free relay. “That’s the fastest that relay has been at the school in like three years or so. And last year at district, we went (3:35.68) and we made state. So to have that second drop, it is really encouraging for the girls.”

On the boys side, Euclid senior Andrius Kijauskas will, according to projections, be firmly in the field for 200 free after a banner ‘A’ final swim, taking fourth with a 1:42.10. Kijauskas, in a competitive field, was superb on his third 50, a 26.31 that marked a .39 from Viking in December, at which he was runner-up.

“I know I could do better, though, so I’m looking forward to state,” Kijauskas said. “My first half of this (200 free) was not that great, so I really tried to bring it home on the second half.”

If projections prove correct, also on the road to Canton will be Riverside’s Kyle Silver, who took ninth in 100 butterfly with a 51.49.