The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Chardon relays advance trajectory
Upon conclusion of the 400yard freestyle relay Feb. 8 amid the Division I SPIRE Sectional, Sarah Bennett was visibly emotional on deck.
Thankfully, it wasn’t because of the seemingly higher amount of disqualifications assessed this year at the meet.
It was because she got to swim one last time at SPIRE with her sophomore sister, Charlotte.
If anyone understands and appreciates the broader meaning of relays amid the quest for Canton, it’s Bennett.
The senior — from the aspect of postseason success and aspiration — is leaving the program in a better place than when she entered it to be sure.
And part of keeping that trajectory going is making sure the Hilltoppers’ young swimmers learn from that example, just as she did.
“I think everyone on this team is extremely excited for what’s going to happen next week,” Bennett said.
“It is really important for all the seniors to lead. We had a great senior class finish out today. Seven of them finished, and some of them, this is their last meet ever.
“And just giving those younger kids the chance to see what it’s like to end your season in such a way that they did today, I think it’s really important for them to see that.”
When Chardon made its first dent in recent memory in the top five at the Division I Cleveland State District at 2018, it was in 200 free relay. Bennett was a sophomore with juniors Anne Evans and Katherine Jerry and senior Jayne Sopenski, and the quartet took fifth with a 1:39.25. Last winter, the Hilltoppers transitioned to a younger relay, with Bennett as a junior, Jerry as a senior and freshman Gracie Duchon and sophomore Morgan Debevec joining
the quartet, and they were fifth again with a 1:38.38. The Hilltoppers were also fifth in 400 free relay at CSU, with sophomore Campbell Tierney as the third leg, with a 3:34.34.
This winter, with Jerry graduated, Bennett is now the veteran on the relays, with two years at state under her belt, looking to impart that wisdom and aspiring to see a new generation begin to take the reins.
At the D-I SPIRE Sectional on Feb. 8, Bennett saw that opportunity in 200 free relay, as Debevec, Duchon, Tierney and Bennett finished a close second to Shaker Heights with a 1:41.46 that puts Chardon seeded seventh going into district, as well as the winning 400 free relay, with Duchon, freshman Stella Parrish, Tierney and Bennett going 3:41.37 to be seeded fourth for CSU.
“I think it’s crazy what we’re going to be able to do this year,” Bennett said. “Losing Katherine did really put a dent in our team, but the freshmen we pulled in are really filling those
spots.
“And that 200 free relay may not have gone exactly as planned — we had some minor flaws here and there. We know what we did wrong and how to fix it for district. We’re super proud of our freshmen.”
Whether it’s freshmen seeing that example, or sophomores and juniors who begin to take more responsibility over the program, Bennett knows they need to see how the process works properly.
It worked to get 200 medley and 200 free relays to Day 1 swims at state in 2018. It worked to get the 200 free and 400 free relays to state last winter, including a breakthrough ‘B’ final swim in 200 free relay in which the Hilltoppers were third for 11th overall.
And now, Bennett hopes that process can work one more time, to inspire a new generation, just as she was not that long ago.
“I’m excited to hopefully take some really young girls to state this year and show them what that is all about,” Bennett said.