State-bound Centerville swimmers getting more laughs than nerves

When the Centerville Elks step onto the starting blocks this weekend, they’ll be flanked by the state’s best swimmers. There’s no time to be nervous.

Good thing that’s never been a problem for the Elks, who are as good at keeping each other laughing as they are at swimming. Centerville seniors Liz Quarin, Lauren Lampe and Pruitt Walther and junior Nicola Lane represent the Elks’ girls team at the Division I state swimming championships today and Saturday in Canton.

The D-I preliminaries are today and the finals are Saturday. The D-II prelims were Thursday with the finals today.

Quarin and Lane enter the state meet as the area’s highest seeded swimmers in D-I. Quarin is seeded No. 3 in the 500-yard freestyle and Lane is No. 3 in the 100 backstroke. Walther is fourth in the 200 individual medley and Lane is fifth in the 200 free. Quarin also competes in the 200 free (seeded 10th), Lampe in the 100 breaststroke (11th) and Walther in the 100 fly (10th).

Those four are also on the 200 medley relay team (12th) and Pruitt, Quarin, Lane and sophomore Taylor Crouch are on the 400 free relay (13th).

“This group of girls have come together and they’ve melded through,” Centerville coach Steve Hippenmeyer said. “They’ve been together for a long time. They keep each other relaxed, calm. It’s fun to watch them because they’ll be laughing before they head to the blocks. They’re all big-time competitors. You have to be in order to be in the position they are. But they do a great job of keeping each other loose.”

Centerville also has the area’s highest-seeded D-I boys swimmer with senior Alan Flower. He’s No. 4 in the 500 free and is No. 7 in the 200 free.

Josh Wiedemann also competes individually in the 50 free and is seeded No. 10.

The Southwest district meet at Miami University produces fast times. The pool at Canton’s C.T. Branin Natatorium is more about the competition.

“Heading into the pool in Canton isn’t always about the times,” Hippenmeyer said. “It’s not a state of the art pool which just eats the wake up. You may not swim a better time but it’s a tougher race . ... It’s a great venue for the state meet. It’s an electric environment. In terms of placing, when you bring the best swimmers from Ohio together in one meet anything can happen. It’s crazy.”

Among other highlights: ■ West Carrollton freshman Luke Martin is the first Pirate to qualify for state since 2012 and the first male to qualify since 1998. He competes in the 100 breaststroke in D-II. Martin is one of two freshmen to qualify in the event and enters seeded No. 20 out of 24 qualifiers.

■ Springboro’s Maggie Clough is among the favorites in the 100 fly and 100 back. She’s seeded No. 4 in the fly and No. 5 in the back. Teammate Hannah Hill is No. 8 in the 100 free.

■ Arcanum’s Isabella Gable is seeded No. 2 in the 200 free and No. 3 in the 500 free.

■ Brookville’s Emma Swabb is No. 4 in the 200 free and No. 6 in the 100 free.

■ Waynesville’s Audrey Conley is No. 2 in the 500 free.

■ Alter’s Kate Lair is No. 2 in the 200 IM and No. 7 in the 500 free.

■ Alter’s Kevin Leibold is No. 1 in the 500 free and No. 3 in the 100 fly.

■ Waynesville’s Owen Conley is No. 1 in the 200 free and No. 2 in the 200 IM.

■ Oakwood’s Sam Campbell is No. 3 in the 500 free.