Grandview’s Furbee swims to repeat title sweep
CANTON – One showdown between central Ohio swimmers at the Division II state meet Friday night marked the final chapter of a rivalry that grew throughout this postseason.
Tree of Life senior Angela Wyand emerged as the primary threat to dethrone Grandview Heights junior Carrie Furbee in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle. The two finished first and second in those events at the sectional and district levels, with Furbee winning all but the 50 free sectional final, and Furbee and Wyand entered state as the first and second seeds, respectively, in that event.
In the end, Furbee stood atop the podium twice for the second year in a row, defending her state titles with times of 23.02 seconds in the 50 free and 50.06 in the 100 free.
“I’ve been going for sub-22 and sub-50 but to race those times here and be so close, I’m so happy with that,” said Furbee, an Ohio State commit. “I didn’t feel any outside pressure from anyone, but I definitely put a little pressure on myself because I had those goals in mind.”
Wyand, who has signed with Denver, was second in the 50 free (23.62) but struggled in the 100 free and placed eighth (52.5). She said her cap slipped at the beginning of the latter race, causing her hair to fall across her face.
“There were definitely ups and downs, but like my mom would say, ‘it’s not the end game. It’s just a part of my story now,’ ” Wyand said. “It’s frustrating, but you have to learn from it. I know there’s still more in me. I just have to put all the pieces together.”
Central Ohio got a boys championship from Columbus Academy’s 200 free relay, which used a surge from senior anchor William Harpster to win in 1:27.01. Junior Andy Li put the Vikings ahead early, and freshman William Duan and junior Mircea Butnariu kept them within seconds of the lead.
“We were a little behind; that’s how we built it, but I just wanted to keep it close because (Harpster) would clutch up and win it for us,” Butnariu said.
Harpster also anchored the runnerup 200 medley relay (1:36.09) and was second in the 100 free (45.96) and fourth in the 100 backstroke (57.83). Academy finished third (125) for the second consecutive year.
“I had a really good split during the 200 medley relay, so I was really consistent,” Harpster said. “I was a little tired (for the 100 back). It was a pretty quick turnaround from the relay, but I was just excited.”
Hunting Valley University School (274) won its third title in a row.
Central Ohio got second-place finishes on the boys side from Worthington Christian’s Austin Hickok in the 50 free (20.81) and Wellington’s Cameron Petitt in the 500 free (4:31.42).
Petitt was third in the 200 free (1:40.36). Hickok placed fourth in the 100 butterfly (50.18).
Led by Millie Evans’ runner-up finish in the 100 fly (54.39), Bexley finished fourth (141) in the girls standings for the second consecutive season.
Evans, who was second in the 100 fly by 0.02 of a second and briefly hyperventilated at the end of the race, also helped the 200 free (1:39.33) and 200
medley (1:48.64) relays to fifth place.
Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown’s girls repeated as champions (347), a year after snapping Gates Mills Hawken’s 24-year string of titles.
Other central Ohio podium (top-eight) finishers
BOYS
— 200 IM: Luke Defrancisco, Desales (fourth, 1:55.51)
— 100 back: Jacob Rider, Watterson (fourth, 51.14)
GIRLS
— 200 medley relay: Granville (third, 1:47.34); Columbus Academy (sixth, 1:49.23)
— 200 free: Bethany Spangler, Bexley (fifth, 1:53.75); Lydia Sturgeon, Granville (sixth, 1:54.19)
— 200 IM: Lillian Bailey, Academy (eighth, 2:09.8)
— 100 free: Sturgeon (sixth, 52.26) — 500 free: Spangler (seventh, 5:06.03)
— 200 free relay: Granville (sixth, 1:39.82)
— 100 breast: Isabella Pribonic, Newark Catholic (fifth, 1:05.14)
— 400 free relay: Academy (fifth, 3:35.29); Bexley (sixth, 3:36.92)