The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Two Rockets shine at state
Senior MacMillan, freshman Miedza each earn two medals in Division II state competition
“I get that a lot of freshmen don’t make it to the state meet, let alone make the podium twice. I have three more years and I know it’s not guaranteed to make it back here. But I want to be here every year.” – Bay’s Maja Miedza
Bay Village residents will not soon forget the 2017 Division II state championship meet.
The Rockets are bringing home four medals to make sure of it.
Freshman Maja Miedza and junior Colin MacMillan each made the state podium twice at C.T. Branin Natatorium on Feb. 24 to lead the area showing at the 90th annual boys and the 41st annual girls state swim meet in Division II.
Miedza and MacMillan each brought home a third-place and eighth-place finish at the meet to lead the boys and girls to 20thand 26th-place team finishes, respectively.
For MacMillan, it was the first time that he made the podium in two individual events after placing third in the 100 butterfly last year.
The junior placed third in the 100 butterfly (50.19) again this year, but added an eighth-place finish in the 50 freestyle (21.29), an event he placed ninth in last
year and 12th as a freshman.
“I was pleased with my swims,” MacMillan said. “I mean, I’m a bit disappointed with my 50 because I gained some time. I wanted to get under that 20.95 again, but I can’t complain. Being on the podium again is amazing.
“The fly was just super quick. I’m definitely not disappointed with the thirdplace finish. I dropped a second. I’m more than happy with that.”
A surprise to many in third place in the butterfly last year, MacMillan said he enjoyed having the expectations on him this year.
“There’s little things I could have fixed,” MacMillan said. “In the end, I’m just glad that I was able to live up to expectations. I kind of surprised people last year, but this year they knew about me and I still performed well.”
Miedza was also a twotime podium swimmer for the first time — but that is simply because she hasn’t had a prior opportunity as a freshman.
And it is something she is not taking for granted.
“I’m just excited for the next three years,” Miedza said. “I get that a lot of freshmen don’t make it to the state meet, let alone make the podium twice. I have three more years and I know it’s not guaranteed to make it back here. But I want to be here every year.”
The freshman placed third in the 50 freestyle (23.86) and eighth in the 100 freestyle (53.88), adding a 15th-place finish in the 200 medley relay (1:52.66) with teammates Camille Cleaver, Rose Mlakar and Kate Dannemiller, in her state debut.
“Placing third and eighth, I just can’t explain what that means to me,” Miedza said. “To get to be here with my team, too. I couldn’t ask for a better first state experience.”
As opposed to the district meet where she said she was caught off-guard by the speed of the swims, Miedza said she came in prepared and ready with some solid advice from teammates like Mlakar and MacMillan, who have competed individually at the state meet.
“When I saw the psyche sheet Wednesday, I saw all the times were really close, so I think I was ready for that this time,” Miedza said. “Everyone just told me to relax and not be nervous. They said I shouldn’t worry, to swim with everything I’ve got and I’ll be just fine.”
Additionally, the Rocket girls had a diver represent Bay on Feb. 22 when junior Mara Kinsey placed 19th with a score of 247.30.
The Rockets were not the only area team in Canton.
The Rocky River Pirates also had a good showing, finishing 27th as a team.
Senior Jake Vehar placed 15th in the 100 freestyle (48.02), while junior Spencer Linville — The Morning Journal area’s only automatic D-II state qualifier from the district meet — placed 10th in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.04) in his individual state debut.
“I’m hungry for more,” Linville said. “Finishing at state in the top 10 was one of my goals coming in. I love this meet. It’s such a true test of the weak versus the strong swimmers. The strong ones can make it here and excel. I’m glad to call myself one of the strong ones.
“I just want to thank my family and Coach Mark Harris. And all my brothers on this team. They made this a special experience for me.
“I mean, my grandma came up from Oklahoma just to see this race. I feel very honored and humbled to swim at this level.”
The junior said that his previous experiences in Canton on relays helped to keep him calm during his first swim alone at C.T. Branin Natatorium.
“I knew the pace of the meet this year and what I was getting into,” Linville said. “I mean, last year, I didn’t even know there was a clerk of course that leads us to the blocks. It’s like second nature to me this year, and I’m happy to get the chance to pass on what I’ve learned to the younger swimmers next year.”
For Vehar, the senior said getting to end his high school career in Canton is something special and something he will never take for granted.
“Not a lot of people get to say they ended their high school career on the last possible day,” Vehar said. “Even if you don’t get your best swim, I just appreciate the work I had to do to get here. It feels good knowing that I made one last state meet.”
Additionally, though, he said making it to Canton with his teammates in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays made it that much better.
“I love these guys,” Vehar said. “Being able to go out there and swim with your buddies, it’s an experience that I’m going to forever remember.”
The Rocky River 200 freestyle relay, consisting of Vehar, Aiden Morris, Andrew Gluntz and Brennen Knubel, finished 11th (1:29.41), while the 400 freestyle relay of Vehar, Knubel, Gluntz and Morris finished 15th (3:19.29).
Others who qualified for the state meet but did not make it out of the Feb. 23 preliminary races are: Bay’s 400 freestyle relay of Rose Mlakar, Kate Dannemiller, Paige Thompson and Maja Miedza (17, 3:43.96), Bay senior Rose Mlakar (23, 100 breaststroke, 1:09.33), Elyria Catholic senior Jacqueline Lester (21, 100 backstroke, 59.83) and Rocky River’s 200 medley relay of Harrison Shaw, Elijah Linville, Brennen Knubel and Kyle Rosenthal (21, 1:42.62).