Lady Raiders and Indians are ORVC swim champions
SUBMITTED PHOTO
The South Ripley Lady Raiders pose with their ORVC championship trophy. Team members include: Coach Stacy Eaglin, Kylie Heppner, Emma Morris, Hailee Woliung, Sophie Guenther, Donna Tice, Leah Myers, Assistant Coach McKenna Bradley, Issy Peak, Olivia Kavanaugh, Darcie Diem, and Abby Bradley. Team member Jamie Thomas is not pictured.
Local swim teams traveled to Switzerland County for the annual Ohio River Valley Conference meet on Saturday, January 18, where the South Ripley Lady Raiders and the Milan Indians were crowned team champions in the girls and boys divisions.
In girls competition, South Ripley earned a team-high total of 253 points. Milan’s girls trailed closely with 250. Switzerland County placed third with 213 and Southwestern (Hanover) scored 137.
The Lady Raiders had several swimmers finish in the top three in their respective events: Darcie Diem – second in the 200 individual medley and third in the 100 butterfly, Sophie Guenther – third in the 100 backstroke, and Olivia Kavanaugh – third in the 100 breaststroke.
The relay team of Guenther, Kavanaugh, Diem, and Emma Morris placed third in the 200 medley and 400 freesytle. The relay squad of Abby Bradley, Leah Myers, Donna Tice, and Issy Peak placed third in the 200 freestyle.
South Ripley head coach Stacy Eaglin wrote, “I am super proud of these ladies. They have worked very hard for this!”
The Milan Indians earned conference championship honors in the boys portion of the meet with a team-high total of 345. The Indians were followed by Switzerland County with 229, Southwestern with 135, and Shawe with 23.
Milan’s top finishers included: Noah Haessig – first in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, Ben Hartwell – first in the 100 breaststroke and third in the 200 individual medley, Nathan Hancock – third in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, Parker Sutherlin – third in the 500 freestyle, Adam Volz – first in the 100 backstroke, and Matthew Hall – second in the 100 breaststroke.
The Milan relay squad of Volz, Hartwell, Haessig, and Evan Bible won the 200 medley. The team of Hancock, Hartwell, Volz, and Ryan Schwipps placed second in the 200 yard freestyle, and the team of Bible, Schwipps, Hancock, and Haessig placed second in the 400 freestyle.
The second place girls team from Milan also had several strong performances at the meet.
Ariel Haessig won the 200 medley, Sophie Thomas won the 100 backstroke, and Taylor Williamson won the 100 breaststroke. The relay team of Thomas, Williamson, Hailey Smith, and Mackinze Deffinger also won the 200 medley. Ariel Haessig continued her record-breaking season by resetting her school’s 100 butterfly record at in a time of 1:06.97. The previous record was set in 1991.
