By Cody Pomeranz, ’11, Sports Section Editor
Swimming has a long, rich history in CCDS athletics. And there’s no stopping this year’s swim team from adding to this remarkable legacy. With swimmers that Head Coach Marshall Adams calls “the most dedicated I’ve had in ten years,” the swimming squad looks to capitalize on last year’s success. Continuing this trend of achievment, however, we must look back on how the swimming team reached this point.
Over the years, the Indians of the water have enjoyed tremendous success. In 1989, the boys squad earned a state championship with the 400 free relay. The program would claim another individual title with Karl Scheer’s victory in the 200 free in 1992. Though the ’92 victory was the program’s last state title, it has enjoyed nothing short of remarkable success. Since the Miami Valley Conference meet was set up in 2002, the boys have garnered six of eight league championships, while the girls have earned four.
Last year, however, the team’s success was unprecedented. Not only did both the boys and the girls claim the MVC championship, but both squads also emerged victorious in the SOSL championship. Never before had the whole team garnered all four championships in the same year. The season was topped off with appearances at state by Nathaniel Adams, ’12, Isaac Guttman, ’10, Jimmy Stafford, ’10, and J. R. Strubbe, ’10, for the 200 and 400 free relays and Elizabeth Blackburn, ’11, Katie Leonard, ’12, M. J. Higgins, ’09, and Amanda Meixner, ’09, for the 400 free relay, with Higgins also qualifying in her own individual event.
The program’s remarkable success is credited to Head Coach Marshall Adams. Mr. Adams will be entering his 27th year coaching the Indians and is very optimistic about the season. “We’ve been very strong in the league over the years, and that’s our goal again for this season,” he said. Despite the loss of key swimmers Higgins and Meixner, the team has gained an abundance of new blood. And it has a practiced and highly skilled group of returning swimmers, with all the state qualifiers for the boys coming back and two of the four qualifiers for the girls. Young swimmers such as talented sophomore Katie Leonard and Elizabeth Blackburn will have to step up for a girls team that is low on seniors, with Megan Bonini (pictured above) and Anna Lemen as the lone seniors, pending news on senior Claire Willingham, whose health has been an issue. As for new blood, freshman Caroline Blackburn and junior Kathryn Black will prove to be valuable additions to the girls squad.
Turning to the boys, there is strong team leadership in Guttman, Stafford, and Strubbe. Fellow state qualifier Adams will certainly be an indispensable asset as one of the squad’s most talented swimmers. With freshmen like George Koglmeier also looking to contribute, the boys are on track for another great season and possibly yet another league championship.
The team’s weakness lies in numbers, for both the boys and the girls. “We only have about 12 swimmers out for each team,” said Mr. Adams. “Considering that Seven Hills has about 40 swimmers trying out, we are short in numbers. So the key will be avoiding injury.”
Photo of Megan Bonini by Ilana Habib.
