Spartans Light-up C. T. Branin Christmas Swim Invitational
Fifty-three teams and 500 swimmers and divers from across the state traveled to Canton Ohio this past Saturday for the 13 th Annual Canton City Schools Christmas Invitational. The Spartans brought twenty swimmers and three divers to the meet. In the Saturday night finals Boardman swimmers captured first place in four events and second place in two events. The first event of the evening was the 200 medley relay. Freshmen Matt DunLany and Noah Basista joined juniors Kyle Kimerer and Callen Aulizia to win the event in the time of 1:38.02. Their winning time was only three one-hundreths shy of breaking the Boardman school record in the relay.
The same four boys placed second to Cincinnati St. Xavier in the final 400 free relay by 5 one-hundreths of a second. In the individual events Aulizia won the 100 freestyle in the time of 46.72. He posted a time of 21.36 in his second place finish in the 50 free. Kimerer had a personal best time of 51.50 and a first place in the 100 butterfly. He also had a personal best time of 1:47.44 while placing third in the 200 free. Basista broke the 1 minute mark with a winning time of 59.55 in the 100 breaststroke. The time also reset the freshman school record which he broke earlier in the season. His time of 2:00.89 in the 200 individual medley was fast enough for a 4 th place finish and another reset of a freshman record in the event. Senior diver Dominic Mariano placed 4 th in the 1-meter diving with the score of 341.60. DunLany finished 7th in the 100 butterfly in 55.00. He also finished in 16 th place in the 100 backstroke 1:00.16. Sophomore Mason Rassega swam a 23.72 while placing 15 th in the 50 free. Rassega teamed with junior David Giancola and Seniors Aidan Cervello and Nick DiGiacomo to finish in 5 th place in the 200 free relay in a time of 1:35.22.
The Spartan girls were led by sophomore Jennah Markovitch who made finals in the 100 free placing 7 th in a time of 56.33. She also placed 10 th in the 50 free in a personal best time of 25.55. Markovitch anchored the 5 th place 200 free relay with teammates Senior Lindsay O’Nesti, sophomore Ali Kuras, and junior Sarah Murray. The Spartan girls posted a time of 1:46.41. Markovitch also anchored the 7 th place 400 free relay in a time of 3:58.47. Her teammates were junior Sidney Hull, senior Kelsey Calpin, and Freshman Sarah Varga. Calpin placed 22 nd and 24 th in the 100 back (1:08.50) and 100 fly (1:06.8.5) Senior Madi Rast placed 17 th in the 1-meter diving with the score of 255.55. First year junior teammate Megan Janak was right behind Rast in 18 th place with the score of 254.75.
Spartan swim coach Terry O’Halloran commented on the teams’ performances:
“Competing against some of the best swimmers and divers in the state brought out the best in our athletes. It was an excellent mid-season test for us. The kids showed they handle the pressure of a big meet. It also showed us where we need to improve before the end of the season state tournament.”