Swimming & Diving 1/19/2022 11:40:00 AM

AquaBombers Take Home Southwest District Classic Trophy

AquaBombers Take Home Southwest District Classic Trophy

For the 38^th consecutive time, the St. Xavier Swimming and Diving team was able to hoist the championship hardware. The Classic is the largest high school swimming meet in the country, featuring a full array of races from the 50's in each stroke to the mile. And the AquaBombers needed superlative efforts from the entire squad to earn the hard fought win over a very talented Beavercreek contingent. The top 5 teams were:

St. Xavier - 458
Beavercreek - 406
Mason - 332.5
Sycamore - 244
Kings - 238

The swimming format included a two day, four session prelim/finals program. Eleven sites were used for prelims with finals for the top 16 qualifiers hosted at historic and renovated Keating Natatorium. 123 schools with 2590 athletes participated. The Long Blue Lane powered through prelims and sent 30 individuals on to finals (17 in Varsity events and 13 in JV events).
Diving prelims were held at Miami University with finals at West Clermont. The "board boys" delivered big time as Gavin Hang [JR] was runner-up, David Gerth [JR] sixth and Josh Garza [FR] sixteenth. Their performance set the tone for the rest of their teammates.
Multiple top eight finishers were:

Luca Eckert [JR] - 200 Free, 400 Free Relay
Jaeger Ellerman [FR] - 400 Fr Medley Relay, 100 Breast
Will Froass [SR] – 400 IM, 100 Back, 200 Free Relay, 200 IM, 400 Free Relay
Chase Guenther [SR] – 400 Medley Relay, 200 Medley Relay
Alex Ingram [SOPH] – 200 Free, 400 IM, 200 Free Relay, 1650 Free
Ocean Isham [SOPH] – 100 IM, 50 Fly, 50 Back
Thackston McMullan [SOPH] – 400 Medley Relay, 100 Fly, 500 Free , 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 1650 Free, 200 Fly
Logan Tobery [SR] – 400 Medley Relay, 50 Free, 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 100 Free, 400 Free Relay

Striking gold were:

200 Free Relay – McMullan, Froass, Ingram, Tobery
500 Free – McMullan
50 Breast – Cooper Stenken [FR]
1650 Free – McMullan

The distance guys were particularly impressive scoring five in the 1650; McMullan – 1^st, Ingram – 5^th, Nick Stroh [JR] – 10^th, Levi Shooner [SR] – 13^th, Gino Eckert [FR] – 16^th.
The AquaBombers will celebrate Senior Night January 20 against Moeller at Keating Natatorium.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

393 total St. X swims/dives
Best Times:
- 57% Saturday (prelims)
- 77% Saturday (finals)
- 57% Sunday (prelims)
- 46% Sunday (finals)
64 swims would have qualified for District last year
7 swims would have qualified for State last year
"Classic" roll call – Seniors (13), Juniors (15), Sophomores (8), Freshmen (13)
Varsity and JV scorers from all four classes
1927 competition swims in last seven weeks by AquaBombers
Top 24 Classic Performances:
- 500 Free – McMullan16^th
- 1650 Free – McMullan 18^th
- 50 Breast – Cooper Stenken14^th; Logan Tobery 19^th
- 50 Fly - Ocean Isham 24th
- 100 Fly - McMullan8^th
- 200 Fly - McMullan 11^th
All 13 senior finaled

COACHES' COMMENTS –

"The volunteer efforts of hundreds make this remarkable undertaking possible.At each venue, the quality competition is at an extremely high level, but the hospitality and cooperation is even higher.We are so blessed to be a part of it.Hosting at Keating is very special to us and we extend congratulations and thanks to athletes, coaches, officials, families, friends and the media for their dedication," commented head coach Dave Albert.

"It's a tough four sessions of racing.We continue to develop as a team.We learned a lot from our efforts and strive to get better as we move on to the GCL, COOP, and the State trifecta," observed assistant head coach Jim Brower.

"Being back at the Classic, after last year's hiatus, certainly clairifies what a tremendous event it is in scope and quality.Such a well run and important 2 days," concluded assistant head coach Tom Keefe.

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Players Mentioned

Luca Eckert: Junior; Our Lady of the Visitation School

Gino Eckert: Freshman; Our Lady of the Visitation School

Jaeger Ellerman: Freshman; Mercy Montessori Center School

Chase Guenther: Senior; Indian Hill Middle School

Gavin Hang: Junior; Loveland Middle School

Ocean Isham: Sophomore; Little Miami Middle School

Thackston McMullan: Sophomore; St. Bernard-Elmwood Place High School

Levi Shooner: Senior; Liberty Jr. School

Logan Tobery: Senior; Mason Middle School

Players Mentioned

Luca Eckert
: Junior; Our Lady of the Visitation School

Gino Eckert
: Freshman; Our Lady of the Visitation School

Jaeger Ellerman
: Freshman; Mercy Montessori Center School

Chase Guenther
: Senior; Indian Hill Middle School

Gavin Hang
: Junior; Loveland Middle School

Ocean Isham
: Sophomore; Little Miami Middle School

Thackston McMullan
: Sophomore; St. Bernard-Elmwood Place High School

Levi Shooner
: Senior; Liberty Jr. School

Logan Tobery
: Senior; Mason Middle School

ST. XAVIER BOMBERS ATHLETICS

AquaBombers Take Home Southwest District Classic Trophy

Players Mentioned

Luca Eckert

Gino Eckert

Jaeger Ellerman

Chase Guenther

Gavin Hang

Ocean Isham

Thackston McMullan

Levi Shooner

Logan Tobery

Players Mentioned

Luca Eckert

Gino Eckert

Jaeger Ellerman

Chase Guenther

Gavin Hang

Ocean Isham

Thackston McMullan

Levi Shooner

Logan Tobery

Scoreboard