This story was updated - Eleven swimmers from Bluffton schools qualified for the Great Lakes YMCA Zones Swimming Championship at Bowling Green State University March 19-21.
Jenna Downey, Camden Verb and Riley Verb swim for the Putnam County YMCA swim team under assistant coach, Bob Verb of Bluffton. Jackson Bowlus, Allison Diller, Kari Diller, Xavier Diller, June Essinger, Levin Essinger, Mason Shank and Madelyn Sterrett swim for the Lima YMCA swim team coached by April Dorman of Bluffton. In the summer, they all swim for the Bluffton Sardines.
The Great Lakes YMCA Zones Swimming Championship is held every year for top swimmers from the YMCA swim teams from a five state region. The 2021 event will have swimmers from teams in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia.
The Zone qualifying times are based on the top times of the region from the previous year. Competitors often represent the top 10 percent of the fastest swimmers in their state, in their age group. Due to COVID restrictions, swimmers are limited to swimming five events at Zones in 2021. All eleven swimmers attend Bluffton village schools.
Jackson Bowlus, 13-14 boys
50 backstroke
50 freestyle
100 backstroke
200 medley relay
200 freestyle relay
Jenna Downey, 13-14 girls
50 freestyle
50 butterfly
100 freestyle
Alison Diller, 15 and over girls
50 freestyle
50 breaststroke
100 breaststroke
200 medley relay
400 freestyle relay
Kari Diller, 9-10 girls
100 backstroke
50 backstroke
50 freestyle
200 medley relay
200 freestyle relay
Xavier Diller, 13-14 boys
50 freestyle
50 breaststroke
100 freestyle
200 medley relay
200 freestyle relay
June Essinger, 13-14 girls
50 freestyle
100 butterfly
50 breaststroke
50 butterfly
200 medley relay
Levin Essinger, 9-10 boys
100 freestyle
100 breaststroke
50 freestyle
50 breaststroke
Mason Shank, 11-12 boys
100 individual medley
100 breaststroke
50 freestyle
50 breaststroke
200 medley relay
Madelyn Sterrett, 9-10 girls
100 breaststroke
50 backstroke
50 breaststroke
200 medley relay
200 freestyle relay
Camden Verb, 9-10 boys
50 backstroke
50 freestyle
100 individual medley
Riley Verb, 15 and over boys
200 breaststroke
50 breaststroke
100 backstroke
50 backstroke
50 freestyle
