11 team records broken; BHS boys finish in top 10

The Bluffton High School swim team competed at the Northwest Ohio Classic Dec. 17, 2022 hosted by Toledo St. Francis De Sales high school. The daylong event began with prelims in Freemont, and 10 of the team’s 16 swimmers qualified for finals that same night at the Bowling Green State University natatorium.  

» CONTINUES with relay team photos »

Eighty-one high school teams and about 1,000 swimmers from the region competed in the meet. The top 20 relays automatically qualified for finals. Prelims at two sites determined the top 30 swimmers in individual events, who qualified for finals. The top 16 places in each event at finals scored points for their team. 

The Bluffton High School boys team finished in 7th place with 90 points. Toledo St. Francis De Sales won with 483 points and Lima Shawnee finished in 28th place and Findlay in 30th place. 

The Bluffton High School girls team placed 19th with 41 points. Avon High School took the top honor with 350 points and Lima Shawnee finished in 8th, Findlay in 10th and Ottawa Glandorf in 13th.

Seven individual BHS records were broken
Jenna Downey re-set the Bluffton High School 50 free record with a new time of 26.05 and set a new 100 free record with a time of 58.78.

Izzy Stechschulte re-set her 200 free record with a 2:10.91.

June Essinger re-set her new 100 fly record with a 1:06.42.

Jackson Bowlus re-set his 50 free with a new time of 22.90. 

Riley Verb took over the 100 free record with a 50.66 on the lead leg of the boys 400 free relay in finals and also re-set his 500 free record with a new time of 5:03.18.

Four BHS team relay records were broken
Girl’s 200 Free Relay of Allison Diller, Downey, Ella Armstrong and Stechschulte with a time of 1:44.84

Girl’s 200 Medley Relay of Downey, Diller, Essinger and Stechschulte with a time of 1:59.81

Boy’s 400 Free Relay of Verb, Landon Armstrong, Xavier Diller and Bowlus with a time of 3:32.09

Boy’s 200 Medley Relay of Bowlus, Verb, Charles Wright and Landon Armstrong with a time of 1:45.30 

The Bluffton High School Pirates are coached by head coach Rachel Diller and assistant coach Bob Verb. 

The BHS team will host about 25 high school teams at the Bluffton Holiday Invitational at the Lima YMCA on December 27. The event is open to the public; spectators are invited to bring non-perishable items or cash donations for the West Ohio Food Bank.

Ella Armstrong - junior
400 free relay: 4:22.26 placed 2 in prelims
50 freestyle: 27.72 placed 21 in prelims
200 medley relay: 2:25.64 and finished 15 at prelims
200 free relay: 1:44.84 (new school record) placed 8 at finals

Landon Armstrong – senior, 14 team points in prelims
100 breaststroke: 1:09.37 (PR) placed 12 in prelims
100 free: 55.18 placed 9 in prelims and finished 23 at finals with a time of 53:39 (PR)
400 free relay: 3:32.09 (new school record) placed 7 in finals
200 medley relay: 1:45.30 (new school record) placed 9 in finals
 

Jackson Bowlus – freshman, 31 team points in prelims and 23 team points in finals
50 freestyle: 22.90 (PR and new school record) placed 4 in prelims and finished 5 at finals with a time of 22.93
100 backstroke: 56.85 placed 3 in prelims and finished 9 at finals with a 56.71 (PR)
400 free relay: 3:32.09 (new school record) placed 7 in finals
200 medley relay: 1:45.30 (new school record) placed 9 in finals

Lena Brown – sophomore
50 freestyle: 34.54 (PR) and finished 55 at prelims
100 freestyle: 1:15.18 (PR) and finished 46 at prelims
200 free relay: 2:10.92 and finished 17 at prelims

Allison Diller – senior, 12 team points in prelims
100 freestyle: 1:02.25 placed 17 at prelims
100 breaststroke: 1:14.59 placed 17 at prelims and 1:15.02 and finished 20 at finals
200 free relay: 1:44.84 (new school record) placed 8 at finals
200 medley relay: 1:59.81 (new school record) placed 11 at finals

Xavier Diller – sophomore, 8 team points in prelims
50 freestyle: 25.07 placed 14 at prelims
100 freestyle: 55.34 (PR) placed 12 at prelims
200 free relay: 1:43:04 placed 7 at prelims
400 free relay: 3:32.09 (new school record) placed 7 in finals

Jenna Downey – freshman, 23 team points in prelims and 7 team points in finals
50 freestyle: 26.05 (PR and new school record) placed 3 in prelims and 26:46 and finished 10 at finals
100 freestyle: 58.78 (PR and new school record) placed 10 in prelims and 58:79 and finished 28 at finals
200 free relay: 1:44.84 (new school record) placed 8 at finals
200 medley relay: 1:59.81 (new school record) placed 11 at finals

June Essinger – sophomore, 10 team points in prelims
100 breaststroke: 1:19.36 placed 16 at prelims
100 butterfly: 1:06:42 (PR and new school record) in prelims and 1:06.80 at placed 22 at finals
200 medley relay: 1:59.81 (new school record) placed 11 at finals
400 free relay: 4:22.26 placed 2 at prelims

Jacob Lehman – junior
100 freestyle: 1:01:36 (PR) and placed 32 at prelims
200 freestyle: 2:18:57 and placed 21 at prelims
200 free relay: 1:43:04 placed 7 at prelims

CJ McCall – senior, 1 team point at prelims
100 backstroke: 1:08.72 (PR) and placed 18 at prelims
100 butterfly: 1:04.71 (PR) and placed 16 at prelims
200 free relay: 1:43:04 placed 7 at prelims

Makenna Mohr - freshman
100 freestyle: 1:07:31 and placed 29 at prelims
100 breaststroke: 1:28.79 and placed 35 at prelims
200 free relay: 2:10.92 and finished 17 at prelims
200 medley relay: 2:25.64 and finished 15 at prelims
400 free relay: 4:22.26 placed 2 at prelims

Zoe Shank – sophomore
50 freestyle: 31.91 (PR) and finished 38 at prelims
100 butterfly: 1:23.92 (PR) and finished 24 at prelims
200 free relay: 2:10.92 and finished 17 at prelims
200 medley relay: 2:25.64 and finished 15 at prelims

Izzy Stechschulte – junior, 14 team points at prelims
100 butterfly: 1:11:34 placed 12 at prelims
200 freestyle: 2:10.91 (PR and new school record) placed 9 at prelims
200 free relay: 1:44.84 (new school record) placed 8 at finals
200 medley relay: 1:59.81 (new school record) placed 11 at finals

Riley Verb – senior, 34 team points at prelims and 25 points at finals
500 freestyle: 5:07.86 placed 2 at prelims and 5:03.18 (PR and new school record) and finished 5 at finals
100 backstroke: 54.98 placed 2 at prelims and 56.06 and finished 8 at finals
400 free relay: 3:32.09 (new school record) placed 7 in finals
200 medley relay: 1:45.30 (new school record) placed 9 in finals

Charles Wright – sophomore, 5 team points at prelims
50 freestyle: 25.53 placed 19 at prelims
100 butterfly: 1:02.73 placed 12 at prelims
200 free relay: 1:43:04 placed 7 at prelims
200 medley relay: 1:45.30 (new school record) placed 9 in finals

Rory Youngpeter – sophomore
500 freestyle: 6:41.40 (PR) and placed 22 at prelims
200 free relay: 2:10.92 and finished 17 at prelims
200 medley relay: 2:25.64 and finished 15 at prelims
400 free relay: 4:22.26 placed 2 at prelims