Central District

Freshmen from any district in the D1 state meet are a rare occurrence. In the last 10 years the Central District has only qualified 9. Of those 9, only 4 have scored points - Jacob Griffith, Gabe Whitaker, Tim Collins, and Joey Long. Test yourself and see if you can come up with the year, event, place and the school for each. Two became state champions but only one in the event he scored in as a freshman.

My best guess:

Whitaker - Westerville Central - 100 fly - consolation heat - 2012
Long - UA - 500 free - top heat - 2010 - State Champ 2013
Collins - New Albany - 100 Back - consolation heat - 2005 - State Champ 2008 in 100 Fly
Griffith - Pick Central - 100 Back - consolation heat - 2008
 
My best guess:

Whitaker - Westerville Central - 100 fly - consolation heat - 2012
Long - UA - 500 free - top heat - 2010 - State Champ 2013
Collins - New Albany - 100 Back - consolation heat - 2005 - State Champ 2008 in 100 Fly
Griffith - Pick Central - 100 Back - consolation heat - 2008

Whitaker event & place is wrong
Long - year champion is wrong; He also was State Champ in another event(What year(s) & event(s)?)
Collins - event wrong in 2005
Griffith - wrong across the board
 
Whitaker was a 4th place finisher in the 50 free as a freshman in 2012. It was a relatively slow year for the 50 as his time would not have made the final heat the last 2 years.
 
NWOhio, you are correct. Whitaker finished 4th in the 50 with time of 21.29 (21.40 prelims). The next year he was 8th with a time of 21.19 (21.16 prelims) and this year finished 7th with a time of 21.37 (21.03 prelims).
 
Long was 500 champ in 2012; he was second in 2013. Believe he was state champ in the 200 both years. (Surprised rjones didn't answer this.)
Collins swam the IM his freshman year. Thinking he was 12 or 13 in consolation heat.
Griffith swam for Pick North. His event was the 100 Fly. He finished in the consolation heat but not sure of place. Thinking that was 2010 or 2011. Sure that he never top heated. In fact not certain he qualified his junior or senior year.
 
Long was 500 champ in 2012; he was second in 2013. Believe he was state champ in the 200 both years. (Surprised rjones didn't answer this.)
Collins swam the IM his freshman year. Thinking he was 12 or 13 in consolation heat.
Griffith swam for Pick North. His event was the 100 Fly. He finished in the consolation heat but not sure of place. Thinking that was 2010 or 2011. Sure that he never top heated. In fact not certain he qualified his junior or senior year.

swimfan, you have it nearly perfect.
You are absolutely correct about Joey Long. He was 3rd in the 200 & 500 his sophomore year (2011). He swam the IM as a freshman and did not qualify for the state meet in that event (although he had the 24th fastest time in the state, but a slower automatic qualifier kept him out).
Tim Collins was 12th in the IM which was his only individual event. That year New Albany stacked all their relays. Collins swam all 3. Unfortunately the 200 free relay was DQed in the sectional meet. He swam the 100 fly & IM the next year finishing 6th & 10th respectively. In 2007 New Albany again stacked all 3 relays. This time all 3 made it to the state finishing 6 in 200 free relay; 3 in 400 free relay and 3 in medley relay. Tim finished 3 in the 100 fly. His senior year after winning the 100 fly he finished 3 in the 100 backstroke.
Jake Griffith was 11th in the 100 fly in 2011. He finished 14 the next year. In 2013 he didn't qualify and either didn't swim or moved away in 2014.
 
Another test of knowledge about the Central District.

Give the year and number of the most "at large" qualifiers for the state meet from the Central District in the past 20 years.

Give the year and number of the fewest "at large" qualifiers to the state meet from the Central District in the past 20 years.
 
dutchman, are you taking into account that the number of at large qualifiers increased 3 years ago when the automatic qualifiers were reduced from 13 to 8? It seems likely that the most at large qualifiers would be in the last 3 years and the least number of at large qualifiers would be before that change.
 
dutchman, are you taking into account that the number of at large qualifiers increased 3 years ago when the automatic qualifiers were reduced from 13 to 8? It seems likely that the most at large qualifiers would be in the last 3 years and the least number of at large qualifiers would be before that change.

Good point swimfan and you're right the top "at large" numbers are the last 3 years - 37 in '12; 41 in '13 & 45 in '14. So let's change it to the highest and lowest numbers in the last 20 years excluding the past 3 years.
 
dutchman the most is 2010 when UA qualified swimmers & relays in all events finishing 3rd ahead of SC who tapered for the district. With the taper SC managed to squeak by the Bears by 1/2 of a point. Closest district ever! UA won the sectional and then finished ahead of SC at state by over 20 points - establishing that the district score was an aberration. There were 30 at large qualifiers.

In 1998 there were only 7 because UA qualified nearly all their swimmers in the automatic spots. That was Eddy Matkovich's freshman year. He top heated both his events. The Bears district winning medley relay (by over 4 seconds) was DQed leaving them with only 2 relays in the state meet. Given that the medley relay would have been the top seed in the state it seems likely the Bears would have moved up significantly in their state placement that year.
 
rjones is correct - most at large is 2010 with 30 at large quailifiers. However, it appears that only Spangler was not fully rested for district. For SC Kocher and Whitaker appear not to have been fully rested. However, everyone suited up for the district meet. The top of UA's team was better than the top of SC's team as Schuttinger swam for West. Central rather than SC that year. Thus, the difference in the state meet score.

Again rjones is correct that there were only 7 at large qualifiers in 1998. UA did have its medley DQed in district meet. They were led by Eddy Matkovich who was a freshman and beginning his fabulous carreer for the Bears.
 
rjones is correct

Those words don't seem to go with rjones!! That aside, well done rjones with coming up with the answer and the information about the Bears' performance. Now for my own trivia, UA won the district in 1998, but who finished 2nd? And special bonus what were the scores?
 
Thomas Worthington was runner up in 1998. Indeed had the Worthington School District not opened Kilbourne in the 90s, it likely would have been the Worthington decade to dominate the district. In '91 & '96 Worthington won the district, Thomas was runner up in '92, '93, & '98. Kilbourne was runner up in '99 & 2000. If the schools would have stayed combined Worthington may have had 6 or 7 district championships instead of just 2.
 
Well done dutchman. Although not certain I agree with your opinion about Worthington repeatedly dethroning UA if Kilbourne had not opened. For example in '98 Thomas is runner-up, but if you combine Thomas score with Kilbourne (which has 6 relays swimming instead of 3) UA still wins. The same is true in '99, '92 & '93. In 2000 when UA topped Kilbourne by 40 points adding Thomas swimmers to Kilbourne's team arguably moves Kilbourne by UA. So Worthington may have earned 1 more title but not 6 or 7 as you contend.

By the way in 1998 UA won the meet with 291 points and Thomas edged out Coffman for second 143 to 134. St. Charles was a distant 4th with 111 points. No other teams scored over 100 points in the meet. Scoring was for the top 12 places.
 
2015 Central District Prediction:

Top 10 teams in the 2015 Central District Meet:

Columbus St. Charles, Upper Arlington, Lewis Center Olentangy, Dublin Jerome, Westerville Central, Dublin Coffman, New Albany, Hilliard Darby,
Dublin Scioto, Powell Olentangy Liberty

Some shuffling of the order may happen, but the top 3 appear solid in that order. For a team to finish in the top 10 it will take 100 team points.

Top 3 each event:

Medley: SC, UA, Darby
200 Free: Weaver, Scioto; Kabelka, SC; Fomich, Olentangy
IM: Reardon, UA; Beam, SC; Brooks, Central
50: Scott, Jerome; Whitaker, Central; Nguyen, SC
Fly: Miller, North; Dickman, Darby; Aslaner, SC
100: Miller, North; Scott, Jerome; Weaver, Scioto
500: Kibbe, UA; Norris, Olentangy; Kabelka, SC
200 R: SC, Central, UA
Back: Reardon, UA; Beam, SC; Saczawa, Liberty
Breast: Welty, SC; Mayo, Coffman; Fischer, UA
400 R: SC, Central, Jerome
 
Dutchman, I agree with your top 2 for the team race. That's easy. I think Coffman & Olentangy battle for 3rd with Jerome & Westerville Central not far behind.

Here are my picks in the individual events:

Medley: SC, UA, Darby, Central, & Coffman
200 Free: Weaver, Scioto; Norris, Olentangy; Dickman, Darby; Fomich, Olentangy; & Michael, Coffman
200 IM: Reardon, UA; Brooks, Central; Beam, SC; Kuriger, Olentangy; & Kibbe, UA
50 Free: Scott, Jerome; Whitaker, Central; Koethke, Grove City; Schuster, Scioto; & Nguyen, SC;
100 Fly: Miller, North; Dickman, Darby; Barnes, New Albany; Saczawa, Liberty, & Aslaner, SC
Diving: Dinsmore, New Albany; Thatcher, Liberty; Stiver, Thomas; Robbertz, New Albany; & Richards, Delaware Hayes
100 Free: Miller, North; Weaver, Scioto; Scott, Jerome; Michael, Coffman; & Ward, SC
500 Free: Norris, Olentangy; Bernsdorf, North; Stadler, South; Kabelka, SC; & Kibbe, UA
200 Relay: SC, Jerome, Davidson, Coffman, & Central
100 Back: Saczawa, Liberty; Waldron, Davidson; Fomich, Olentangy; Beam, SC; & Reardon UA
100 Breast: Welty, SC; Mayo, Coffman; Williams, Mt. Vernon; Fischer, UA; & Mathews, Pick. North
400 Relay: SC, Jerome, Coffman, Central, & Olentangy
 
2015 Central District top 8:

Medley: UA, Darby, Central, Coffman, SC, NA, Liberty, Kilbourne
200: Weaver, Scioto; Mamo UA; Fomich, Olentangy; Dickmann, Darby;
Norris, Olentangy; Michael, Coffman; Bernsdorf, North; Miles, UA; Weimer, UA
IM: Reardon, UA; Brooks, Central; Kibbe, UA; Beam SC; Kuriger, Olentangy;
Waldron, Davidson; Araghi, Jerome; Wilson, UA
50: Scott, Jerome; Koethke, Grove City; Schuster, Scioto; Voss, UA; Serafy, Davidson; Nguyen, SC; Long, Davidson; Ward, SC;
Fly: Miller, North; Dickmann, Darby; Hamilton, UA; Barnes, NA; Burns, Jerome
Saczawa, Liberty; Ritchey, SC; Gorski, UA
Diving: Thatcher, Liberty; Dinsmore, NA; Holstein, UA; Robbertz, NA; Stiver, Thomas; Colombo, UA; Kloos, North; Jones, UA
100: Miller, North; Scott, Jerome; Weaver, Scioto; Watson, UA; Michael, Coffman; Koethke, Grove City; Schuster, Scioto; Weimer, UA
500: Kibbe, UA; Mamo, UA; Norris, Olentangy; Miles, UA; Kabelka, SC; Bernsdorf, North; Davis, Olentangy; Neri, UA
200 R: UA, Jerome, Scioto, SC, Coffman, Central, Olentangy, NA
Back: Reardon, UA; Saczawa, Liberty; Fomich, Olentangy; Hamiltoin, UA; Beam, SC; Waldron, Davidson; Watson, UA; Sugar, SC
Breast: Fischer, UA; Welty, SC; Gorski, UA; Mathews, Pickerington North; Mayo, Coffman; Williams, Mt. Vernon; Imitola, UA; Eramo, SC
400 R: UA, Coffman, Darby, Jerome, SC, Central, Olentangy, Davidson
Teams: UA, SC, Olentangy, Coffman, Jerome, Central, NA, Scioto
 
UA will have a very strong freshman class. At least 3 (Voss, Dierker, & Weimer) will swim and place in the district meet.

Look out for the Bears in February!!!
 
There are a number of freshman who will likely make noise this year and qualify to the district meet. rjones has named 3 UA freshmen who have the potential to make the district meet...not sure about placing in top 16. Other freshman who will probably score in the district meet are:
Eddie Michael - Coffman - top 8 (or higher) in 100 & 200 free
Jason Mathews - Pick North - top 8 breast
Nate Stadler - Westerville South - top 16 in 200 free
Ben Kuriger - Olentangy - top 16 in fly
Joel Serafy - Davidson - top 16 in fly
Pearson Spychalski - New Albany - top 16 200 Free
Michael Gutman - St. Charles - top 16 50 free
 
There are a number of freshman who will likely make noise this year and qualify to the district meet. rjones has named 3 UA freshmen who have the potential to make the district meet...not sure about placing in top 16. Other freshman who will probably score in the district meet are:
Eddie Michael - Coffman - top 8 (or higher) in 100 & 200 free
Jason Mathews - Pick North - top 8 breast
Nate Stadler - Westerville South - top 16 in 200 free
Ben Kuriger - Olentangy - top 16 in fly
Joel Serafy - Davidson - top 16 in fly
Pearson Spychalski - New Albany - top 16 200 Free
Michael Gutman - St. Charles - top 16 50 free

That looks like a solid prediction based on the 2014 numbers. In the 2014 District Meet there were 20 freshmen who qualified for 30 swims. Of those only 3 freshman (and swims) finished in the top 8 and only 9 swims in the top 16. Only Sugar & Kabelka from St. Charles and Kibbe from Upper Arlington had 2 swims in the top 16. And only half the freshmen who made it to district qualified in 2 events. Only 1 freshman qualified to the state meet from the Central District. All these numbers exclude relays.
 
So who will be the top freshmen this year in the Central District?

St. Charles' freshman class looks pretty strong this year. Along with Gutman, Patrick Pema has posted impressive times and Gutman's club teammate, Andrew Shyu should be adding some depth to the roster as well.
 
How many freshmen does St. Charles have? Typically they have the largest boys team in the area. I assume they will have 35 or 40 on their team.
 
How many freshmen does St. Charles have? Typically they have the largest boys team in the area. I assume they will have 35 or 40 on their team.

There are 6 freshman this year which is a small class. However, there are several who will likely swim in the district and may even make one or more relays. You are correct about the overall size of the team. And by the way rjones, there are more than enough Cardinals to handle the Bears this year. Prediction: St. Charles will top UA in every meet they both swim in.
 
Coffman's freshman Eddie Michael swam a 1:46.85 this week in the 200 free. He also split a :21.87 in the 200 Free Relay & :48.28 in the 400 Free Relay. Excellent times for the first meet.
 
UA's superfrosh Tommy Weimer goes 4:58 in 500 last Saturday! Look out Central District UA's coming!! The Bears will flex their young muscles Saturday in the Ned Reeb as Weimer and the rest of his remarkable freshmen class will give a preview of their skills! Fair warning SC…the District’s not in the bag like you think!!! Reardon, Kibbe & Weimer will lead their team to victory!!!!
 
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