By: Evi Fromm

Mia Nazarenus placed 6th and Connor Spriggs placed 12th at the state diving competition.

Bellbrook Sugarcreek Schools sent eight athletes to the state tournament in Canton this year. “Bellbrook has always had a good presence at the state meet,” swim coach Rob Johnson said.

On Monday, February 19, junior Connor Spriggs participated in the Boys Division II diving meet. Spriggs began diving for BHS at the start of this season with no prior experience.

Entering the competition, Spriggs ranked 17th overall. After the first six dives, Spriggs moved to 16th which allowed him to move on to the finals and finish the rest of his dives. In the end, Spriggs finished with a score of 313.35.

“I was super surprised and excited to have gotten 12th,” Spriggs said. “It was a lot better than I was projected to get.”

Junior Mia Nazarenus has been diving for BHS since her freshman year. She has acquired three SWBL league titles and participated twice in the state Division I Girls’ Diving Meet. While competing this year, she moved up 14 places from her previous year and finished 6th in state. She also achieved a new personal record of 409.50.

The boys’ Varsity Swim team took five swimmers to participate in four events. The boy’s 200 yard Medley Relay consisted of sophomore Aidan Evans (backstroke), senior Rylan Carper (butterfly), senior Peter Guthrie (breaststroke), and sophomore Luke Henley (freestyle) finished 19th overall swimming a 1:41.67.

“It was a great experience,” Carper said. “Having the opportunity to swim in front of hundreds of people was awesome.”

The 200-yard Freestyle Relay consisting of senior Josh Vawter, freshman Eli Vawter, senior Peter Guthrie, and sophomore Luke Henley finished 16th in prelims with a time of 1:31.21, qualifying to swim in finals the next day. Going into the meet, the relay had been ranked to place 23rd overall. At finals, the relay continued moving up the rankings, finishing 12th with a time of 1:30.69.

Senior Peter Guthrie also swam in two of his own individual events, earning Bellbrook many points at the meet. Guthrie finished second in the preliminary heat for the 100-yard Breaststroke with a time of 57.33 and finished 7th in the men’s 50-yard Freestyle swimming a 21.59. In finals the next day, Guthrie finished 8th overall in both events, swimming a 58.48 in the 100-yard Breaststroke and a 21.69 in the 50-yard Freestyle.

“Peter had a great final high school meet,” coach Johnson said. “He has only been swimming for three years and has made a big statement.”

Overall, Bellbrook finished 18th as a team at the state competition. “And other teams noticed,” Johnson said.