SWIMMING Favorites prepped for district meet

Area athletes are competing in 59 individual events and 14 relays.
VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT
CLEVELAND -- State berths will be on the line Friday and Saturday as area swimmers compete in the district tournament at Cleveland State University.
The Mahoning Valley has athletes competing in 59 individual events and 14 relays.
One of the favorites to advance is Poland High junior Carey Venglarcik, who is seeded sixth in the 100-yard backstroke in Division II.
Venglarcik, who has the area's top mark (1 minute, 1.55 seconds) in the event this season, won the state championship a year ago, but she finished third at the Perry sectional last Friday.
Venglarcik also will compete in the 100 butterfly.
Other seeds: Entering the tournament as top seeds are Boardman junior Tyler O'Halloran and Canfield junior Meghan Linnelli.
O'Halloran won the 50 freestyle in a sectional record time (21.11). He also heads into the district with the second-best time in the 100 freestyle (47.10).
Linnelli is also a state qualifier from a year ago in the 50 freestyle. She holds the district's top time (24.53) in that event as well as the 100 freestyle (53.00) after winning both at the Perry sectional.
Contenders: Other area swimmers who bring top times into the district are Warren Harding junior Nathan King and Boardman senior Hayley Robinson.
King is seeded second in the 200 individual medley (1:57.96) and has the third-best time in the 100 backstroke (53.0). He won both events at the Perry sectional.
Robinson has the second-best time in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.65) after winning the event at the University of Akron sectional while setting a meet and school record. She will also compete in the 200 individual medley.
Other area swimmers who enter the district after winning sectional events include Canfield junior John Sinsheimer, Howland freshman Heather Gilmour and relays of the Warren Harding boys and Canfield girls.
Sinsheimer was first in the 100 breaststroke (1:03.31), while Gilmour won the 200 freestyle (2:00.53) and 500 freestyle (5:32.74) at the Perry sectional.
Warren Harding's relay of Eric Esposito, Nathan King, Tyler King and Eddie Angelo won the 200 medley (1:45.51), while Angelo, Tyler King, Esposito and Nathan King finished first in the 400 freestyle (3:25.06).
Canfield's relay of Jen Nentwick, Elia Sorice, Ashley Linnelli and Meghan Linnelli finished first in the 200 medley (school-record 1:56.23), while Ashley Linnelli, Nentwick, Vanessa Gestosani and Meghan Linnell also won the 400 freestyle (school-record 3:46.19).