Aldan propels Boardman swimmers to 5th place

AKRON — Boardman High sophomore Ashley Aldan placed second in the 100-yard freestyle and third in the 100 fly, and was a member of two top-six relays to help the Spartans place fifth at Saturday’s Division I sectional swim meet at Firestone High School.

The top two in each event earned automatic berths in next week’s district meet at Cleveland State, while several other top qualifiers will advance based on statewide times.

Aldan joined seniors Katie Henson and Megan Palmer and sophomore Stephanie Sfara on the fourth-place 200 medley relay. She was also on the Spartans’ 200 free relay, which took sixth.

Henson placed sixth in the 100 fly and eighth in the 200 IM, while Palmer was fifth in the 200 free and fourth in the 500 free.

Canfield junior Emily King was third in the 50 free and fourth in the 100 free. She also was a member of the third-place 400 free relay and the ninth-place 200 free relay, helping the Cardinals place fourth.

Cardinals sophomore Gia Velasquez took second in the 100 breast, setting a school record in 1:09.52, and eighth in the 100 fly. Junior teammate Kathryn Mason placed eighth in the 100 back and was a member of the 400 free relay.

Division II

Maplewood sophomore Jordan Moxley set a Div. II sectional record in the 50 free with a time of 24.42, edging McDonald sophomore Katie Joseph (24.56) who also broke the old mark of 24.99, set two years ago.

Moxley also won the 100 breaststroke by nearly two seconds, while Joseph shattered the meet record in the 100 free with a time of 53.25 — more than a second faster than the four-year-old mark of 54.64.

Lakeview sophomore Emilee Gysegem won the 100 back and the 200 IM and Columbiana senior Stephanie Case placed fifth in the 50 free.

A complete list of district qualifiers is expected to be released today.