Canfield relay nabs silver in 200 free

McDonald junior Katie Joseph placed second in two individual events.

By JOE SCALZO

Vindicator Sports staff

The best swimmer in Canfield history entered Saturday’s Division I state swimming meet with one gold medal in his past and, he hoped, two in his future.

Which is why, after Cardinals senior Garrett Trebilcock finished in the top four in three events but didn’t reach the top of the podium, he couldn’t help wondering what could have been.

“Our relay set out to win a championship at the beginning of the year,” said Trebilcock, referring to the 200-yard freestyle relay that finished second to North Canton Hoover on Saturday at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton. “As the tournament progressed, we started getting faster and saw things clicking into place.

“To come within [one-tenth] of winning, it kind of stinks.”

The Cardinals’ school-record time of 1:25.15 was just behind Hoover (1:25.04) but still good enough to earn All-America status. Considering Canfield is one of the smallest Division I teams in the state (the Cardinals were Div. II last year) and practice in a different county (at the Salem Community Center), Trebilcock knew it was tough to complain.

“It definitely shows you can do anything if you set your mind to it and have enough determination to go to practices in another part of town,” said Trebilcock, who won a Div. II title in the 200 individual medley last winter.

“That’s unbelievable for this area,” added Cardinals coach Andrea Linnelli. “It was a little bittersweet to be so close but who would have thought they’d do so well?”

Senior Steven Dalvin and juniors Gavin Trebilcock and Ryan O’Malley rounded out the relay, with the same four swimmers also placing fourth in the 400 free relay. Dalvin actually broke his goggles just before the 200 free relay started and Garrett had to ask the official to hold up the meet so Dalvin could get a new pair.

Canfield’s 400 free relay also set a school record with a time of 3:08.78.

Garrett finished third in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:52.60. It was almost three seconds faster than his preliminary time and better than the 1:53 mark at last winter’s meet. Little Miami junior Steven Zimmerman won the IM in 1:51.54.

“I should have definitely come out on top in the IM,” Garrett said. “I just died on the last freestyle leg.”

Garrett was 16th in the 100 free (48.29) and finished his career with 10 top-eight finishes (seven relays, three individual) at the state swim meet, competing in 14 events overall. The Ohio State recruit finished in the top 16 in all but one of those events, meaning he only once failed to get out of the preliminary round and it was as a freshman.

When asked if he’s the best swimmer in school history, Linnelli said, “Oh yes. Oh yes.”

“I really don’t look at accomplishments until after the season because I’m more focused on what we need to do to win,” he said. “But I guess it’s quite an accomplishment.”

Canfield’s girls 400 free relay of seniors Emily King, Johnna Dunkel and Kathryn Mason and junior Hilary Allen placed 12th with a time of 3:39.56 — two spots ahead of their seeding entering the finals.

The Cardinals also placed 14th in the 200 free relay, one spot better than their seeding.

“The girls just had a phenomenal district meet and kind of held it,” said Linnelli. “This is the first time in my 11 years that I got girls relays out [to state] so I was really pleased.”

In Div. II, McDonald junior Katie Joseph placed second in two events: the 200 free and the 100 free.

In the 200 free, her time of 1:52.56 was four seconds behind Napoleon senior Samantha Zuch, who pulled away from the field to finish first in 1:48.38.

Joseph swam 51.48 in the 100 free while Fairbanks senior Margo Geer was first in 48.85. Maplewood junior Jordan Moxley placed third in 51.94.

In the 50 free, Moxley placed second with a time of 23.48, one second behind Geer (22.48).

Lakeview junior Emilee Gysegem placed fourth in the 100 back (57.90) and fifth in the 200 IM (2:07.68).

On the boys side, Mooney senior Nick Boniface placed 11th in the 50 free (22.05), while his younger brother Joe was 17th.

scalzo@vindy.com