Swimmers advance to districts

The Boardman High girls swimming team broke six school records and one meet record in finishing third out of 15 teams at Saturday’s Division I sectional meet at the University of Akron.

Senior Ashley Aldan set school and meet records in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:06.21, finishing first in the event.

The top two in each event automatically qualify for next week’s district meet, while several others will qualify for at-large bids based on statewide times.

Aldan joined senior Jessica Gonda, sophomore Gaby DeAscentis and junior Emily Bodamer on the first-place 200 medley relay team, which set a school record of 1:52.20. Aldan also set two records in the second-place 200 free relay, leading off with a time of 24.62 (to break her own 50 free record) and joining Bodamer, sophomore Colleen Manning and freshman Jordyn Markovitch to set a school relay record of 1:40.70.

Another school record was broken in the 400 freestyle relay by the team of Manning, Markovitch, Bodamer, and Aldan. Boardman’s second place time was 3:42.83. Manning also placed second in the 200 free (1:59.98), also a school record.

Gonda was second in the 100 butterfly (1:03.55).

Boardman sophomore Ryan Bailey won the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke to help the Spartans finish second behind North Canton Hoover.

Bailey’s breaststroke time of 59.44 set a new sectional record. He swam a 52.65 in the butterfly.

Bailey was also on the winning 200 free style relay, joining seniors Tommy Slagle, Michael Henson and Steven Moss to post a time of 1:29.61. Henson, Bailey and Moss teamed with junior Alex Downie to place second in the 200 medley relay in the time of 1:40.62.

Moss, Henso, and Slagle were joined by senior Mike Reardon on the 400 freestyle relay that placed second with a time of 3:22.50.

Downie was second in the 100 butterfly (54.84) and senior Steven Brooks was second in the 100 back (55.86).