Boniface, Canfield relay advance to swim finals

Staff report

canton

Canfield’s 400-yard freestyle relay and Mooney junior Joe Boniface both advanced to tonight’s Division II state swimming finals after strong performances in Thursday’s preliminary races at C.T. Branin Natatorium.

Boniface placed sixth in the 50 free with a time of 21.76 and was 14th in the 100 backstroke with a time of 54.65.

The top eight times advanced to the finals, while the next eight advanced to the consolation finals. Each race had 24 state qualifiers.

Canfield’s 400 free relay of senior Mark Dalvin, junior Nick Montalto and sophomores Daniel Bogen and Mike DiDomenico finished seventh in the prelims with a time of 54.65.

The Cardinals’ 200 free relay of Bogen, Montalto, Dalvin and freshman Connor Brady was 13th (1:30.06).

Bogen was 15th in the 200 free and 12th in the 100 free after the prelims. Brady, meanwhile, was ninth in the 100 back with a time of 53.93. It was a huge jump for Brady, who entered the race with the 19th-fastest time coming out of last week’s district meet.

Brady also placed 19th in the 100 butterfly (54.80), just behind Hubbard junior Joseph Spurio (54.34).

Ursuline junior John Tomko was 17th in the 500 free (4:58.17).

On the girls side, Youngstown Christian junior Mikayla Morrow — the only area qualifier — placed 17th in the 100 breaststroke.