High School Swimming: Avon girls and boys teams rise to occasion at sectional meet

CLEVELAND — Avon shines when the lights are the brightest. The Cleveland State Division I northwest sectional championships at Busbey Natatorium on Saturday provided the most recent evidence. Senior Sierra Kobak and junior Emma Molenaar were the catalysts for the girls, while sophomore Luke Lundgard led the way for the boys. Kobak won her second straight sectional title and third in four years, taking the 100-yard breast (1:06.42) over Westlake senior Raine DeAngelis (1:06.69). Earlier in the meet, Kobak defended her title for the 200 IM, where she rallied in the final 50 meters to defeat DeAngelis, 2:11.39-2:11.81. DeAngelis led Kobak by more than a half second going in the freestyle stroke, splitting 1:39.12 to Kobak's 1:39.83 for the first 150 meters. "I felt very good for not tapering," said Kobak. "It's just been a long meet, so I thought that (100 breast) was pretty good. I'm very excited for next weekend (at districts). These were decent swims for not being fully tapered. My races were way more competitive this year. There were a lot of great competitors. I'm very excited for next weekend to race them again." Kobak was also a district qualifier in each of her relay events. She teamed up with Molenaar, junior Leah Slivochka and sophomore Clare Blayney for a second in the 200 medley relay (1:51.05) and a fourth in the 200 free relay (1:42.02). "Both of our relays were very good," said Kobak. "We just wanted to swim smart, not get disqualified and make it to next weekend. It worked out very well. We always have new faces coming each year for relays and it's worked out very well." Kobak is a four-time district qualifier in the 100 breast and 200 IM. She also has advanced to districts four straight years as a member of the 200 medley relay and for a second straight year as a member of the 200 free relay. Molenaar defended her title in the 100 back. She won convincingly over Highland senior Sasha Koval, 59.69-1:02.55. Koval kept it close through the first 50, trailing only 29.10 to 29.40 before Molenaar pulled away. Earlier, Molenaar placed fourth in the 100 free (54.54). "The 100 back has become a race that I really love, no matter what kind of pressure I'm under," said Molenaar. "I always feel so grateful to be able to swim it, especially since it wasn't my strong suit freshman year. I know for next week I'm going to have to pick it up a little bit." Molenaar is three-time district qualifier in the 100 free and 200 medley relay. She is a two-time district qualifier in the 100 back. Like Kobak, Molenaar has five career sectional titles. As a freshman, she won a sectional crown in the 100 free and was a member of the winning 200 medley and 400 free relays. "The sectional really shows what you need to work on," said Molenaar. "For me, it would be my finishes and my turns. There obviously are some very fast meets during the season, but I feel sectionals really preps you for what's coming. It really allows you to gauge what you need to do, what you have to do to get better. For me, it really opened my eyes and it has every year." Molenaar and Kobak were Division I state qualifiers last year, Molenaar in the 100 free and 100 back and Kobak for the second straight year in the 100 breast and also in the 200 IM. "(Busbey Natatorium) is such a great facility," said Molenaar. "Since it has the history of being so good, everyone is just so excited to swim here, which makes it even better. I'm a big relay person. I love getting to swim for my team. I love my individual races, but I love being part of a group, to go as fast as we can and hype each other up. That's something that truly hits home for me." Lundgard became the Avon boys' first sectional champ since Ryan Urban won the sectional 100 fly in 2021 by winning the 100 free (47.52) over St. Edward senior Sam Gibson (48.89). Earlier, Lundgard tied for second in the 50 free with St. Edward junior Luke Potts with a time of 21.60 behind winner Thor Johannessen (20.71) of St. Ignatius. Last year's sectional meet was a rough experience for Lundgard. He was in a weakened state after coming off an illness that caused him to lose nearly 15 pounds. He finished eighth in the 100 free (50.80) and the 100 back (57.98). "(Coach Adam Crabtree) has been really great helping me out with all the technical things that I need to work on," said Lundgard. "Things like my underwaters and my turns, I've really worked on those two things, that along with tempo drills. Tommy (Lipowski) has been great helping me at practice. He helps to push me and gives me tips." Lundgard was also a contributor in the 200 medley relay (1:39.86) and 400 free relay (3:20.70), helping the Eagles to record times in each event. Lundgard, along with Lipowski, senior Gavin Bello and senior Sean Flanigan, were second in the 200 medley relay. Lundgard, Lipowski, Bello and sophomore Ian Cibulskas placed third in the 400 free relay. "We had some very good swims," said Crabtree. "Our older kids that have been doing this stuff at this level for years did outstandingly well. For the kids that are younger, we had some ups and downs. It was a learning experience. Overall, I'm pretty happy with how they did. "This week for Sierra it was just about trying to get some clean swims. Overall, based on how rested she is, I was pretty OK with her swims. As long as we peak at the right time next week, we should do something nice. Luke was very sick before this meet last year, so this year was really his first experience where he wasn't absolutely miserable here. To win an event and come in second in the 50 free is outstanding." Contact Paul Heyse at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. Division ICleveland State University Winner, plus top local finishersBoys200 medley relay: 1. St. Ignatius, 1:36.35; 2. Avon (Luke Lundgard, Tommy Lipowski, Gavin Bello, Sean Flanigan), 1:39.86; 8. Avon Lake, 1:43.66; 13. Amherst, 1:49.81; 14. North Ridgeville, 2:00.04200 free:1. Sam Gibson (St. Edward), 1:47.98; 8. Gavin Bello (Avon), 1:51.25; 10. Ian Cibulskas (Avon), 1:51.90200 IM: 1. Jude Banks (St. Ignatius), 1:58.19; 2. Lipowski (Avon), 2:04.18; 11. Elliott Brooks (Avon), 2:11.4050 free: 1. Thor Johannessen (St. Ignatius), 20.71; 2. Tie – Lundgard (Avon) and Luke Potts (St. Edward), 21.60; 6. Colin Reitzel (Amherst), 22.19; 7. Matt Trimbitas (North Ridgeville), 22.38100 fly: 1. Zachary Onopka (Highland), 52.10; 15. Declan Mackowski (Amherst), 57.52100 free: 1. Lundgard (Avon), 47.52; 2. Sam Gibson (St. Edward), 48.89; 3. Colin Reitzel (Amherst), 49.65; 5. Trimbitas (North Ridgeville), 49.88; 10. Cibulskas (Avon), 50.64; 17. Flanigan (Avon), 51.96500 free: 1. Jack Clark (Highland), 4:51.86; 4. Jonah Franke (Avon Lake), 5:07.89; 6. Bello (Avon), 5:09.80200 free relay: 1. St. Edward, 1:28.76; 6. Avon Lake, 1:33.86; 8. Avon, 1:34.71; 10. Amherst, 1:38.90; 15. North Ridgeville, 1:44.48100 back: 1. Jaimeson Hong (St. Ignatius), 51.58; 14. AJ Lloyd (Avon Lake), 1:00.91100 breast: 1. Jude Banks (St. Ignatius), 54.90 (MEET RECORD, old record 55.39 set in 2025 by Banks); 5. Ian Fababe (Avon Lake), 1:01.41; 6. Lipowski (Avon), 1:01.68; 8. Colin Draeger (Avon Lake), 1:02.92; 14. Declan Mackowski (Amherst), 1:05.23400 free relay: 1. St. Ignatius, 3:09.24; 2. St. Edward, 3:17.61; 3. Avon (Bello, Cibulskas, Lipowski, Lundgard), 3:20.70; 9. Avon Lake, 3:39.25 Girls200 medley relay: 1. Brunswick, 1:50.54; 2. Avon (Emma Molenaar, Sierra Kobak, Leah Slivochka, Clare Blayney), 1:51.05; 7. Avon Lake, 1:59.04; 12. Amherst, 2:04.54; 13. North Ridgeville, 2:12.04200 free: 1. Alice Wanosik (Rocky River), 1:56.96; 15. Sophie Fada (Elyria), 2:09.11200 IM: 1. Kobak (Avon), 2:11.39; 13. Molly Hoock (Avon Lake), 2:22.38; 14. Carlie Tysl (Avon Lake), 2:22.5150 free: 1. Alta Taseff (Magnificat), 24.46; 8. Slivochka (Avon), 25.37; 13. Blayney (Avon), 26.03; 14. Kellie Riley (North Ridgeville), 26.04; 16. Bridget Sonntag (Amherst), 26.24100 fly: 1. Lillian Giacomazza (Brunswick), 59.21; 9. Leah Slivochka (Avon), 1:04.43100 free: 1. Alta Taseff (Magnificat), 53.31; 2. Molly Pisanelli (Magnificat), 54.32; 3. Molenaar (Avon), 54.54; 12. Blayney (Avon), 57.96500 free: 1. Alice Wanosik (Rocky River), 5:13.66; 10. Sophie Fada (Elyria), 5:45.94; 11. Adelyn Lee (Avon Lake), 5:47.63; 12. Sonntag (Amherst), 5:49.02200 free relay: 1. Magnificat, 1:39.82; 4. Avon (Molenaar, Kobak, Slivochka, Blayney), 1:42.02; 10. Amherst, 1:48.52; 13. Avon Lake, 1:51.36100 back: 1. Molenaar (Avon), 59.69; 6. Riley (North Ridgeville), 1:05.41100 breast: 1. Kobak (Avon), 1:06.42; 5. Tysl (Avon Lake), 1:08.83; 9. Hoock (Avon Lake), 1:11.71400 free relay: 1. Magnificat, 3:39.04; 8. Avon Lake, 4:00.26; 12. Avon, 4:06.47; 16. Amherst, 4:37.79 Division IIUniversity of Akron Local resultsGirls200 medley relay: 1. Springfield, 1:53.10; 11. Elyria Catholic, 2:29.83200 free: 1. Paige McCombs (Springfield), 1:56.17; 3. Aly Weber (Midview), 2:02.19; 34. Andie Rowe (EC), 2:36.6450 free: 1. Anna Pittman (Waynedale), 24.58; 43. Bree Gabel (EC), 34.09; 57. Maddie Queen (EC), 37.47100 fly: 1. Mena Monroe (Canfield), 1:02.53; 15. Rowe, 1:28.05100 free: 1. McCombs, 53.09; 33. Lucy Groshek (EC), 1:08.75; 38. Abby Anderson (EC), 1:11.21200 free relay: 1. Orrville, 1:44.15; 11. Elyria Catholic, 2:11.55100 back: 1. Weber, 1:00.49; 2. Tres Hively (Springfield), 1:00.99; 25. Groshek, 1:21.84; 29. Anderson, 1:22.89; 30. Gabel, 1:23.51No local boys Oak Harbor High School Top Vermilion finishersBoys200 medley relay: 6. Vermilion, 1:49.80200 free: 9. Sean Rini, 2:00.72200 IM: 4. Cole Rini, 2:05.11; 6. Caleb Drost, 2:11.3750 free: 8. Joe Schaub, 24.91100 fly: 8. Schaub, 1:01.38500 free: 6. Sean Rini, 5:27.40; 9. Austin Phillips, 5:45.18200 free relay: 7. Vermilion, 1:40.02100 back: 5. Drost, 1:00.81100 breast: 1. Cole Rini, 1:00.17400 free relay: 7. Vermilion, 3:54.92 Girls100 breast: 11. Maddie Drost, 1:25.80