Swimming and diving: Avon Lake's Aubrey Kozar part of Lorain County contingent competing in state meet

Avon Lake sophomore Aubrey Kozar won a pair of para state championships last year. She is looking to repeat the performance at this weekend's state swimming and diving meet Friday at Canton's at Branin Natatorium. As a freshman last year, Kozar swept para state titles in the 50 free and 100 back. Kozar took the 50 free in a time of 28.84 seconds, as she won by 16 seconds over Centerville senior Gabriella Schopperth. Kozar later won the 100 back in 1:13.19, as she again defeated Schopperth by taking the second race by a 30-second margin. "We are all super proud of Aubrey," said Avon Lake coach Ben Brooks. "She has taken such big steps since last year and has really taken on the challenge of trying to compete at the highest level in para swimming." Kozar was born with her lower right leg missing below her knee, a medical condition called fibular hemimelia or longitudinal fibular deficiency, which is a congenital absence of the fibula and is the most common congenital absence of long bone in the extremities. Kozar competes at state this year Friday during the Division II state meet. Both of Kozar's swim events are finals. Para swim events for Division I boys will also be contested. Swim finals for Friday's events begin at 5 p.m. The state meet is only the first in more big meets coming up for Kozar. She has another competition March 7-8 at the Para Swim Open Series meet at the Birmingham Crossplex in Alabama. The event is part of the U.S. Paralympics Swimming Open Series and is a significant competition for swimmers across the country. "The week after state we are flying down to Alabama to compete in a national para meet, where she has a chance to get her emerging standard times," said Brooks. "She is the best of the best when it comes to her mindset and is always able to smile, even though I have put her through some tough sets. She is the best." The Avon High boys made some noise last weekend by becoming the second Lorain County boys team, and the first in 28 years, to advance its 400 free relay to state. Seniors Tommy Lipowski and Gavin Bello, along with sophomores Luke Lundgard and Ian Cibulskas, qualified at-large to the Division I state meet from the BGSU Division I Northwest District after taking fourth Saturday with a county-record time of 3:15.41. It broke the 1998 record of 3:15.53 held by Avon Lake. The Eagles also advanced its 200 medley relay of Lundgard, Lipowski, Bello and senior Sean Flanigan to state at-large after taking third. It's only the third time in this millennium a Lorain County boys team advanced two Division I relays to state, following in the footsteps of Amherst in 2019 and Avon Lake in 2023. "All six of our qualifiers have worked incredibly hard to make it to Canton this year," said Avon coach Adam Crabtree. "All four boys are first-time qualifiers. Gavin and Tommy have been working for four years for this goal. We did not score any individual points at the swimming portion of the district meet when our current seniors were freshmen. Thinking back to then, it is phenomenal where we are now. "The work Tommy and Gavin have done to not only improve themselves as swimmers but build the team is the biggest reason we had the successes we did this year. They helped pave our path to the successes we have had and this is such a great way to end their careers at Avon before they go off to swim in college next year." Lundgard will also compete in the 50 and 100 free at state. Lipowski will compete in the 100 breast. "To make it to this level as sophomores is such an accomplishment for Ian and Luke," said Crabtree. "Luke is one of three underclassmen to make the 50 free and one of four to make the 100 free, individually. With 32 athletes in each event, for him to make events dominated by juniors and seniors is awesome. "The experience both Ian and Luke will get this week will be invaluable in years to come. All the boys have been shooting to get that first relay in school history to state. Having two sophomores with the confidence and ability that Ian and Luke have, gives us a real chance to final (top 16) those relays this weekend. It is going to be fun." Senior Sierra Kobak of Avon makes her third straight trip in her individual events: 200 IM and 100 breast. Junior Emma Molenaar makes her second straight state appearance in the 100 back. "Sierra and Emma are becoming state veterans," said Crabtree. "They have both made several trips to the meet. This year they know what to expect, have trained with the plan that they are going to be successful in Canton, and they are ready to have great meets. I am very excited to see what both of them will do. They have been training very well and this has been their focus meet all year. I know they are going to do very well." Contract Paul Heyse at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. WHAT: 99th annual boys and 50th annual girls state swimming and diving tournamentsWHERE: C.T. Branin Natatorium, Canton McKinley High School, 2323 17th St NW, Canton Tuesday: Division II boys diving (9 a.m.); Division I boys diving (2:30 p.m.)Wednesday: Division II girls diving (9 a.m.); Division I girls diving (2:30 p.m.)Thursday: Division II prelims boys and girls swim events, beginning with 200 medley relay (5 p.m.)Friday: Division I swim prelim boys and girls events, beginning with 200 medley relay (9 a.m.); Division II swim finals boys and girls events (including para swimming events), beginning with 200 medley relay (5 p.m.)Saturday: Division I swim finals boys and girls events, beginning with 200 medley relay (3 p.m.) Local state qualifiersDivision IBoys200 medley relay: No. 16 seed, Avon (Luke Lundgard, so.; Tommy Lipowski, sr.; Gavin Bello, sr.; Sean Flanigan, sr.), 1:37.5050 free: 30, Lundgard, 21.49100 free: 32, Lundgard, 47.85100 breast: 27, Lipowski, 59.33400 free relay: 20, Avon (Bello, Ian Cibulskas, so.; Lipowski, Lundgard), 3:15.41 Girls200 IM: 27, Sierra Kobak, sr. (Avon), 2:10.21100 back: 27, Emma Molenaar, jr. (Avon), 58.85100 breast: 23, Kobak, 1:06.45Para 50 free: 1, Aubrey Kozar, so. (Avon Lake), 28.17Para 100 back: 1, Kozar, 1:10.39 Division IIBoys200 IM: 26, Cole Rini, sr. (Vermilion), 2:00.92100 breast: 11, Rini, 59.03 Girls 200 free: 16, Aly Weber, fr. (Midview), 1:57.32 100 back: 9, Weber, 58.61