Boardman Swimmers Compete at the Ohio High School Swimming D1 State Championships:
Taylor places 8th in 100 Backstroke 400 Free Relay places 14th
For Senior Captain Aly Murray, stepping off the bus one final time as a Boardman High School swimmer was bittersweet. There were laughs, and maybe a few tears…but knowing she gave everything she had for her team was the ultimate reward.
“Aly has been an incredible captain all season long,” said Coach Cordon. “She took care of the TEAM. She has been all in from day one, and having the experience of being a 3X State Qualifier was what we needed in our 400 Free Relay at the end of the State Meet.”
Competing at Ohio’s DI State Meet, one of the fastest in the country, the Spartans rose to the occasion. The girls 400 Freestyle Relay team of Aly Murray, Ella Miller, Rachel DunLany, and Alex Taylor moved up from 16th to 14th place while breaking their own team record with a new time of 3:38.81. “All four of these girls are All-Ohio for placing in the top 16 in the state with this relay,” Coach Cordon added. “Watching them compete one last time with Aly at this venue was the reward. We will miss her leadership, but she has planted trees along the way, and her leadership will continue to grow even as she moves on.”
Junior Alex Taylor delivered a standout performance, placing 8th in the Championship Final of the 100 Backstroke with an All-Ohio time of 56.69 while improving her preliminary time by .20 seconds. “Alex is a gamer,” said Coach Cordon. “She really enjoys swimming the 100 Back, and it’s a relatively newer stroke for her. She was incredibly excited about being in the championship final and is motivated to be there again next season.” Taylor also placed 21st in the 100 Freestyle (53.34).
Sophomore Rachel DunLany earned valuable state experience, placing 32nd in the 200 Freestyle (2:01.56). “Qualifying automatically for the State Championship meet is quite the feat,” Coach Cordon noted. “This will only motivate her more for her future swims.”
The Boardman girls 200 Freestyle Relay team of Alex Taylor, Rachel DunLany, Julia Pickens, and Ella Miller placed 20th overall with a time of 1:39.73, just .40 seconds shy of breaking into the top 16. “These girls went after it,” said Cordon. “We are incredibly happy with this relay as there are three new girls on it from last season.”
Junior Captain Zac Mihok placed 20th in both the 200 Freestyle (1:44.32) and the 100 Backstroke (52.41), improving significantly from last season. “Zac moved up quite a bit of spots from last season,” said Cordon. “These events are competitive, and he will go right back to work with new goals. He is a competitor and will be right back at it on Monday.”
The boys 200 Freestyle Relay team of Zac Mihok, Lee Arent, Dom White, and Jack Benson placed 24th (1:31.06). The 400 Freestyle Relay, featuring Jack Benson, senior Samuel DiStefano, Dom White, and Zac Mihok also placed 24th. “Both relays laid it on the line at prelims,” Cordon said. “They went after it but came up a little short. The good news is all four of these boys will be back next year and are motivated to get to this point again.”
Although the offseason has begun, the Spartans will take time to recharge and reflect after completing their 40th year as a program. Coach Cordon credited his talented staff of Chelsea DeAngelo, Mark Brooks, and Mikel Flatley for continuing to build new legacies for the future.