Cathedral Prep's boys 200 medley relay continues to dominate during D-10 swimming meet
GENEVA, Ohio — Matthew Hinman gave voice to his chill vibe for Friday’s District 10 swimming meet.
That he helped Cathedral Prep’s boys win the program’s latest 200-yard medley postseason championship was a significant reason behind his smooth temperament.
Hinman started the breaststroke leg for the Ramblers’ victorious foursome at the S.P.I.R.E. Institute’s natatorium. The junior was bracketed by Jack Raimy (backstroke), Evan Calvert (butterfly) and anchor Colin Troutman (freestyle) when they posted a first-place time of 1 minute, 36.57 seconds.
Hinman has never started for a Prep 200 medley relay that didn’t get gold medals during varsity postseason action. He was the breaststroke starter for Ramblers’ 2022 and 2023 quartets who were district and PIAA champions.
However, there were other factors in play for Hinman’s demeanor.
“We’re swimming in one the fastest pools in America,” he said. “I’m not at school right now and I’m having a great time with my friends and teammates. I really couldn’t ask for a better Friday.”
Hinman also gained the chance to win his third state 200 medley relay title in as many years, and Prep’s fourth since 2019.
The top two relays and individuals for each of Friday’s 2A races automatically advanced to the March 13-16 PIAA meet. That four-day competition returns to Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium in Lewisburg.
Two new standards
One thing Prep’s boys 200 medley relay didn’t accomplish Friday was breaking the district record for that event.
The Ramblers’ 2023 foursome, which included Hinman and Troutman, remained the meet’s standard bearers at 1:35.27.
However, new marks were achieved thanks to seniors Mark Cattron, of Sharon, and J.J. Gowetski, of Meadville.
Cattron topped the 2A boys 200 free field at 1:42.03. The St. Bonaventure University recruit shaved .06 off his 2023 district time.
“I’m not going to lie. That last lap was rough,” Cattron said. “I’ve already got it in my head I’m going to do something even better than that (time) at states.”
Gowetski’s district record was for the Class 3A girls 100 butterfly. The race’s top seed completed her laps in 56.38.
That erased the former standard of 56.85, which McDowell graduate Jordan Nuzback held since 2020.
“I knew I could probably (beat) that record,” Gowetski said, “but to go 56.3, that was a big shocker. I’m very happy with that.”
Gowetski’s aquatics career won’t end after states. She plans to attend John Carroll University in Ohio and compete for the Division III Blue Streaks.
Dufala defies odds
It’s infrequent, if not rare, for a varsity swimmer to win a postseason event outside of lanes 3-5.
Prep’s Josie Dufala was such an anomaly Friday.
Dufala, who was seeded fifth for the 2A girls 50 free, finished first in swimming’s glamour race. The senior went down and back in 24.37 seconds.
Dufala nearly chopped a full second (25.29) off her qualifying time. She defeated four starters, including top-ranked teammate Jaslene Cage, who had seed times under 25 seconds.
“I wanted to go around 24.70,” Dufala said. “Obviously, this was better than that. I just kept saying to myself, ‘You know? You still have a chance to win this.’ The warmup felt very good, so I’m glad it paid off in the end.”
Only one of the four top seeds for the 50 free prevailed Friday.
Second-ranked Nathan Pfennigwerth, of Franklin, won the 2A boys division (21.81). No. 2 Nick Publicover, of McDowell, had the best time in 3A boys (21.89).
Sidney Beers was the only 50 free favorite who won. The DuBois senior topped the 3A girls competition at 24.45.
DuBois is District 9’s lone 3A aquatics program, which is why the Beavers are involved in a meet that resumes at 1 p.m. Saturday.
D-10 championship results
The champions and PIAA automatic qualifiers during Friday’s District 10 swimming meet at the S.P.I.R.E. Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The diving results were from Feb. 23-24 at McDowell Intermediate High School:
Class 2A girls
200-yard medley relay: 1. Cathedral Prep (Maria Costa, Jaslene Cage, Ellie Natemeier, Josie Dufala) 1:49.07; 2. General McLane (Riley Amory, McKayla Hargest, Emma Shade, Cassidy Swain) 1:53.78
200 freestyle: 1. Mollie Massella (Slippery Rock) 1:56.79; 2. Logan Wilson (Sharon) 1:59.20
200 individual medley: 1. Maria Costa (Cathedral Prep) 2:06.87; 2. Kallie Smith (Oil City) 2:15.44
50 free: 1. Josie Dufala (Cathedral Prep) 24.37; 2. Anna Riedel (North East) 24.59
100 butterfly: 1. Mollie Massella (Slippery Rock) 58.81; 2. Ella Stillwagon (Grove City) 1:00.01
200 free relay: 1. Cathedral Prep (Maria Costa, Kendal Johnston, Josie Dufala, Jaslene Cage) 1:38.05; 2. Fairview (Addison Mang, Rachel Rospierski, Nina van Helden, Jillian Dennis) 1:42.53
One-meter diving: 1. Elena Veres (Fv) 431.60; 2. Katie George (Fv) 419.55; 3. Kyra Guntrum (HC) 399.60
Class 2A boys
200-yard medley relay: 1. Cathedral Prep (Jack Raimy, Matthew Hinman, Evan Calvert, Colin Troutman) 1:36.57; 2. Franklin (Kye Winslow, Nathan Pfennigwerth, Camden Smith, Jordan Stumpf) 1:36.95
200 freestyle: 1. Mark Cattron (Sharon) 1:42.03 (DISTRICT RECORD); 2. Nate Dorsch (Sharon) 1:43.46
200 individual medley: 1. Jack Raimy (Cathedral Prep) 1:55.23; 2. Drew Brown (Cathedral Prep) 2:01.08
50 free: 1. Nathan Pfennigwerth (Franklin) 21.81; 2. Colin Troutman (Cathedral Prep) 22.00
100 butterfly: 1. Camden Smith (Franklin) 50.10; 2. Joe Herman (Titusville) 51.64
200 free relay: 1. Oil City (Caleb Stover, Charlie Motter, Bob Wheeler, Logan Rakow) 1:30.14; 2. Cathedral Prep (Matthew Hinman, Drew Brown, Evan Calvert, Owen Carson) 1:30.97
One-meter diving: 1. Aari Fox (Fv) 444.80; 2. Ted Terrizzi (CP) 428.05; 3. Isaac Smith (HC) 403.60
Class 3A girls
200-yard medley relay: 1. Meadville (Skyler Bland, Brielle Cheney, J.J. Gowetski, Jaidyn Jordan) 1:53.56
200 freestyle: 1. Jaidyn Jordan (Meadville) 2:00.36
200 individual medley: 1. Havana Austin (McDowell) 2:16.31
50 free: *1. Sidney Beers (DuBois) 24.45
100 butterfly: 1. J.J. Gowetski (Meadville) 56.38 (DISTRICT RECORD)
200 free relay: 1. McDowell (Claire Gebhardt, Grace Tirak, Halaina Palmer, Havana Austin) 1:44.16
One-meter diving: 1. Josephine Gnibus (Mc) 269.50
*DuBois competed in the meet as District 9’s lone 3A team.
Class 3A boys
200-yard medley relay: 1. McDowell (Aaron DiFilippo, Gavin Berquist, Ryan Okey, Michael McGarry) 1:43.22
200 freestyle: 1. Camden Pierce (McDowell) 1:48.39
200 individual medley: 1. Ryan Okey (McDowell) 2:07.59
50 free: 1. Nick Publicover (McDowell) 21.89
100 butterfly: 1. Nick Publicover (McDowell) 51.57
200 free relay: 1. McDowell (Gavin Berquist, Camden Pierce, Nick Publicover, Deacon Pierce) 1:28.93
One-meter diving: 1. Alex Gabbard (EH) 419.50
Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Two records set during District 10 swimming meet
