Coffman's Brown wins twice, Upper Arlington earns title at Division I girls state swimming
CANTON – Emily Brown knew she would finish her high school career swimming individual events other than the 200- and 500-yard freestyle, in which she had swept the Division I state championships each of the past three years.
But even before the Dublin Coffman senior revealed she would swim the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley in the postseason, she had set a goal.
“The whole season, I had my eye on those (state) records,” Brown said.
The Tennessee signee closed her prep career in style Saturday at Branin Natatorium, setting state records first in the 200 IM (1:57.27) and then in the 100 fly (52.69) less than an hour later to become an eight-time individual champion.
Brown won the 200 IM by 6.91 seconds, ahead of Hilliard Darby sophomore Alexis Peltcs, and edged Upper Arlington junior Hayden Hollingsworth by 1.38 in the 100 fly.
The previous records of 1:57.77 and 52.96 had been held since 2021 by Olentangy graduate Martina Peroni, who now swims at Duke.
“I came here with a clear goal of what to do and I did it,” Brown said. “It’s training. You have to trust in your training and trust in yourself. Nerves are a big thing for me at every state meet, and I figure out a different way to overcome those nerves … and channel that energy into my race.”
UA swept the 200 medley, 200 free and 400 relays and got a repeat 50 free championship from Hollingsworth (22.69) to amass 313 points and win its first team title since 2017 and 13th all-time.
It was the fifth consecutive season a central Ohio team won the championship.
“All year, they worked toward making sure we were on the top of the podium,” UA coach John Sands said. “I thought we had a really good shot in all three relays. Instead of going for the record in the 200 medley, we split them all up and made sure we could take all three.”
Hollingsworth, a Georgia commit, was on the 200 medley (1:42.82) and 200 free (1:32.76) relays. Even before the 400 free relay won in 3:26.31, UA was 100 points ahead of Mason, which finished with 207 points.
Defending champion Dublin Jerome was third (162) and Coffman finished fourth (145).
“Everyone did their job,” Hollingsworth said. “The medley relay sets the tone (in the meet) and we wanted to set the tone. We wanted everyone to know UA was ready to rumble.”
Despite Brown switching events, the 200 and 500 free championships stayed in Dublin. Jerome junior Milly Leonard won the 200 free in 1:49.87 and 500 in 4:52.77, her victories coming by a combined 6.19 seconds.
“The field definitely looked a little different but it feels great,” said Leonard, the top seed in both of her events entering state. “A lot of my training went into those races and this reflects that. First was definitely a personal goal. There are still some things I want to work on, like walls and breathing. I wasn’t sure how I would feel going into this, so I just wanted to come out strong but controlled and really finish.”
The area’s other title came from Peltcs, who won the 100 breaststroke in 1:02.73. That was a 1.1-second drop from her preliminary time Friday.
“I didn’t hit my (personal) best time, but I put all I could give out there,” Peltcs said. “I just had to have fun and try my best. I could just race the whole way through (at state) with my events. Just put my head down and race.”
Ten of 11 finals Saturday featured at least three central Ohio individuals or relays, including seven of eight competitors in the 50 free and six in the 100 free.
Other central Ohio girls swimmers who reached the state meet podium (top-eight finish)
200 medley relay: Coffman (third, 1:44.29)
200 free: Katrina Kollin, Coffman (third, 1:51.72); Campbell Payton, Gahanna Lincoln (fourth, 1:51.9); Blaine Huddleston, UA (sixth, 1:53.18); Ashlyn Morr, New Albany (seventh, 1:54.21)
200 IM: Riley Hollingsworth, UA (fourth, 2:05.39)
50 free: Olivia Matson, Jerome (second, 23.05); McCall Freiburger, UA (third, 23.31); Lizzie Oliphant, UA (fifth, 23.46); Adelyn Espy, Olentangy (sixth, 23.81); Maren Berg, UA (seventh, 23.88); Aubrey Briseno, Gahanna (eighth, 23.91)
100 fly: Riley Hollingsworth (sixth, 55.63); Mia Gregory, New Albany (eighth, 55.85)
100 free: Matson (second, 50.77); Freiburger (third, 50.81); Oliphant (fourth, 51.06); Huddleston (fifth, 51.77); Morr (sixth, 52.0); Briseno (seventh, 52.46)
500 free: Kollin (third, 4:58.84); Olivia Crock, Watkins Memorial (sixth, 5:06.19); Payton (eighth, 5:06.65)
200 free relay: Jerome (third, 1:35.85); New Albany (fifth, 1:36.85)
100 back: Addison Daugherty, Hilliard Bradley (third, 55.51); Espy (fifth, 56.3); Lauren Moorhead, Olentangy Orange (sixth, 56.74)
100 breast: Madelyn Bosler, Westerville North (third, 1:03.86); Audrey Brink, Jerome (eighth, 1:04.83)
400 free relay: Coffman (third, 3:29.04); Jerome (fourth, 3:30.56); Gahanna (seventh, 3:32); New Albany (eighth, 3:33.26)
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Which central Ohio girls won titles at OHSAA D-I state swimming?
