As an encore to 'best day in program history,' Marlington does it second day in a row

CANTON — Marlington senior Baila Bugara said a "smart diet" had run its course.

Her vote on where to go for the celebration dinner was Chili's.

"We've been eating healthy for a three weeks now," she said. "It's definitely time to go get some fun stuff to eat."

Bugara and the Dukes were high-fiving all around Jake Rehfus after a state meet Marlington people kept calling "surreal."

One night earlier after prelims, the Dukes' first-year head coach congratulated his swimmers for "the best day in program history."

After surpassing expectations in Friday night's OHSAA Division II finals, an ecstatic Rehus said, "This was like nothing else."

On the periphery, Marlington was the second-highest-performing public school in girls team points, placing sixth, but the feeling ran deeper than that.

"It's definitely very emotional," Bugara said. "Freshman year, I never dreamed of having a relay at the state meet, and here we are with relays and high finishes in individual events, and we're the second public school in the team standings.

"It's VERY surreal."

In the first event of Friday night's championship meet in C.T. Branin Natatorium, Marlington's girls fought to third place in the 200 medley relay in 1:46.82, in a hot race against fourth-place Columbus Academy (1:47.10). Hathaway Brown won in 1:44.02.

The swim order was sophomore Leah Guess, junior Claire Cox, Bugara and freshman Caitlyn Cox. Perennial power Gates Mills Hawken was sixth in 1:48.28.

The Dukes were far from finished.

Claire Cox put herself in the thick of a great race for second place in the 100 freestyle. She wound up third and later placed third in the 100 breaststroke.

Claire and Caitlin are sisters, and according to Claire, "best friends." So, it was an emotional night all around.

Guess placed fourth in championship finals of the 100 backstroke in 57.70. She followed up with a fifth place in the 100 backstroke, in which swimmers from Hawken and Hathaway Brown went one-two.

Rehfus said the psychology of competing against private-school dymamos disappeared.

"We know when we're behind the blocks, we're going to be competitive with whoever we're facing," he said. "Our girls showed it today, and they showed it all year long. They can compete with anybody."

Any finish in the top 16 was worth team points.

Caitlin Cox took 14th in the 200 freestyle. Guess was 15th in the 100 butterfly.

In the boys meet, Dover junior Lucas Lane churned to two silver medals in the longer races. He was state runner-up in 1:38.32 in the 200 free, just behind Napoleon senior Kyle Hudson's 1:37.53. He also place second in the 500 free, swimming a 4:32.30 that was six seconds faster than his time in prelims.

Alliance freshman Ben Craig was one of the top ninth-graders in the meet. He dropped time and placed fifth (13th overall) in consolation finals of the 100 backstroke.

Reach Steve at steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.com

On Twitter: @sdoerschukREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: OHSAA state swim meet ideal for Marlington at Branin Natatorium