Advertisement

'It means everything:' Ryle swimming wins combined team title; NDA junior wins first

james weber, cincinnati enquirer
·7 min read

LEXINGTON, Ky. – In a weekend filled with star-studded performances, some supporting players for the Ryle High School girls swimming team delivered clutch performances in the end.

Senior Hannah Panko, senior Melia Kinross and sophomore Lydia DiVita combined for 15 team points in the final two solo events of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association girls state swimming championships at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center.

Ryle boys and girls swimmers and coaches pose with their combined team championship trophy during the KHSAA state girls swimming championships Feb. 24, 2024 at the University of Kentucky's Lancaster Aquatic Center.
Ryle boys and girls swimmers and coaches pose with their combined team championship trophy during the KHSAA state girls swimming championships Feb. 24, 2024 at the University of Kentucky's Lancaster Aquatic Center.

Panko finished 13th in the 100-yard backstroke. Kinross finished 10th in the 100 breaststroke and DiVita 13th. Based on their times in the preliminary round earlier in the day, those three were only projected to score seven points.

Those extra points lifted the Raiders to third place in the girls team standings after the Raiders finished fourth in the 400 freestyle relay to close the meet.

The relay featured Panko, sophomore Gabriella Stephens, junior Reese Yauger and senior Ava Hammons, who had not swam in this relay until today.

“The unsung situation tonight was at the end with the two breaststrokers (and Panko),” Ryle head coach Jeff Floyd said. "That changed the entire complexion of what went on. That allowed us to just have to swim solid in that last relay and be safe. If we didn’t do anything silly, I felt our talent level could get us where we needed to be, and it easily did.”

Notre Dame Pandas pose with their fourth-place team trophy during the KHSAA state girls swimming championships Feb. 24, 2024 at the University of Kentucky's Lancaster Aquatic Center.
Notre Dame Pandas pose with their fourth-place team trophy during the KHSAA state girls swimming championships Feb. 24, 2024 at the University of Kentucky's Lancaster Aquatic Center.

Ryle finished third in the team standings with 140.5 points, six ahead of fourth-place Notre Dame, who also won a team trophy.

Combined with Friday’s third-place finish by the boys team, the Raiders won the combined team championship for the first time. Ryle scored 317.5 points to beat Highlands by 95 points.

“It means everything,” Yauger said. “We’re such an amazing high school and program and I’m just so happy to be a part of this program and high school. We have amazing coaches.”

Yauger, a junior, led the Raiders with four medals. She finished fifth in the 100 butterfly and seventh in the 200 individual medley. She helped the 200 medley relay finish seventh in addition to the fourth-place 400 free relay.

“I was super close to some of my personal bests and it’s been a while since I’ve been close,” she said. “I’m very happy.”

Panko medaled individually in the 100 freestyle and was on both medal-winning relays. Stephens medaled in the 500 free and finished ninth in the 200 IM for some key points. She was on the 400-freestyle relay as well. Hammons was on the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay that finished 10th to score key points. Kinross, Stephens and DiVita were on that as well.

“We all showed up and we did it for each other,” Yauger said. “I think that was the biggest thing, for sure. We didn’t let anything get to us. We had our heads in the game. We’re all so excited.”

Notre Dame junior Sadie Hartig won the state championship in the 500-yard freestyle during the KHSAA state girls swimming championships Feb. 24, 2024 at the University of Kentucky's Lancaster Aquatic Center.
Notre Dame junior Sadie Hartig won the state championship in the 500-yard freestyle during the KHSAA state girls swimming championships Feb. 24, 2024 at the University of Kentucky's Lancaster Aquatic Center.

Northern Kentucky celebrated one individual state champion as junior Sadie Hartig won the 500 freestyle in 4:56.46, nearly five seconds ahead of second place. It’s her first state title after finishing second in the event last year.

“It feels really good,” she said. “I’m just glad I was able to do it for my team. The atmosphere was a lot better. It’s state, so it’s a big deal, so that helped me go faster, and having my teammates around me. The team helped a lot, getting me hyped up.”

Hartig also medaled in fourth place in the 200 freestyle and swam on the 400 freestyle relay that finished third and the 200 free relay that placed sixth.

“Sadie had a great day,” NDA head coach Jamie Kelly said. “I’m so happy for her to win a state championship. She swam great the whole meet. She’s been a solid swimmer for us the whole season. Sadie is a fierce competitor. That’s something that she has really grown into, being really competitive. She doesn’t like to lose.”

Danaka Tucker also medaled in both the 200 and 500 freestyle with Hartig, and swam both relays with her, Abby Carnes and Liv Wallace.

Notre Dame took home a team trophy for fourth place.

“I’m real pleased,” Kelly said. “We were hoping to get a top-five finish and we finished fourth. I’m real pleased with that. The girls swam well. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Highlands Bluebirds pose with their second-place trophy in the combined team standings during the KHSAA state girls swimming championships Feb. 24, 2024 at the University of Kentucky's Lancaster Aquatic Center.
Highlands Bluebirds pose with their second-place trophy in the combined team standings during the KHSAA state girls swimming championships Feb. 24, 2024 at the University of Kentucky's Lancaster Aquatic Center.

Highlands won three medals, two in relays and junior Sarah Jones in the 100-yard backstroke. Jones swam in both relays, including the 400 free relay foursome that finished second.

Beechwood junior Ryon Argo won individual medals in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly and swam on two relays that won medals.

Addi Johnson of Dixie Heights won two medals, one solo. Conner’s Sophie Thomas won a medal.

On the whole, Northern Kentucky won 13 solo medals and nine in relays.

KHSAA girls state meet

200 medley relay: 7. Ryle (Ava Hammons, Melia Kinross, Reese Yauger, Hannah Panko) 1:50.60, 8. Highlands (Sarah Jones, Keira Kobida, Clare Herfel, Ragan Moore) 1:51.03.

9. Dixie Heights (Freya Reil, Addi Johnson, Haley Waters, Dahlia Kissel) 1:51.62, 16. Notre Dame (Sammie Poulos, Reaghan Connelly, Ava Deegan, Peyton Quinn) 1:58.09.

19. Conner (Sarah Bidleman, Sophie Thomas, Ella Thomas, Livia Liesenfeld) 1:58.96, 21. Beechwood (Courtney Dietrich, Ruby Fries, Mckynlee Townsend, Maria Morris) 2:00.70, 22. Villa Madonna (Rebecca Raziano, Tara Gibson, McKenna Bien, Madison Krieg) 2:00.81.

200 freestyle: 4. Sadie Hartig (Notre Dame) 1:51.41, 8. Danaka Tucker (Notre Dame) 1:57.22.

10. Clare Herfel (Highlands) and Liv Wallace (Notre Dame) tied at 1:56.73, 13. Ella Thomas (Conner) 1:59.05.

19. Freya Reil (Dixie Heights) 2:01.96.

200 individual medley: 7. Reese Yauger (Ryle) 2:07.61, 8. Ryon Argo (Beechwood) 2:08.22.

9. Gabriella Stephens (Ryle) 2:08.17, 11. Sophie Thomas (Conner) 2:10.10, 15. Abby Carnes (Notre Dame) 2:12.06.

17. Lydia Divita (Ryle) 2:14.03, 19. Sarah Bidleman (Conner) 2:17.63, 23. Sammie Poulos (Notre Dame) 2:24.54.

50 freestyle: 13. Haley Waters (Dixie Heights) 25.17, 14. Ragan Moore (Highlands) 25.39, 16. Maddie Staley (Beechwood) 25.55.

20. Dahlia Kissel (Dixie Heights) 25.43, 22. Sarah Littrell (St. Henry) 25.47.

100 butterfly: 5. Reese Yauger (Ryle) 56.50, 6. Ryon Argo (Beechwood) 57.66.

11. Addi Johnson (Dixie Heights) 58.09, 15. Maddie Staley (Beechwood) 58.36.

19. Ava Deegan (Notre Dame) 1:00.39, 20. Sarah Jones (Highlands) 1:00.96, 21. McKenna Bien (Villa Madonna) 1:01.02.

100 freestyle: 7. Hannah Panko (Ryle) 53.32.

11. Alexis Fassbender (St. Henry) 54.00, 15. Ragan Moore (Highlands) 55.11.

18. Haley Waters (Dixie Heights) 55.31, 20. Dahlia Kissel (Dixie Heights), 23. Sarah Littrell (St. Henry) 56.20.

500 freestyle: 1. Sadie Hartig (Notre Dame) 4:66.46, 6. Danaka Tucker (Notre Dame) 5:07.63, 7. Sophie Thomas (Conner) 5:07.65, 8. Gabriella Stephens (Ryle) 5:11.30.

9. Clare Herfel (Highlands) 5:06.91, 12. Ella Thomas (Conner) 5:16.47

18. Mackenzie Denigan (Ryle) 5:25.74, 19. Haley Yauger (Ryle) 5:26.76, 22. Makayla Kleman (Notre Dame) 5:32.06.

200 freestyle relay: 6. Notre Dame (Abby Carnes, Liv Wallace, Danaka Tucker, Sadie Hartig) 1:40.74, 8. Beechwood (Ruby Fries, Maddie Staley, Gabrielle Lee, Ryon Argo) 1:41.47.

10. Ryle (Melia Kinross, Gabriella Stephens, Ava Hammons, Lydia DiVita) 1:42.78, 11. St. Henry (Sarah Littrell, Taylor Maselli, Sara Kleier, Alexis Fassbender) 1:42.89, 14. Highlands 1:44.61

100 backstroke: 7. Sarah Jones (Highlands) 57.77.

13. Hannah Panko (Ryle) 59.43.

17. Abby Carnes (Notre Dame) 1:00.05, 18. Liv Wallace (Notre Dame) 1:00.35, 19. Alexis Fassbender (St. Henry) 1:00.87.

100 breaststroke: 8. Addi Johnson (Dixie Heights) 1:06.56.

10. Melia Kinross (Ryle) 1:07.94, 13. Lydia DiVita (Ryle) 1:08.40.

18. Sarah Bidleman (Conner) 1:09.40, 20. Keira Kobida (Highlands) 1:09.72.

400 freestyle relay: 2. Highlands (Keira Kobida, Ragan Moore, Clare Herfel, Sarah Jones) 3:34.17, 3. Notre Dame (Abby Carnes, Liv Wallace, Danaka Tucker, Sadie Hartig) 3:36.57, 4. Ryle (Ava Hammons, Gabriella Stephens, Hannah Panko, Reese Yauger) 3:38.72, 5. Dixie Heights (Haley Waters, Freya Reil, Addi Johnson, Dahlia Kissel) 3:40.41, 7. Beechwood (Maddie Staley, Gabrielle Lee, Maria Morris, Ryon Argo) 3:41.97.

10. St. Henry (Sarah Littrell, Addison Dees, Sara Kleier, Alexis Fassbender) 3:47.16.

17. Conner (Sarah Bidleman, Allee Fay, Ella Thomas, Sophie Thomas) 3:54.50, 19. Villa Madonna (Madison Krieg, Sydney Short, McKenna Bien, Rebecca Raziano) 3:55.02, DQ. Cooper (Morgan Stephenson, Claira Kemper, Melanie Vogeler, Clara Murray).

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: KHSAA swimming: Ryle wins combined championship, NDA junior wins first