By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Notre Dame girls won four of 11 swimming events in one of three state qualifying meets held Saturday and will enter the state championship meet with the fastest time in the girls 200 freestyle relay.
The Pandas’ winning time in the 200 freestyle relay was 1:40.40 at the state qualifying meet for Regions 7-9 held at Scott High School. The team that won that event in last year’s state meet, Sacred Heart, is not among the 24 qualifiers.
Notre Dame teammates Clare Herfel and Sadie Hartig were the top two finishers in the 500 freestyle and Herfel won the 200 freestyle at the girls qualifying meet. It ended with Notre Dame’s victory in the 400 freestyle relay.
In the boys qualifying meet for Regions 7-9 at Scott, local swimmers won five individual events and Ryle took first in the 200 freestyle relay. The second-fastest state qualifying times were recorded by Ryle senior Chase Knopf in the 500 freestyle and Highlands senior Griffin Barlow in the 100 breaststroke.
The state swimming and diving championships are scheduled for Feb. 20-22 at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatics Center. Here’s a rundown of events that have local swimmers and divers among the top three seeds based on state qualifying meet results.
GIRLS EVENTS
200 freestyle relay — No. 1 Notre Dame (1:40.40).
200 medley relay — No. 3 Notre Dame (1:50.97).
400 freestyle relay — No. 2 Notre Dame (3:36.26), No. 3 Beechwood (3:39.53).
200 freestyle — No. 3 Clare Herfel (Notre Dame) 1:51.58.
100 butterfly — No. 3 Reese Yauger (Ryle) 57.08.
500 freestyle — No. 2 Clare Herfel (Notre Dame) 4:57.88.
BOYS EVENTS
50 freestyle — No. 3 Andy Pleiman (Ryle) 21.10.
1-meter diving — No. 3 Isaiah Reinhardt (Simon Kenton) 441.70
100 breaststroke — No. 2 Griffin Barlow (Highlands) 55.68.
500 freestyle — No. 2 Chase Knauf (Ryle) 4:34.82, No. 3 Cono Presti (Beechwood) 4:34.85.