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Ferry Aquatic Club Dominates Own Invite

Heilmans, Norman Each Win Five Events

Photo by Kyle Lutz Martins Ferry’s Sarah Heilman swims her way to a victory in the 100 freestyle at the Eighth Annual Aquatic Club Invite.

MARTINS FERRY — Martins Ferry swim coach Nicholas Levi has been around since the Martins Ferry Aquatic Club Invite’s inception. In its eighth year now, Levi has seen the invitational continue to grow and the Martins Ferry Aquatic Club secured its fourth straight overall team championship on Saturday at William Grammer Pool.

Ferry totaled 765 points followed by West Allegheny Aqua Club (319), Avonworth Swim Team (286), Thompson Park Dolphins (273), Marshall County Swim Team (247) and Steubenville Stingrays (100).

“Overall the kids did really well,” Ferry coach Nicholas Levi said. “We had some in a lot of different events. Some events maybe they’re not used to, especially the 100s. Try to get them out of their comfort level. With the invite being a long day, I’m pleased. The kids are spending a lot of energy at this meet. Fight through that and persevered not only through the events, but also the weathered conditions.

“It was a very good day. I appreciate all the teams coming out too and we had a lot of very good competition. A lot of different teams won high points individually.”

Sarah Heilman won five individual events in the 15 and over 200 freestyle (2:24.16), 100 backstroke (1:14.63), 100 freestyle (1:07.30), 100 butterfly (1:17.82) and 50 backstroke (34.48). Her time in the 50 set a record.

Abby Heilman also won five events for Ferry. She won the girls 11-12 200 freestyle (2:36.01), 100 butterfly (1:22.79), 50 breaststroke (41.71), 200 IM (2:52.51) and 100 breaststroke (1:29.76). Both Heilman’s were also on the winning girls 11 and over 200 freestyle relay team along with Anna Norman and Lauren Garan.

Norman also had a solid day individually claiming gold in five events. She won the girls’ 11-12 50 freestyle (31.07), 100 IM (1:18.40), 100 freestyle (1:12.04), 50 backstroke (36.38) and 50 butterfly (33.84). She set records in the 100 IM and 50 backstroke.

Kayla Fogle’s day at the pool was successful as she won four individual events. She claimed victories in the girls’ 15-Over 100 IM (1:20.16), 200 IM (2:49.57), 100 breaststroke (1:28.96) and 50 butterfly (34.09). She was also on the winning girls 11 and over 200 medley relay team with Kiri Williams, Kylie Huber and Skylar Wyatt.

On the boys’ side, Matthew Collette won three individual titles in the boys’ 13-14 100 IM (1:21.0&), 50 backstroke (38.86) and 100 breastsroke (1:25.93). He was also on the winning boys’ 11-Over 200 medley relay team with Tristen Blatt, Ethan Beale and Cole Franko.

Franko, Blatt, Joey Secrist and Demitris Briggs all won two events. Franko claimed gold in the boys’ 15-Over 200 freestyle (2:31.64) and 100 IM (1:17.45). Secrist won the boys’ 11-12 50 freestyle (39.25) and 100 freestyle (1:30.46). Blatt was the victor in the boys 15 and over 100 backstroke (1:21.58) and 50 backstroke (38.61). Briggs took the top spot in the boys 11-12 50 backstroke (51.15) and 50 butterfly (54.63).

Ferry’s club consists of swimmers from the age of 5-18. Levi said, if it wasn’t for his assistants, this would not be possible.

“You have to have a lot of good help,” Levi said. “I couldn’t be able to coach this whole team by myself. If I didn’t have assistant coaches that come down here and put in the time and work with the different age groups, we wouldn’t have a team that you see. It’s a lot of help. We have seven coaches and they all put a role in the team.”

For the Marshall County Swim Team, Nathan LaMagna won four events in the boys 9-10 100 IM (1:36.08), 100 freestyle (1:31.46), 50 butterfly (46.41) and 25 breastroke (21.37) where he set a record.

Ethan Pond won a pair of events in the boys 15 and over 100 butterfly (1:44.17) and 200 IM (3:32.33). He was also on the winning 200 freestyle relay team with LaMagna, Cullen Wise and Morgan Miller.

Avery Knutsen won the girls’ 13-14 50 backstroke (41.24) and 50 butterfly (39.75) for Marshall County.

Tanner Power had a solid day for the Steubenville Stingrays as he gathered three individual victories. He won the boys 15 and over 100 freestyle (1:06.04), 50 breastsroke (37.48) and 100 breastsroke (1:21.88).

“In the first year, we started with two teams and went to three teams,” Levi said about the invitational. “Then it was three teams again. Everybody’s was like, ‘It might be time to cut this.’ I told them we weren’t going to do that. We persevered and kept going and got some teams involved. They liked how we run it. We couldn’t do it without the volunteers and parent organization coming down to help out with timing. We appreciate the other teams doing timing, the Chinese raffle and bake sale. There was a lot of parent help.”

High point awards for the girls went to Georgianna Long of Thompson Park (8-U), Katie Petrina of Avonworth (age 9-10), Martins Ferry’s Anna Norman and Abby Heilman (11-12), West Allegheny’s Veronica Mann (13-14), and Sarah Heilman (15-18).

On the boys’ side, it was Avonworth’s Billy Petrina (8-U), LaMagna (9-10), Cameron Sullivan of Thompson Park (11-12), BJ Bell of West Allegheny (13-14) and Franko and Blatt (15-18).

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