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St. Clairsville Swimming Opens Season In Dominating Fashion

Photo by Rick Thorp Wheeling Central’s Kelly Riedel competes in the 200 freestyle Tuesday during the Belmont County Kickoff Meet inside Wheeling University’s McDonough Center.

WHEELING — Ernie Banks decided to mix things up Monday evening.

The veteran St. Clairsville High School swimming coach employed a different philosophy as the Red Devils opened the 2019-20 campaign in the Belmont County Kickoff Meet inside Wheeling University’s McDonough Center, the traditional season opener.

Banks’ swimmers’ events were anything but traditional, however.

“A lot of them didn’t even swim their main events,” Banks said after his team won 20 of 22 races in the six-team gathering that also included Barnesville, Union Local, Cambridge, Wheeling Central and St. John Academy.

“I put some of them in a strong event and an off event.”

St. C.’s boys all participated in off events. Still, it was great night for everyone, although victories weren’t exactly high on Banks’ list of things he wanted to see.

“First, I’m looking for individual efforts,” he said. “Then, I’m seeing what their times look like with the efforts they’re putting forth.”

Still, there were plenty of strong individual efforts, many coming from the usual suspects.

Cassie DiBetta picked up four victories, including individual triumphs in the 100 Breaststroke and 100 Butterfly. Her time of 1:06.59 broke her own pool record, while her 1:00.76 in the 100 Fly almost secured a spot in the record books.

“I put her in the 100 Fly, which is an off event for her,” Banks said.

“She missed the school record by .15 seconds. I don’t know if it’s going to be an off event for her the rest of the year because she was very fast.”

DiBetta also teamed up with Kylie McKeegan, Ellie Thomas and Lyndsee Probst to claim the 200 Freestyle Relay in 2:02.07, and Olivia Moyer, McKeegan and Brenna Planey to win the 200 Medley Relay in 1:56.3

Planey, McKeegan and Moyer joined with Marody to capture the 400 Freestyle Relay in 4:00.83.

Marody started her season off strong with an individual victory in the 100 backstroke (1:07.46).

Moyer claimed the 500 Freestyle in 5:48.37, McKeegan won the 100 Freestyle in :59.56 and Planey raced to victory in the 50 Freestyle in :27.89.

Paige Koshenko was a winner in the 200 Freestyle with a time of 2:27.59.

“I was extremely impressed by some freshman who moved up to sophomores,” Banks said. “Paige Koshenko and Brendan Miller are two who really come to mind.”

Miller joined with Caleb McKeegan, Matthew Marling and Jason Davenport on the Red Devils’ winning 400 Freestyle Relay team (4:08.74). St. C. also won the 200 Freestyle Relay (Nathan Yost, Ethan Banks, Jack Gasber, Marling) in 1:42.22 and the 200 Medley Relay (Banks, Gasber, Yost, Marling) in 1:51.86.

Yost and Banks each claimed a pair of individual events. Banks raced to wins in the 200 IM (2:18.43) and 100 Freestyle (:56.12), while Yost was victorious in the 200 Freestyle (2:01.72) and 100 Butterfly (1:00.5).

Individual winners were Marling in the 500 Freestyle (5:58.94), McKeegan in the 100 Backstroke (1:05.7) and Gasber in the 100 Breaststroke (1:11.42).

Barnesville’s Payne Johnson won the 50 Freestyle in :25.6, while Wheeling Central’s Madie Riedel won the 200 IM in 3:07.19

“This was the first meet of the year, so it was it was nice to get back in the pool and beat the rust off,” Banks said. ‘They were ready. They came into this season ready.”

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