Title twice as nice; St. John's Epperson wins 100 breaststroke

St. John's senior Jake Epperson heads toward a title in the 100-yard breaststroke yesterday in the state swimming championships. On Friday, Epperson won the 200 individual medley.

CANTON - St. John's Jesuit senior Jake Epperson became a state champion for the second time yesterday at C.T. Branin Natatorium.

Epperson's time of 56.3 seconds earned him the state title in the Division I 100-yard breaststroke.

"It feels pretty good to do it again," Epperson said. "I just tried to stay as calm as possible."

In pursuit of his second title in as many days, Epperson said he could almost feel it slipping away.

"On the third 25, I felt like it might have gotten away," he said. "I didn't feel as good as I did [Friday]. To get moving I had to use a lot more energy and it took a lot out of me."

His second state title didn't feel quite as good as the first but he said the second time is still a great feeling.

After he finished Epperson stayed in the water as the official times were being posted on the scoreboard.

"I didn't even know I won right away," Epperson said.

For Epperson, any pain he felt while competing subsided when he got to hold his second first-place medal.

To accompany his two state championship medals, Epperson also won the boys D-I performance of the state meet.

Fremont Ross senior Lincoln Fahrbach was able to continue the successful meet he started Friday by placing third in the Division I 100-yard freestyle.

His time of 45.88 left him a little disappointed, but he wouldn't let it take away from the great season he believed he had.

"I thought I was going to come into the state meet and really surprise myself, but today wasn't my race," he said. "I can't let one so-so meet overshadow my season, though. I've really had a great season and I don't think it could have gone better."

For the Findlay 200-yard freestyle relay team, it was all about sending the seniors off with a great ending.

The team finished fifth with a time of 1:38.64 and completed its goal of trying to place in the top-five at the state meet.

Seniors Alli Church and Annie Donovan agreed that the time and finish made for a great way to end their high school swimming careers.

"We sent these two seniors off with a bang and that's what they deserve," sophomore Jess Braddock said.

Fremont Ross edged Findlay for fourth place posting a time of 1:37.88 and sent senior members Jessicka Ickes and Jacque Fate out with a medal-winning performance.

Ickes also finished sixth in the consolation final and 14th overall in the 100 freestyle.

Sophomore Samantha Zuch of Napoleon placed second in the D-II 100 freestyle, posting a time of 52.14.

Zuch finished behind defending state champion Margo Greer, who set a state record of 50.30 in the race.

"I wanted to go better than I did at districts, but 52 is still a good time," Zuch said. " It was a really good year for me. My hard work has paid off a lot and now I'm just going to prepare to try and get first next year."

Teammate Samantha Sworden had an eighth-place time of 5:22.98 in the D-II 500 freestyle.

In the consolation final of the D-I 200-yard freestyle relay, St. Francis de Sales finished sixth, and 14th overall. Juniors Roman Willets and Joe Katich, and seniors Ben Swartz and Jake Hoffman finished with a time of 1:28.86.

St. John's finished eighth in the consolation final and 16th overall. Juniors James Christy, Ben Fudge, Trevor Satornino and senior Amos Young finished in 1:29.64.

Also, in the 400 freestyle relay, St. John's finished fourth in the consolation final and 12th overall. The team of senior James MacKay, Satornino, Yeung and Epperson finished in a time of 3:13.38.

St. Francis finished fifth in the consolation final and 13th overall with Willets, Katich, Swartz and sophomore Matt Marshall posting a time of 3:14.46.

Napoleon senior Chelsea Meyer finished sixth in the D-II 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:08.30.

Following the 100 breaststroke, Meyer and her teammates competed in the 400 freestyle relay. The team of Zuch, Sworden, senior Mackenzie Finn and Meyer finished second to defending champion Gates Mills Hawken with a time of 3:37.49.

In the D-I 400 freestyle, Bowling Green placed eighth. Sophomore Kelly Titus, seniors Katie Womack and Shannon Titus and junior Jamie Akenberger placed with a time of 3:40.10.

In the girls D-I team rankings, Fremont Ross was 11th (61 points), Findlay was 13th (46) and Bowling Green was 15th (41).

Napoleon finished sixth (110) in the girls D-II.

In boys D-I, St. John's finished 10th (82), Fremont Ross was 18th (33), and St. Francis was 23rd (25).