HIGH SCHOOL

Newark's Hall in top form at sectional

Kurt Snyder
Reporter

WORTHINGTON - Philip Hall saved his best for last Saturday.

Except it might not be over for the Newark senior. Hall did so well he might advance to his first Division I district meet.

Hall recorded personal bests in the 50-yard freestyle (24.57) and 100 breaststroke (1:05.44) during the sectional meet at Thomas Worthington. He will find out later this weekend if he receives an at-large bid to the district meet.

"For my 50 free, I have been trying to go under a 25 all season, and I finally did it," Hall said. "I was so happy and so pumped after that race. I tried to bring that motivation and determination and focus back to my 100 breaststroke."

Granville, which also was competing at Thomas Worthington, likely qualified Colin McDermott in the 50 free (22.80) and 100 free (50.76) and Rowan Moore in the 200 individual medley (2:12.37) and 100 breaststroke (1:04.35) as individuals.

Hall has been competing fatigued throughout the season as Newark coach Kris Read set up difficult workouts to get the Wildcats at their best when it counted. The work appears to have paid off.

"To drop a half-second in the 50 and a full second in the 100 breaststroke, it's incredible," Read said. "To end it like this, it's just amazing absolutely."

Hall won his heat of the 50 free. He then held his own during the 100 breaststroke, earning extra support from McDermott, who cheered his friend from the edge of the pool.

"It's so much fun," Hall said. "Kids from Granville and kids from other teams I had been swimming club with for a while, so it is nice to see people support me and I support them. It is nice to see team building even outside of club."

In addition to their individual successes, McDermott and Moore joined Aaron Sargent and Jesse Faler to power the Blue Aces to strong finishes in the 200 medley (1:47.69) and 200 free (1:36.52) relays, which should set them up with good seeds in next week's district meet. The first relay cut nearly two seconds off its seed time, and the second relay cut nearly four seconds.

Moore said swimming with the Division I competition provided the Blue Aces with extra adrenaline throughout the meet.

"It's real tough," Moore said. "In my 200 IM, I was trying real hard to keep up with them, and it was not happening but I still went my best time," Moore said. "It definitely picks up the pace to go a lot faster than you think you are."

Watkins Memorial's Ian Jarvis in the 200 IM (2:12.24) and 100 breaststroke (1:06.67) and Spencer Kleeh in the 100 free (52.95) had strong performances and could earn at-large bids to the Division I district meet.

ksnyder@newarkadvocate.com

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Twitter: @newarkurt