Lancaster freshman to cap swimming season at state meet

LANCASTER – The season has come to an end for all but one high school swimmer in Fairfield County — Lancaster’s Olivia Schmelzer.

“I’m a little nervous, but I’m super excited,” she said after practice Wednesday. “I’ve gotten a lot of support from my (Golden Gales) teammates.”

After breaking four school records this season, Schmelzer’s freshman campaign will end in Canton this weekend as she competes for a podium finish at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Swimming and Diving State Tournament.

On Friday, Schmelzer will compete in the preliminary rounds for the 50-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke. She is ranked fourth for Division I for the 50 free and 11th for the 100 backstroke. Schmelzer has to have one of the 16 fastest times — out of 24 swimmers — to qualify for Saturday’s finals. She also will need a top-eight finish Saturday to reach the podium.

“Not only is she great in one or two, but she’s great in all of the events,” coach Theresa Hoyt said.

Schmelzer’s range of skills made her a great utility swimmer for the Gales, but that often meant she was not swimming in her strongest events this season.

“She really didn’t get a chance to swim her ‘on’ events until we got closer to the (Ohio Capital Conference) championship,” Hoyt said.

When it came time to decide what to try to qualify for at the state level, Hoyt and Schmelzer worked to find the right combination. Schmelzer didn’t want to have to swim back-to-back races in the meet lineup, but also choose events in which she felt confident.

After some discussion, the events came down to the 50 free (Schmelzer’s best event) and the 100 backstroke. Although she wasn’t racing those events regularly this season, Hoyt said Schmelzer is able to keep up her strengths in those events through practice.

“She’s going to have to work hard and push herself,” Hoyt said. “But I think she’s going to be in the top-eight.”

It already has been a successful season for the 15-year-old. She broke school records in the 200 individual medley, 50 free, 100 free and 100 backstroke. She also was a part of a relay that broke the school’s medley record at the district meet.

“I feel I could come back and do even better next year,” Schmelzer said.

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