Senior members of New Richmond’s swim team include, from left front, Jason Greene and Mia Krites. From back left, Audrey Fouss, Ella Crone, Talon Smith and Izzie Carroll. Photo courtesy New Richmond Athletics.
As the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference’s only Clermont County-based swim program, New Richmond High School’s team has been preparing for the Division II sectional meets this week.
The Lions will be in the 10-school grouping at St. Xavier High School’s Keating Natatorium, along with Badin (boys), Cincinnati Christian, Finneytown, McNicholas, Ross (boys), St. Bernard-Elmwood Place, Summit Country Day, Taylor and Wyoming (boys). SBAAC schools Clinton-Massie, East Clinton and Wilmington will compete at Mason; swimming is not a recognized SBAAC sport.
One swimmer from each event at each of the sectional sites will automatically advance to the district meet Feb. 14 at Miami University; the 32 fastest individual qualifiers across all sites and 24 fastest relay teams will also qualify. There are 72 schools in six sites for boys and 66 schools in seven sites for girls.
Judy Middeler has been New Richmond’s girls coach for more than 40 years, while Rick Mahan has coached the boys for 11 years.
“We have a great group of men and women who have improved their times and strokes over the season,” Middeler said. “Our goal for the swimmer is to focus on personal success and improving personal times. Most of our swimmers are just three-month swimmers and they are very involved in other sports during the fall and spring.”
Top swimmers on the boys team are: Ben Nicoloff, 50-yard freestyle and relays; Jason Greene, 500-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke; Carson Corbin, 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley; Sam Bloom, breaststroke, and Talon Smith, 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle. Middeler also mentioned Aiden Zimmerman, 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard IM; Jack Maus, 100-yard breaststroke, and Nick Maus, 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard IM.
The girls are led by Leah Riley, 200-yard IM and 100-yard freestyle; Mia Krites, 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle; Riley Davis, 500-yard freestyle; Katherine Gilfillen, 100-yard backstroke; Addison Slone, 100-yard breaststroke; Mallory Bricker, 100-yard butterfly, and Peyton Ollendick, 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle. Other mentioned are Cassidy Crone, 100-yard backstroke; Madi Ammermann, 200-yard IM and 500-yard freestyle; Olivia Henson, 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle; Maggie Schuster, 500-yard freestyle; Izzie Carroll, 200-yard freestyle, and Ella Crone, 100-yard breaststroke.
Middeler said she hopes Corbin and Bloom, as well as a couple of relays, can advance to district.“We have a great group of young athletes on the team,” she said.