The Aqua Cats Take Fifth In the State Meet

CANTON, OH – For a 3rd consecutive yr, the Swim Cats received the Northwest District Championship on Saturday, February 21. The Cats would win all relays and showcased robust races in particular person occasions, delivering notable performances and private bests throughout the staff.

At Bowling Green State University, the meet opened with the 200-yard medley relay, received by Jaime Hong, Jude Banks, James Yan, and Thor Johannessen with a time of 1:30.32. 

Aiden Malke saved the momentum up by successful his 200-yard freestyle in 1:45.00, adopted by Brendan Ormiston with a brand new private better of 1:47.11. 

Jaime Hong captured the title within the 200-yard IM with a time of 1:50.85, and Johannessen adopted up and received the 50 free with a blazing 20.22! Henry Scott delivered an astonishing 5:09.86 within the 500-yard free, dropping greater than ten seconds from his earlier time. 

Later within the meet, Jude Banks received the 100-yard breaststroke with a 53.40 to interrupt his personal District report. Chris Saxon and James Yan adopted with robust finishes of 57.59 and 59.52, respectively. 

Additionally, Ian Kimak took his first District Title with a 49.93 within the 100 again, whereas DJ Magee dropped half a second from his earlier private finest. Freshmen Ben Weber, Parker Gildea, and Max Chung carried out strongly of their District debut.

Jude Banks, Jaime Hong, Chris Saxon, James Yan, Thor Johannessen, Ian Kimak, Brian Ormiston, and Aiden Malke certified for the State Meet. 

The State Meet would start on Friday morning at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton. It can be the preliminary rounds for the Wildcats competing to qualify for the A-Final on Saturday. The 200-yard medley staff of Hong, Banks, Yan, and Johannessen would qualify with a time of 1:28.81. 

Johannessen would qualify for his ultimate within the 50-yard Free with a time of 20.16. The Wildcats would go forward and get two qualifiers within the 100-yard Backstroke with Hong and Kimak. Hong positioned second with a time of 49.35, and Kimak seventh with a time of fifty.04. 

In the 100-yard Breaststroke, Banks certified with a time of 53.64 on a third-place end. Johannessen certified with a time of 55.00.

Lastly, the 400-yard Free relay staff of Johannessen, Hong, Malke, and Banks certified with a fifth-place end of three:05.22. 

On Saturday, for the ultimate, it will be an unimaginable efficiency for the Wildcats. Despite ending fifth, there have been loads of report breakers, together with 4 program information that had been shattered. 

The 200-yard medley of Hong, Banks, Yan, and Johannessen positioned second within the state with a time of 1:27.72. The Wildcats broke that report earlier this season with a time of 1:27.93. Columbus St. Charles would place first with a time of 1:27.20.

Banks, who’s dedicated to the University of Georgia, broke his 100-yard breaststroke as soon as once more, this time with a time of 53.25. Jake Lloyd of Columbus St. Charles received the occasion with a time of 53.06, which is an Ohio finest. 

Hong positioned second within the 100-yard backstroke with a private better of 48.97. St. Xavier’s Charles Tucker completed with a time of 48.39. 

Johannessen positioned second within the 50-yard free with a program report of 19.86. That time broke Josh Toothman’s ’24 20.09 report. Jake Lloyd of St. Charles received the occasion with a state-record time of 19.39.

The Wildcats would wrap up the 2025-26 season within the 400-yard free occasion. The relay staff of Johannessen, Hong, Malke, and Banks shattered a program report that stood for almost a decade with a time of three:03.33. It was a third-place end for the Cats. 

When all was stated and completed, the Wildcats would place fifth out of 51 groups on the Division I State Championship. St. Charles can be topped State Champions with a complete of 348.5 factors. The Wildcats collected 183 factors.