Mariners combine to finish fifth at YMCA State Championship Meet

Published 11:36 am Sunday, March 17, 2013

Sisters Andie and Charlie Drew both won championships for the Niles-Buchanan Mariners at the YMCA state meet in Grand Rapids recently. (Leader photo/Provided)

Sisters Andie and Charlie Drew both won championships for the Niles-Buchanan Mariners at the YMCA state meet in Grand Rapids recently. (Leader photo/Provided)

The Niles-Buchanan Mariners swim team participated in the 8 &Under YMCA State Championship Meet held in Grand Rapids recently.

There were 14 teams represented at the meet. The Mariners had 18 swimmers competing in the event.

The Niles-Buchanan team had six boys that placed sixth overall in the final team standings and the 12 girls placed second. Combined they were fifth in total team standings.

Andie Drew had state championship swims in both the 25-yard fly (15.92) and 50-yard free (35.57) in the 8-year-old bracket. She was second in the 100-yard individual medley, which qualified her for the Age Group State Championships in Waterford.

That state meet is typically for swimmers 9 to 18. The youngest age group is 10 and under, qualifying her for the meet.

Her sister, Charlie Drew, was also the state champ in two events in the 5 & Under division. Charlie won the 25-yard free (22.17) and 25-yard backstroke (28.12) and finished 14th in the 7 & Under 50-yard freestyle.

The 100-yard individual medley relay team of Peyton Racht, Marika Ruppart, Andie Drew and Madilyn Keigley had the state champion effort with a time of 1:22.45.

The same four girls combined for the 100-yard freestyle relay and placed fourth.

Placing in the top six and receiving medals in individual events were Racht in the 7-year-old age group as she was second place in the 25-yard backstroke, 25-yard butterfly and the 50-yard freestyle. Also in the girls 7-year-old group was Madilyn Keigley, who was in 25-yard butterfly, and Leah Horvath who placed fourth in 25-yard breaststroke.

Five-year-olds Molly Herbert and Caitlin Horvath placed in the top six as well. Herbert was fourth in the 25-yard freestyle and Horvath was sixth in 25-yard backstroke and fifth in 25-yard freestyle.

Eight-year-old Alex Aguilera finished fifth in 25-yard breaststroke; 6-year-old Carson Keigley placed fifth in 25-yard freestyle; Four year old Aiden Brazo placed fifth in both 25-freestyle and 25-backstroke; and Jaxen Racht, five years old, placed third in 25-freestyle and 25-backstroke.