Patriot girls third, Tribe sixth

The Patriots claimed the top spot in four races.

Alex Bader had her hand in all of them.

Bader was victorious in two individual events and helped a pair of winning relay teams as the Jay County High School girls swim team placed third Saturday in the Jay County Invitational.

The Patriots totaled 287 points, finishing behind winner Oak Hill (439) and runner-up Celina (389), both of which defeated Jay County in dual meets this season. Alexis Bubp set a school record in helping Fort Recovery’s girls place sixth with 175 points.

Oak Hill won the boys’ invite as well with 486 points. Celina totaled 425 points for second, Bellmont was third with 287.5 and Jay County placed fourth with 227 points. Fort Recovery was ninth with 87 points.

Bader picked up wins in the 100-yard butterfly in 59.24 seconds, and led three Patriots who finished in the top four in the 100 breaststroke. Bader won in 1:07.67, with Jamie Valentine and Vivienne Kunkler placing third and fourth respectively.

Elizabeth McDowell, Valentine, Bader and Kunkler teamed to win the 200 medley relay in 1:57.61, and Erica Hathaway joined McDowell, Kunkler and Bader to win the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:07.67.

McDowell was second in the 100 backstroke and fifth in the 100 freestyle. Hathaway placed fifth in the 200 and 500 freestyle races, and Kunkler was eighth in the 200 individual medley.

Kaitlyn Dow, Jenna Dunfee, Valentine and Hathaway teamed to place fifth in the 400 freestyle relay.

Bubp became the fastest Tribe swimmer in the 200 IM, winning the race in 2:23.69. She was also second in the 100 freestyle.

Cassy Martin finished second in the 200 freestyle, and Sophie Timmerman was third in the 500 freestyle.

Faith Hull, Timmerman, Bubp and Martin combined to place third in the 200 freestyle relay, and the same four finished fourth in the 200 medley relay.

For the Patriot boys, Christopher McDowell, Tayler Smeltzer and Garrett Campbell each earned two top-eight finishes. McDowell was runner up in both the 200 and 500 freestyle, Smeltzer finished fifth in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly and Campbell placed fourth in the 100 freestyle and eighth in the 50 freestyle.

Also placing in the top eight were Alex Lemaster (sixth – 500 freestyle) and Ian Reynolds (eighth – 100 butterfly). Campbell, Smeltzer, Reynolds and McDowell were fourth in the 200 freestyle relay.

Nolan Thobe, Robby LeFevre, Owen Sheridan and Harrison Kaup teamed to place seventh in both the 200 and 400 freestyle relays for the FRHS boys.