



The Ohio High School Athletic Association postseason got underway for girls basketball and swimming this past weekend. It wrapped up yet another busy week for area winter sports athletes.
Firestone senior Jonny Marshall finished first four times and set two meet records Saturday in the Division I boys swimming sectional championship meet at the University of Akron’s Ocasek Natatorium.
Marshall set meet records in the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:40.11 and the 100 backstroke in 48.46 seconds. He won Division I state championship in the 100 backstroke as a sophomore and junior.
Firestone won the boys 200 freestyle relay in 1:29.51 with Marshall, Nick Michael, Mason Brady and Stanley Niekamp and the 400 freestyle relay in 3:17.06 with Brady, Sam Kmet, Niekamp and Marshall.
The top two in each event automatically advanced to the district meet at Cleveland State University’s Busbey Natatorium on Saturday, Feb. 18.
Hudson won the sectional girls and boys team titles at UA. The Explorers girls team scored 488.5 points and the boys team finished with 412 points.
Firestone finished second in both meets with the girls team scoring 299.5 points and the boys team scoring 260 points. Nordonia placed third in the girls meet with 248 points and Stow was third in the boys meet with 239 points.
Hudson senior Marisa Schenkenberger won the girls 200 individual medley in 2:11.17.
Hudson senior Vittorio Cappabianca placed first in the boys 200 individual medley in 1:58.26 and in the 500 freestyle in 4:49.89.
Hudson senior Andrew Ketler took the top spot in the boys 50 freestyle in 22.37 and in the 100 butterfly in 51.60. Explorers senior Roman Sawicki won the 100 freestyle in 49.09.
Firestone junior Julia Quernemoen touched the wall first in the girls 200 freestyle in 1:56.55 and the 500 freestyle in 5:16.57. Falcons senior Tera Brilmyer won the 100 butterfly in 59.43.
Nordonia sophomore Hailey Kaminski earned victories in the girls 50 freestyle in 24.44 and the 100 backstroke in 59.23. Knights sophomore Emily Yorkievitz contributed a win in the 100 freestyle in 53.80.
Due to the incoming weather, the Akron Public School district has closed all buildings and cancelled all activities for 12/23/22.
Calling all alumni! Please join us for our annual Alumni swim meet on December 23rd @ 5pm. Contact Coach Cindy for more info!
Thank you to the following 2022/2023 FHAA members.
Abby & Aron Cymerman*
Beth & Leo Michael*
Betsy & Jason Barr*
Brian Davis*
David Mann*
Debbie & Rob Kmet*
Erin Crabtree*
Hillary & Morris Brady*
Jennifer & Matt Sevald*
Joann Toth & Lon Cseplo
Kim & Phil Pietrosanti*
Laurie & Hank Schueler*
Lindsey & Matt Young*
Louise & Steve Marshall*
Marie & Mike Brilmyer*
Megan & Kevin Neeley*
Patricia Hughes
Scott & Joy Quernemoen*
Tara Davis*
*2022-2023 Patron Member
Thank you to the following donors who were extraordinarily generous this year and contributed $100 or more to our annual swimming marathon. We couldn’t have done this without your support and we are so thankful to all of our donors.
Abigail Chupp
Agosti family
Akron Plating Company
Andrew Rhamy
Angela Neeley
Ann Ormsby
Baranak family
Barbara Marshall
Beau & Carrie Sloan
Betsy & Jason Barr
Big Tree Fitness
Bill Lowery
Bob & Sonya Nagle
Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs
Carl Shallenberger
Carr Memorial Home
Cervantes, Sandra
Chris Beckner
Chris Romanoski
Clyde & Paula Crabtree
Considine Family Fund
Crabtree family
Dan Sokolov & Family
Daniel & Kyle Harper
Daniel Draiss
Daniel Green
David & Molly Scantling
David Mann
Deb & Rob Kmet
DeBoer family
Deborah Orr
Dylan Paterniti-Ruscin
Earl Miller
Emily & Phil Engle
Emma Moore
Evan Stieger
Evie Schockley
Francia Dannemiller
George Bare
Hotes family
Jacob Coker
Jamie Grigas
Janet Heckman
Janet Pera
Jason & Amanda Greenfield
Jeff
Jennifer Black
Joe Garro
Joe Grigas
John & Ellen Vollman
John Quernemoen & Patricia Mandyck
Jon Albrecht
Joseph & Anne Raley
Joy Burt
Julie Albrecht
Katherine Alkire
Kurt Schueler
Laurel Celik
Leatha Shockley
Linda Aulino
Lindsay & Matt Young
Marguerite & Scott Tremelin
Maria Cervantes Hunt
Marilyn & Samual Lapides
Mark McCauley
Mary Whitmer
Matt Mezger
Maureen Iero
Max Davis
Megan & Kevin Neeley
Megan Frantz
Melissa Pontius
Michael Brilmyer
Michael family
Michael Hardman
Michael Harris
Michael Makebakken
Michelle Garro
Michelle Wilhelm Gasser
Molly Chelovitz
Monica Early
Nevin Nussbaum
On-Line Productions
Pat Gill
Patty & Rich Dyer
Peter & Katharine Schueler
Phil & Kim Pietrosanti
Rebecca Adamczyk
Rebecca Murray
Reyes Tornos Amilibia
Rob Malone
Sandra Cervantes
Sara Kester-Florin
Sarah Cardille
Sarah Thomarios
Schueler family
Sevald family
Sophie Albrecht
Stacey Rogers
Steve & Cindy Dial
Steve & Laurice Moore
Steve & Louise Marshall
Steven McDonald
Tim Flanagan
Timothy Esson
Toby Alkire
Tricia Saum
Valerie Stutler
West Akron Baseball League (WABL)
Will King
William & Rebecca Considine
William Myers
WEST AKRON — The Firestone Community Learning Center Swimming and Diving Team’s 34th annual “Kids Helping Kids” Swim Marathon with 31 participants Nov. 5 raised almost $23,000, some of which will support a project at Akron Children’s Hospital (ACH).
Shown at right teammates cheer on a swimmer as he finishes a lap. Firestone junior Eva Nixon is pictured above smiling as she swims laps during her six hours in the pool. Shown below members of the team cheer as the announcement is made about the amount of money raised.
The fundraiser, begun to honor a former Firestone swimmer who was battling cancer, has donated more than $193,000 to ACH to support the Burn Unit; an adolescent patient room; an adolescent patient exercise room; the Center for Child Advocacy; arthroscopy equipment; Child Life Initiatives; the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; and a new inpatient rehabilitation center. A portion of this year’s marathon funds will fulfill the fourth year of a five-year $25,000 pledge to assist in the renovations and creation of the new Rehabilitation Services outpatient sub-waiting room. Contributions for the fundraiser are still being accepted at www.firestoneswimming.org under “Donations.”
According to Erin Crabtree, assistant coach and marathon coordinator, some of the money raised will support team expenses and other projects. “Our 2022-23 team is a great mix of returning, very experienced veterans, some incoming freshmen with experience and a handful of new members that will help round-out very strong teams for both the boys and girls,” she said. “The new swimmers are picking up and learning very quickly and will be able to contribute to the already solid line-ups. We are all very excited for a very successful upcoming season.”
Source: Firestone swim marathon benefits ACH