The state meet last year was limited to straight timed finals because of COVID precautions, so swimmers got just one chance to produce their best race. This year is back to normal with preliminary races and finals, and McDonald – one of 15 area swimmers competing at state this week – has a chance to medal in both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke.
The Division I meet begins Friday with prelims, while Division II prelims begin Thursday.
“I was disappointed because my times were not near what I was capable of,” McDonald recalled. “If I had my best times, I would have gotten in the top three. I think I got too overwhelmed and was thinking about everyone else’s results and not mine, and you only got one shot last year because of COVID, so it was hard to get going because I’m a finals swimmer. My club as a whole didn’t do well, so we were all bummed, but that made us hungrier.”
McDonald is seeded fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 56.13 and eighth in the 200-yard IM with a 1:51.93. His best shot at a win is in the breaststroke, but he’s hoping for a top three or top five finish in the 200 IM as well.
The competition is a little less familiar to McDonald this year with several new young swimmers qualified in his event. However, he’s hoping experience from three previous state meets will pay off for him.
“I’m pumped,” McDonald said. “I think my past experience will help. At Canton, everyone is all over the place, so you just have to worry about yourself because you don’t know who’s going to pop and who’s going next to you. You just want to stay in your lane, and finals you look around a little more and race people.”
McDonald said he’s a little sad to be ending his high school career, but he’s excited about the next chapter swimming at West Virginia University next year. He carries good memories of his time at Lakota East, especially swimming with his brother, Jacob, for two years. Now he hopes to add a couple more positive things to look back on this weekend, just like his brother.
Jacob McDonald, now swimming at the University of Tennessee, won double gold at state in 2020, placing first in the 200 and 500 freestyle events, and he’s been sharing some advice with his younger sibling this week.
“He tells me to visualize, be in the moment and just take energy into my races,” Adam McDonald said. “As long as I give my best effort, I’ll be fine.”
Another top area individual to watch this weekend is Lakota West senior Paige Striley in the Division I girls meet. She’s seeded first in the 100 breaststroke and second in the 100 butterfly. A four-time qualifier, Striley placed third in the 100 breastroke last year and fifth in the 100 fly.
West sophomore Nathan Spetz is seeded eighth in the 500 free and also is swimming in the 200 free. The Lakota West girls 200 free relay is seeded fourth and their 400 free relay is seventh.
Badin has 10 swimmers competing in 11 events in the Division II meet, including Brandon Burke, Patrick Gibons, Jack Proctor, Catty Geyer and Kathleen Burke in individual events.
Also in Division II, Fenwick’s Brooks Olson and John Kaleta and Ross freshman Cooper Burt all earned top eight seeds. Olson enters with the seventh best time in the 100 butterfly (51.3), Kaleta has the fifth best time in the 100 breaststroke (57.95) and Burt is seeded sixth in the 100 back.
AREA STATE QUALIFIERS
DIVISION I BOYS
Lakota West: Nathan Spetz (200 free, 500 free)
Lakota East: Adam McDonald (200 IM, 100 breaststroke)
DIVISION I GIRLS
Lakota West: Ashley Fryer (200 free, 500 free), Paige Striley (100 fly, 100 breaststroke), 200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay
Talawanda: Maren Patterson (100 back)
DIVISION II BOYS
Fenwick: Samuel Hwang (50 free), Brooks Olson (100 fly), John Kaleta (500 free, 100 breaststroke), 200 freestyle relay, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay
Badin: Brandon Burke (200 free, 500 free), Patrick Gibbons (100 free), Jack Proctor (100 back), 200 free relay, 400 free relay
Ross: Cooper Burt (100 back), 200 medley relay
DIVISION II GIRLS
Badin: Catty Geyer (200 free, 100 fly), Kathleen Burke (500 free), 200 free relay, 400 free relay
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