News Archive
Swim & Dive Teams Open New Season This Weekend
SETTING THE SCENE: The start to the swimming and diving season has arrived and the Milford High School squads are ready to build upon their second (boys) and fifth (girls) place finishes in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference from last year. Kevin Metzger, the reigning ECC Boys Coach of the Year will welcome a squad fresh with faces looking to make a name for themselves in 2017-18. Both teams’ rosters are comprised of just three seniors each including Jan Rae Chavez, Branham Leavens and Matt Schnelle on the boys side and Megan Hardewig, Jill Krieger and Cora Striet for the girls.
THE UPCOMING DOCKET: A look at Milford’s upcoming schedule:
- Saturday, Dec. 2 at Mason Invitational, Mason HS, 8:45 a.m.
- Tuesday, Dec. 5 vs. Loveland & Walnut Hills, Milford HS, 6:00 p.m.
A LOOK AT THE BOYS TEAM: The Eagles boys team should be strong with a trio of multi-time ECC Champions from last season returning. The headliner of course is junior Tyler Babinec, who earned a lengthy list of accolades, headlined by an All-American honor last year. Within the ECC, Babinec was the conference’s swimmer of the year, after winning individual conference crowns in the 100 breast and 100 butterfly, while joining forces with classmates Chase Fisher and Sam Leatherwood and the graduated Jarod Higgins to capture a pair of relay crowns as well.
Fisher also won individual crowns in the 50 and 100 freestyles to go along with the relay titles. Senior Branham Leavens was Milford’s honorable mention All-ECC choice for his performance in the 50 freestyle as well. Other top returnees include Leatherwood, and seniors Jan Rae Chavez and Matt Schnelle.
A LOOK AT THE GIRLS TEAM: The girls team will be on the young side as this season’s roster features just three seniors. One of those is senior Cora Striet, Milford’s honorable mention All-ECC choice two seasons ago. The other seniors are Megan Hardewig and Jill Krieger, while other experienced returnees include juniors Stephanie Karan, Lindsay Schaeffer and Ellen Victory and sophomore Halle Fontaine.
POLL WATCH: The Eagles’ boys team is one of a handful of squads to also earn votes in the preseason Division I area coaches’ poll, sponsored by the Cincinnati Enquirer. St. Xavier and Mason each earned a No. 1 vote with the Bombers holding a one point edge in the race for the top spot. Lakota East, Mason and a tie between Sycamore and the ECC’s Kings wrap up the top-five. The ECC is also represented by Anderson and Loveland in a tie for eighth, along with Turpin in 10th. Walnut Hills joins Milford in the others section.
The first coaches’ poll of the year for the girls has not yet been released.
The coaches’ poll is released every Monday at Noon at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.
