Story by Samantha Williams
AKRON, Ohio - Despite two top-eight finishes, the Wilmington College (WC) men's swimming team slipped to fifth place during day two of the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship Swim Meet hosted by Ohio Northern University at the Ocasek Natatorium at the University of Akron on Friday.
The Fightin' Quakers ended the night with 213 points, 13 points behind fourth-place Baldwin Wallace University with one more day of competition remaining.
The Quakers' highest place, individual finish came from Andrew Stewart in the 100-yard backstroke. Stewart, who went into tonight's session seeded seventh with a time of 53.68, bested his prelims time by one, one-hundredth of a second in finals. His time of 53.67 secured him the seventh place spot on the podium. Lawrence Daya competed in the consolation heat of the 100-yard backstroke where he finished 13th overall with a time of 56.77.
The next highest, individual finish came from Frederick Rankin in the 100-yard breaststroke. His time of 59.49 earned eighth place. Not only did the Quakers show up for the championship final, but they dominated the consolation final, as well. Cody Nash, Ian Darras, Brody Morris, and Jared Shoemaker all competed in the event. Nash earned 11th overall with a time of 1:00.80; Darras placed thirteenth with a time of 1:03.38; Morris touched the wall in 1:03.78 for 14th place; and Shoemaker posted a 1:09.94 for 15th.
Wilmington took tenth and eleventh in the 100-yard butterfly. David Bellus finished tenth with a time of 54.18 and Alex Tillapaugh earned eleventh with a time of 54.47.
Samuel Shanes was the lone Quaker to compete in tonight's 200-yard freestyle. He touched the wall in 1:57.34, two seconds faster than his prelims time, for 16th place.
In the 200-yard medley relay, the quartet of Daya, Rankin, Tillapaugh, and Stewart earned fifth with a time of 1:37.60.
Ben Ball, Shanes, Nash, and Bellus formed the team's fifth-place 800-yard freestyle relay (7:76.22).
WC is back in action at 10 a.m. tomorrow for the final day of prelims where the 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard butterfly, 1650-yard freestyle, and 400-yard freestyle relay will be contested.