Dynastic Hawken swim team would welcome a true state meet: Tim Warsinskey's Take

Hawken coach Jerry Holtrey finds the division format to be, well, watered down.

View full sizeLisa DeJong / The Plain DealerSarah Koucheki and the rest of Hawken's girls swim team will once again be a heavy favorite to dominate the Division II state meet. All of which makes coach Jerry Holtrey wish for a combined state meet to add more competitive excitement to the event.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As rally slogans go, "Seventy-Seven to Six" is not as catchy as "Fifty-four Forty or Fight," which nearly led to war between the United States and Canada a couple of centuries ago.

But "Seventy-Seven to Six" serves its purpose. That was the score of the Division VI state football final Delphos St. John's won over Shadyside in December, and it often is cited amid the outcry for a level playing field between private and public schools. Ohio schools will vote in May on a proposal that aims to do just that.

I have some other scores to consider: 333 to 149, and 404 to 147. Those are typical of state girls swimming champion Hawken's margins over runner-up teams in recent years. Since girls swimming went from one division to two in 2000, Hawken has won every Division II title and it has doubled the second-place team's score eight times.

This year, Hawken is heavily favored to win its 13th straight state championship, which would tie the St. Edward wrestling program's record for most consecutive titles. Hawken's 20 state championships -- nine won when the sport was one division -- are the most in girls swimming.

Hawken coach Jerry Holtrey has a unique perspective on the recent division controversy, and to his credit, he offers an unexpected solution. Holtrey would prefer divisions be abolished in swimming, or at least allow his team to compete in Division I. Holtrey finds the division format to be, well, watered down.

"The kids want to be able to say, if they win, they are the best in the state in that particular event," said Holtrey, a Hall of Fame coach. "It would be nice if we were in Division I or we could be in one division so we could know if we are the best team in the state."

Under state rules, teams cannot volunteer to move up a division, which is another change the Ohio High School Athletic Association should consider.

The new state playoff proposal, which would bump up many successful private-school programs, would not affect swimming. If passed, it would apply to football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball. Consideration would be given to add other sports in the future.

Hawken opened this season by beating 2010 Division I champion Upper Arlington and, judging by their times, this year's young Hawken team would be a strong contender to win Division I. Holtrey not only yearns for that chance, he said his team and his sport also need the best to compete against the best.

"The biggest problem I've had with the team since we've gone to Division II is the motivation isn't quite what it used to be," Holtrey said. "At one time, that [state] meet was one of the great meets in the country. It was electrifying in the pool, with all the times being very, very close."

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/timstake/index.ssf/2011/02/dynastic_hawken_swimmers_would.html

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