Quest for state swimming berths begins this weekend

Catholic Central senior vying to compete in 4th state meet.

Catholic Central swimmer Allison Lohnes' quest to return to the state meet for the fourth time begins Saturday at the Division II sectional meet at Trotwood-Madison High School. She finished 11th at state in the 100-yard backstroke as a freshman, ninth as a sophomore and 10th last year as a junior. Staff photo by Barbara J. Perenic

Barbara Perenic Catholic Central swimmer Allison Lohnes' quest to return to the state meet for the fourth time begins Saturday at the Division II sectional meet at Trotwood-Madison High School. She finished 11th at state in the 100-yard backstroke as a freshman, ninth as a sophomore and 10th last year as a junior. Staff photo by Barbara J. Perenic

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By David Jablonski, Staff Writer 10:44 PM Thursday, February 9, 2012

SPRINGFIELD — Allison Lohnes does the best she can in preparing some of her younger Catholic Central High School swimming teammates, including her two sisters, for the big meets. The senior speaks from experience.

“I just tell them not to be nervous,” she said. “When I was a freshman, I was all jittery and nervous. You can’t go in thinking like that. You have to pretend it’s just another meet.”

From the start of her high school career, Lohnes has been able to do just that. She finished 11th in the 100-yard backstroke at the state meet as a freshman, ninth as a sophomore and 10th last year as a junior.

“I think Allison really leads by example,” Catholic Central coach Bret Miller said. “She is at practice every day. She gives it everything she has.”

Lohnes’ quest to return to the state meet for the fourth time begins Saturday at the Division II sectional meet at Trotwood-Madison High School. She’s on the right track this year. At Central’s most recent meet, the Irish Invitational on Feb. 3, Lohnes won the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke.

“I definitely want to get back to state and make the top eight,” she said. “Last year, I got 10th, but I don’t really care where I place. I just hope to get my best time, and I want our relays to make it to state.”

Central’s relays have been a strength of the team all season. That’s one reason the team has won every invitational it’s entered. As many as three relay teams could qualify for districts, Miller said.

At the Kenton Ridge Invitational, a meet dominated by the Irish girls, Lohnes teamed with freshman Ragen Engle, junior Amelia Samuelson and senior Stella Petroff on the winning 200 medley relay team. The Irish B team of freshmen Stephanie Lohnes and Alexis Vaske, senior Maggie Carney and junior Addie Cain placed third.

The two Irish relay teams also took first and third in the 200 freestyle relay at that meet. Allison swam with her sisters Stephanie, a freshman, and Christina, a sophomore, and Petroff on the winning team. The B team of Vaske, Cain, senior Maddison Kavanaugh and sophomore Audrey Bonn placed third.

Swimming with her sisters has been special for Allison.

“It’s nice to have them there supporting me and cheering for me,” she said.

While Central will lose Allison to graduation after this season, it has another up-and-coming star in Engle. She won the 100 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke at the Irish Invitational. She was the only area freshman to earn a top-10 finish at the Southwest Ohio Classic, placing seventh in the 50 freestyle.

“Her work ethic is second to none,” Miller said. “She is so much smaller than any of the other swimmers at her level. To see her do well at two events, that takes a lot of stamina.”

Engle started swimming when she was 6 and joined the Springfield YMCA SPY team when she was 11, so she’s had several years of practice with SPY coaches Bruce Patmos and Mickey McNeil.

“Bruce and Mickey are great coaches,” Engle said. “They really inspire me and help me set goals for myself. That’s what I like about swimming. It’s you versus the clock. You’re able to set goals and achieve them.”

Sectional  swimming schedule

Today: Boys, Divisions I-II, at Trotwood, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday: Girls, Division I, 10 a.m., at Centerville; Division II, 3:30 p.m., at Trotwood.

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