State swimming: Best yet to come for Crawford, Galion

CANTON – For Colonel Crawford and Galion, Thursday's exit from the state swim meet actually cracked open the door to a promising future. 

Eight of the 11 swimmers representing those two schools inside the C.T. Branin Natatorium are expected to return to their programs next season.

Colonel Crawford's quartet of senior Pierce Krassow, junior Jillianne Gregg and freshmen Cassidy Vogt and Kaisey Speck competed in the Division II 200 medley relay and 200 free relay.

They improved from 23rd seed to 20th in the prelims of the medley and from 20 to 19th in the 200 free. They needed to finish in the top 16 to advance to the second day of the meet.

"There's a lot of talent in the freshman group," coach Mike Holtzapfel said. "With three more years, it will be exciting to see what they do.

"I think they were solid. They swam times that were similar to what they swam at sectionals and districts. We didn't speed up, but we didn't slow down either."

Holtzapfel pointed out that Gregg's 24.95 split in the 200 free broke the school record she set in the 50 free two years ago at state as an individual (24.98).

"It's been amazing," said Krassow of joining the team two years ago as a sophomore after lettering in basketball as a freshman. "We always swim together and mess around and have fun. It's just the best.

"I expect big things (from her relay mates in the future). They're all super fast already. (Vogt and Speck) are going to be beasts when they get up in age."

Five of Galion's seven state-qualifying boys will be returning next winter for coach Ted Temple, who sent all three of his relay teams to state as well as sophomore Caleb Strack in the 100 backstroke.

"We have two juniors, three sophomores and a bunch more freshmen and sophomores coming up. It's real cool to look at," said junior Clay Karnes, who swam on the 200 medley and 200 free relays.

The 200 free relay improved from 22nd seed to 20th in Thursday's prelims, while the 200 medley went from 19th to 18th and the 400 free from 19th to 20th.

"That was huge," Karnes said of Galion qualifying all three relays. "This is coach's biggest group ... and this is his 25th year, so it's real cool to be part of and watch."

Joining Karnes on the 200 medley were Strack and seniors Luke Eisnaugle and Sam Rigdon. Collaborating with Karnes on the 200 free were Eisnaugle, Rigdon and sophomore Ben Alstadt.

The 400 free crew didn't have a senior. It was Strack and Alstadt with fellow sophomore Alec Dicus and junior Weston Rose.

"About halfway through the season, I decided to keep the 400 team intact," Temple said. "Everybody was telling me, 'Hey, you're really fast, but you need this person, that person. Put this senior in there.' Hey, these guys carried the load half the year. They're going to carry it the rest of the year."

Temple has been Galion's coach for 25 years and is looking forward to 2018-19. All told, including YMCA and United States Swimming coaching, he's been mentoring kids for nearly 50 years.

He had been retired from coaching for nearly two years when he decided to join the high school ranks. 

"I got a call from my former swimmer, Becky Martin," Temple said. "She had just been named Northwest District Coach of the Year (at Galion). She said was going to Europe for a year and needed someone to coach her team. I said 'Nah, I'm done.'"

After he hung up, Temple's wife reminded him that he had always wanted to coach a high school team. So he called Martin back. 

"I was in (athletic director) Walt Keib's office the next morning," Temple said. "It's been a good ride."