Men's Swimming and Diving notches 141-82 non-conference dual victory over Wittenberg

By Blake Moore

ADA — The Ohio Northern men's swimming and diving program upended in-state rival Wittenberg Friday evening, capturing the team's first non-conference dual victory this season with a 141-82 win over the Tigers inside the ONU Sports Center Natatorium in Ada.

The Polar Bears would secure seven titles in 13 total events to move the program to 2-1 in dual meets in the 2018-19 campaign. Meanwhile, the Tigers drop to 1-3 overall this season.

Junior Nolan Huey (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge) topped the Ohio Northern efforts, claiming two individual titles during the evening. The six-time OAC champion cruised to a first-place finish in the 500-yard free event in 4:53.00 to best the field by over 15 seconds. Two events later, the junior would prove dominate once again with a 2:17.07 clocking in the 200 breast to defeat teammate Connor Rettammel (Apex, N.C./Friendship), who wound up second in 2:24.67.

Freshman Jeremy Adams (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ann Arbor Pioneer) also had a hand in two event victories as he took home an individual event title and helped register the lone Northern relay victory Friday night. The first-year continued his strong first season, topping the field in the 200 individual medley in 2:03.18 to edge out Wittenberg's Ben Hongell.

Adams also teamed up with classmates Justin DeLano (Englewood/Northmont), Jackson Stanley (Beavercreek), and Jack Kessler (Catawba Island/Port Clinton) to kick off the evening in winning fashion with a victory in the 200 medley relay with a 1:39.55 touch.

Sophomore Zach Ayres (Chillicothe) tallied an early win for the Polar Bears as he sprinted to a 22.55 effort in the 50 free. His time would clip WU's Brad Barren by .21 seconds in a race where the top-four finishers would end just one second apart.

Junior Ryan Groehl (Marysville) picked up the final swimming event victory during the evening as he continued a strong third-year campaign for ONU. The Marysville native turned in a 2:05.22 mark in the 200 back to top the four-man field.

Senior diver Jacob Cordle (Lancaster) would also earn an individual title Friday, claiming the three-meter dive competition after going uncontested in the event. He would register a 131.80 in his six dives.

Ohio Northern will now break from action until they compete in the three-day Wooster Invitational from November 29-December 1. The swimming events are scheduled to be held at Wooster High School while the diving portion will take place at the College of Wooster.