By Debbie Juniewicz
For the Dayton Daily News
Feb 29, 2004
CANTON | Same event . . . same lane . . . same finish.
Springfield Catholic senior J.K. Koehler repeated as state champion in the boys 500-yard freestyle at the State Swimming Tournament at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton Saturday. He turned in a personal best time of 4:24.11, edging out second-place finisher Hank Browning, of Turpin, by more than five seconds. It was his second state title in as many days.
It all went according to plan for the Irish senior who won the 500 freestyle in lane 6 a year ago, becoming the first Springfield Catholic swimmer to earn a boys state championship title.
"I wanted to get ahead of them early and not back off," Koehler said. "Once I got ahead, I decided to just run with it."
While his high school swimming career came to an end Saturday, swimming remains a top priority for Koehler who will compete at the Olympic time trials this summer and swim at Indiana University in the fall. He was careful, however, not to look past his final high school meet.
"The trials are going to be fun and college will be great but this meant a lot to me," Koehler said. "Words can't describe how great this feels."
Several Dayton-area swimmers closed out their high school swimming careers with top times and finishes Saturday.
Beavercreek senior Andy Bergren found himself a step away from the top of the podium for the second time at this year's state meet, placing second in the 100-yard breaststroke with a personal best time of :56.97 Saturday. In his two years at Beavercreek, Bergren has placed in four individual state final events, placing second three times.
"How couldn't you be happy with that," Bergren said with a smile. "You think about this all year and end with something fast, it's what you work for all year."
Bergren and teammate Jon Buchanan helped propel the Beavers to their highest state team finish as Beavercreek placed fifth overall in the boys division with 122 points. Buchanan placed fifth in the 500-yard freestyle event (4:34.99) and the 400-freestyle relay team of Bergren, Adam Stultz, Matt Bank and Buchanan also placed fifth in the final event of the night.
It was St. Xavier that finished on top of the scoreboard as the Bombers closed out the meet with 263 points, topping Upper Arlington's 226. In all, the Bombers have tallied 26 team state championship titles in the tournament's 77-year history.