Ohio
Live updates | State titles pile up at Friday’s Ohio, Kentucky state swimming, diving meet
Follow along as the Cincinnati Enquirer covers the 2025 Ohio High School Athletic Association and Kentucky High School Athletic Association state swimming and diving meets.
Brendan Connelly and Tony Tribble are at Canton’s C.T. Branin Natatorium for the Ohio meet while Jack Schmelzinger and Emory Davis are covering the Kentucky meet at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatics Centre. Friday’s action includes Division II finals in Ohio and girls diving and swimming finals in Kentucky. Saturday’s action will include Division I events in Ohio and boys events in Kentucky.
Be sure to refresh this story to see updates, videos, photos and more from The Enquirer’s sports staff.
The Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy group of Taylor Bacher, Posey Sollman, Sophia Fink and Julia Shafer are 400-yard freestyle relay state champions after a monster final leg by Shafer. Other finishers: Wyoming, fourth; Indian Hill, seventh; Seven Hills, eighth.
Connor Bennett of Ross High School won the 100-yard breaststroke in 55.61 seconds. Also swimming in that event were: Weichu Wang, Cincinnati Country Day (fourth), Cooper Stenken, Wyoming (sixth) and Henry Stimson, Seven Hills (seventh).
Connor Bennett of Ross High School wins 100 breaststroke at state meet
Connor Bennett of Ross High School won the 100 breaststroke in 55.61 seconds in the OHSAA state swimming and diving meet, Feb. 21, 2025.
Ross High School’s Cooper Burt won the 100 backstroke in a new Division II state record of 48.28 seconds. He broke old record by 0.01 seconds. Purcell Marian’s Leo Gustavsson took sixth.
Ross’s Cooper Burt breaks a state record in the 100-yard backstroke
Ross High School’s Cooper Burt won the 100 backstroke in a new DII state record of 48.28 seconds Feb. 21, 2025. He broke old record by 0.01 seconds.
Roger Bacon’s Reese Reilly won back-to-back state titles in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1.01.89 on Feb. 21, 2025, in Canton. Taylor’s Corine Rieskamp took third while Indian Hill’s Habby Henz finished fifth.
Roger Bacon’s Reese Reilly wins 100 breaststroke state title
Roger Bacon’s Reese Reilly won back-to-back state titles in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1.01.89 on Feb. 21, 2025, in Canton.
Wyoming’s Willow Adams took sixth in the 100-yard backstroke while Mariemont’s Chelsea Noone took seventh.
Notre Dame Academy’s Clare Herfel won the KHSAA state championship in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:58.62. Close behind her in second was teammate Sadie Hartig. Finishing sixth was Liv Wallace and eighth, Danaka Tucker, both NDA swimmers.
Reece Yauger of Ryle took third place in the 100-butterfly while Beechwood’s Ryon Argo finished seventh.
Keira Kobida of Highlands, the only Northern Kentucky athlete to participate in the 100-freestyle final,will take home fifth place.
Wyoming girls led the three Cincinnati relay teams in the 200-yard freestyle by placing third, with CHCA (fourth) and Summit Country Day (eighth) following.
Indian Hill boys placed second in the event by just .03 seconds. They touched the wall in 1:25.52. Wyoming’s relay finished seventh in the event.
In the girls 500-yard freestyle, Mariemont’s Julia Bohl finished fifth; Marissa McNerney, Seven Hills, finished sixth and Madison Stecher, Roger Bacon, finished eighth.
For boys, Indian Hill’s Arjun Velayutham finished third and Seven Hills’ Colin McNerney finished seventh.
Taylor senior Corine Rieskamp took sixth in the 50-yard freestyle.
Purcell Marian senior Leo Gustavsson took third in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 45.64.
In the 200 individual medley, Reese Yauger (Ryle) took fourth, Ryon Argo (Beechwood) took fifth, Gabriella Stephens (Ryle) seventh and Abby Carnes (Notre Dame) eighth.
Sarah Jones of Highlands took fifth in the 50-yard freestyle race.
Notre Dame Academy had three swimmers in the 200 freestyle final. Sadie Hartig placed third, Clare Herfel fourth and Liv Wallace seventh.
See NKY state finalists’ final dive at OHSAA state championships
Seven Northern Kentucky divers were state finalists at the KHSAA state diving meet on Friday.
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy’s Julia Shafer won the 100 freestyle in 50.77 seconds, her second individual win.
Wyoming’s Ansley Neff took third with a time of 51.84.
CHCA’s Julia Shafer wins the 2025 DII 100-yard freestyle state title
CHCA’s Julia Shafer wins the 100 freestyle in 50.77 seconds, her second individual win, at the OHSAA state meet Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Canton.
Notre Dame Academy took fourth in the 200-yard medley relay at the KHSAA state meet. Originally, the girls finished fifth until the top placer, Sacred Heart, was disqualified. Other Northern Kentucky schools in the race finished seventh (Dixie Heights) and eighth (Ryle).
Another CB got his second gold medal as Cooper Burt won the 100-yard butterfly in 47.72. His 200-yard medley relay team won gold earlier in the night.
Madeira’s Max Welty took eighth.
Cooper Burt of Ross wins 2025 DII 100-yard butterfly state title
Cooper Burt of Ross wins the 100-yard butterfly in 47.72 at the 2025 Ohio High School Athletic Association state swimming and diving meet in Canton.
Cooper’s Chris Nowak discusses placing fifth at KHSAA state diving
Cooper junior Chris Nowak finished fifth at the KHSAA diving championships and second among Northern Kentucky competitors with a score of 418.85.
Ross swimmer Connor Bennett got his second gold medal of the evening with a win in the boys 200-yard individual medley. His time was 1:49.32.
Ross’s Connor Bennett wins DII boys 200-yard IM state title
Ross High School’s Connor Bennett wins the boys 200-yard individual medley state championship in a time of 1:49.32 Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Canton.
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy’s Julia Shafer wins the 200-yard individual medley with a final time of 2:01.71.
Other local finishers were: Reese Reilly of Roger Bacon (third), Lila Gregory of CHCA (sixth) and Sophia Fink, CHCA (eighth).
CHCA’s Julia Shafer wins the Division II 200-yard individual medley
CHCA’s Julia Shafer wins the 200-yard individual medley in a photo finish Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, at C.T. Branin Natatorium.
Notre Dame Academy’s Savannah Bien finished third in the KHSAA state diving competition with a score of 435.80 to lead the seven Northern Kentucky girls to place in the top 16. Other top-16 placers: 5. Chris Nowak (Cooper) 418.85 7. Rylee Pernell (Scott) 376.5 8. Grace Hedger (Campbell County) 375.75 10. Addison Tinkler (Highlands) 369.00 13. Emmalee Albertson (Ryle) 332.50 and 16. Zoey Beagle (Scott) 306.15.
NDA diver Savannah Bien places third at 2025 KHSAA state meet
Notre Dame Academy sophomore Savannah Bien finished third at the 2025 KHSAA state diving tournament and first among Northern Kentucky competitors.
Indian Hill senior Jason Zhao wins the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:35.42.
Other locals in that race were Arjun Velayutham, Indian Hill (third) and Colin McNerney, Seven Hills (sixth).
Indian Hill’s Jason Zhao wins the 200-yard freestyle state title
Indian Hill’s Jason Zhao wins the 200-yard freestyle state title in a time of 1:35.42 on Friday, Feb. 21, at Canton’s C.T. Branin Natatorium.
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy’s Taylor Bacher wins the 200-yard freestyle for the third year in a row with a time of 1:49:49. Other local finishers in this race were Ansley Neff, Wyoming (second), Emma Rosenbaum, McNicholas (fifth) and Julia Bohl, Wyoming (sixth).
She took second place in the 100-yard butterfly in 54.87 seconds in the final individual event of her high school career. McNicholas’ Emma Rosenbaum took eighth place in the event.
CHCA’s Taylor Bacher wins 200 freestyle for third consecutive year
CHCA’s Taylor Bacher wins the 200 freestyle for the third year in a row with a time of 1:49:49.
Ross High School’s Cooper Burt, Connor Bennett, Luke Mignery and Timmy Pfirmann won the boys 200-yard medley relay in a time of 1:32.3, reports Brendan Connelly. Indian Hill took sixth and Seven Hills, eighth.
Ross boys relay wins 200-yard medley Ohio state title in 2025.
The Ross High School boys relay team of Cooper Burt, Connor Bennett, Luke Mignery and Timmy Pfirrman win the 200 medley relay in 1:32.3 Feb. 21, 2025
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy girls finished second in the first event of the 2025 state meet, followed by Indian Hill’s fourth-place, Seven Hills’ sixth-place and Roger Bacon’s eighth-place finishes.
Enquirer staff arrives in Canton
Four Southwest Ohio divers finish in the state’s top 10
The Ohio state championships kicked off Tuesday with the Division II diving competition, followed by Division I on Wednesday.
As such, the Ohio divers have already finished their season with three divers finishing in the top eight: West Clermont’s Bryce Cousins (fifth), Sycamore’s Simon Huth (seventh) and Anderson’s Bella Basford (eighth).
The KHSAA delayed Kentucky’s diving competitions earlier in the week because of the weather. The girls diving competition was rescheduled to 2 p.m. Friday ahead of the finals, scheduled for around 6:40 p.m.
Which Greater Cincinnati swimmers and divers qualified for the 2025 state meet?
Brendan Connelly provided previews for Ohio Division I, Ohio Division II and Northern Kentucky swimmers and divers heading to state. Here are the links:
Check out Greater Cincinnati photo galleries from major swimming contests in 2025
Ryan Day explained the hiring process that led to former Falcons head coach and NFL assistant Arthur Smith becoming the offensive coordinator of Ohio State football.
Appearing as a guest on “The Jim Rome Show” March 3, Day emphasized the importance of hiring a someone with an extensive body of work to coach the Buckeyes’ offense.
“When Brian [Hartline] moved on to South Florida [we] wanted to go bring in somebody with great experience,” Day said.
Day said the Buckeyes first looked at coaches with collegiate coordinator experience, then the NFL. Smith’s three-year tenure as a head coach in the NFL, along with his extensive time with the Tennessee Titans as an assistant and offensive coordinator, made him stand out as a candidate, Day said.
“…[I] had a chance myself to sit down and talk with him. It was excellent,” Day said. “He’s a great communicator, very intelligent, and really loves the game of college football. When you hear a story about growing up and how much time he spent around college football, you could just see it in his eyes.”
Day added that the new role has been almost “refreshing” to Smith when given the chance to work with college players and young talent.
Smith has spent the majority of his coaching career in the NFL. He served a year as a graduate assistant at North Carolina, his alma mater, and brief stint with Ole Miss as an administrative assistant.
Smith was then hired by his hometown Titans in 2011 and spent the the rest of the decade with them, rising from quality control coach to assistant offensive line coach to tight ends coach. Promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019, he led Mike Vrabel’s Titans to proficient offensive seasons with running back Derrick Henry.
Day said hiring Smith will allow him to take a back seat on the offense.
“It was great to have Matt [Patricia] on defense, and Brian [Hartline] did a great job as well, but I think this year will allow me to even step back even more and try to do as much as I can from the head coaching seat,” Day said.
After Hartline accepted the South Florida head coaching job, Day stepped in to call plays during the Cotton Bowl against Miami. Ohio State lost 24-14.
Smith joins Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as an Ohio State coordinator hire with previous NFL head coaching experience. Smith went 21-30 as the head coach of the Falcons for three years.
Ohio
Woman dies after saving grandchild playing in driveway from out-of-control car, Ohio officials say
A woman in Pickaway County, Ohio, died after moving a child out of the way of an out-of-control car, authorities said.
The Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook that 52-year-old Laura J. Hammond of Mt. Sterling was fatally struck by the vehicle on Feb. 27 on Walnut Creek Pike in Circleville.
The sheriff’s office said officials were called to the area for a report of a crash around 10 a.m. At the scene, investigators learned that the driver of a Nissan Sentra was headed southbound on Walnut Creek Pike when they went off the west side of the road. The car then careened through two yards before hitting a Chevrolet Equinox parked in the driveway of a home, officials said.
The Nissan, at the same time that it smashed into the Chevrolet, hit Hammond, pinning her between the two vehicles. Before being hit, the sheriff’s office said Hammond moved a child out of the way, which “more than likely saved his life.” CBS affiliate WBNS reported that the young child Hammond saved was her grandson.
“Laura actually picked up the child and tossed him. At the end of the day, it saved his life,” Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office Capt. John Strawser told the news outlet. “And when Laura tossed him, very unfortunately, she took the brunt of the vehicle.”
Hammond was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The young child was taken to a local hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the vehicle was also taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol are investigating the crash. The sheriff’s office did not release any additional information about the crash.
First Brands closing corporate office in Cleveland, three other Ohio facilities amid bankruptcy. Its CEO is facing federal fraud charges
More incentives? Higher prices? What car buyers can expect in 2026
Auto industry experts predict car sales will be flat compared with 2025.
A major auto parts supplier is laying off more than a thousand workers and closing four facilities around Ohio, including its corporate offices in Cleveland.
First Brands, whose founder and former CEO is facing charges in multi-billion dollar fraud scheme, notified the state in late February of its intent to permanently close the facilities by April 30. The layoffs created by these closures are also permanent, according to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notices filed with Ohio Job and Family Services.
The company — which supplies Fram oil filters and Anco wiper blades, among others — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2025. In January, First Brands had started winding down some of its operations in North America while seeking a buyer, according to Reuters. However, several potential buyers “have suddenly and unexpectedly withdrawn or narrowed their bids” according to one of the recent WARN notices.
Which facilities are closing? And how many jobs are being lost? Here’s what to know.
First Brands closing four Ohio locations, cutting more than 1,200 jobs
According to WARN notices, First Brands is closing the following facilities:
- Corporate Office, 127 Public Square, Suite 5300, Cleveland. In the first round of layoffs here, 146 workers were cut on Feb. 23, according to a WARN notice sent that date. A second notice dated Feb. 27 for this address advises that the facility will close on April 30, and the remaining 110 workers will be laid off.
- FRAM facility, 851 Jackson St., Greenville. According to a WARN notice sent Feb. 27, this facility will close April 30 and 302 jobs will be lost.
- TMD facility, 1441 N. Maule Road, Tiffin. All 407 employees will be terminated when this facility is permanently closed on April 30, according to a Feb. 27 WARN notice.
- TMD facility, 515 E. Gypsy Lane Road, Bowling Green. First Brands will also close this facility on April 30, laying off 302 workers, according to another Feb. 27 WARN notice.
In total, First Brands is laying off 1,267 workers in these four closures.
Indictment alleges Cleveland auto supplier CEO, VP defrauded lenders. Both plead not guilty
First Brands Group founder and former CEO Patrick James and his brother, Edward, a senior vice president, are accused of defrauding lenders out of billions of dollars before the auto parts supplier fell into bankruptcy according to an indictment made public Jan. 29 in Manhattan federal court.
The nine-count indictment includes charges of running a continuing financial crimes enterprise, bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. Both pleaded not guilty on Feb. 4, Reuters reports. A trial is set in July. Both could face decades in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors said the defendants “perpetrated a series of fraudulent schemes” against First Brands’ lenders and financing partners, Reuters reported, including allegedly inflating invoices, double- and triple-pledging loan collateral, falsifying financial statements and concealing substantial liabilities.
“It is very much Mr. James’ intent to go into court and proclaim his innocence,” said Scott Hartman, a lawyer for Patrick James, according to Reuters.
Patrick James and Edward James are Malaysian-born U.S. citizens.
Seth DuCharme, a lawyer for Edward James, told Reuters that his client is not going to “run off to Southeast Asia where he allegedly has all this money.”
What is First Brands Group? Company filed for bankruptcy in September
First Brands, founded in 2013, was one of the world’s largest suppliers of auto parts such as brakes, filters and lighting systems, according to Reuters. It had $5 billion in sales last year.
Prosecutors say First Brands borrowed billions to finance its growth. Those loans were secured by inventory and physical assets like plants and equipment. Reuters reports that this left First Brands vulnerable to cash flow issues and dependent on its access to the capital from those loans.
The company filed for bankruptcy in September 2025. Patrick James stepped down as CEO that October, according to Crain’s Detroit Business.
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