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
Matt Patricia’s contract extension earlier this offseason included a pay raise that figures to make him the highest-paid assistant coach in college football this year.
But Patricia, who will make $3.75 million in guaranteed compensation as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator in 2026, also held an appreciation for his situation.
“Ohio State is such a special place, not only just the history, the tradition, the football program, the school, but the people here,” Patricia said. “Having a chance to have a little stability with my family, it’s hard when you have to move your family around, your kids and the new school and all that.”
Before he joined Ryan Day’s staff last year, the 51-year-old Patricia had bounced around as an assistant in the NFL for much of the decade.
He spent 2021 and 2022 in a variety of roles with the New England Patriots, then a year as a defensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles. He took off from coaching in 2024. The frequent relocation gave him perspective.
“We had an unbelievable experience settling into Columbus,” Patricia said. “Everybody’s been so nice and welcoming. It feels like home. It’s a big deal for us to be in a place where everybody’s happy. That’s really important.”
Patricia had a significant impact on the Buckeyes in his first year replacing Jim Knowles. Despite heavy roster attrition following their national championship season, he kept the defense atop the Football Bowl Subdivision. For the second straight season, no one allowed fewer points than Ohio State.
The 9.3 points per game allowed by the Buckeyes were the fewest by any defense since Alabama in 2011.
The success made Patricia a hot commodity on the coaching market, rebuilding his reputation as a sharp and creative football mind only a decade removed from his tenure as a Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator for the Patriots. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant.
Patricia said he heard about opportunities in the NFL and elsewhere across the college football landscape, though none of them would pry him away from Ohio State.
“It wasn’t necessarily something where you’re looking to leave,” Patricia said, “but you do have to listen when those things come up. I’m just glad everything worked out.”
His challenge in his second season mirrors his previous one, as the Buckeyes are again managing the loss of eight starters on defense.
But unlike 2025, they have fewer returning pieces, relying on a larger class of transfers to help fill the holes on the depth chart.
“With as much coming into the program for the first time, not only are you trying to catch them up on the football scheme, but you’re also trying to catch them up on everything else,” Patricia said. “This is how we work, this is how we do things, this is the standard we’re looking for, this is how we practice, this is how we prepare, this is how we go to school. That has to be also taught. It becomes a lot, but that’s why you bring in the right guys that have the mental makeup to do all that.”
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.
Gahanna Lincoln High’s principal shares thoughts on new building
Principal Jessica Williams speaks about the new Gahanna Lincoln High School on Tuesday, Feb. 24, in Gahanna, Ohio.
Which central Ohio school districts get the most bang for their buck?
On average, school districts in Ohio spend $16,069 per-pupil for education, according to the education think tank Fordham Institute.
However, different district types spend different amounts of money. For example, large urban districts with very high poverty spend around $21,000 per-pupil, but small towns with low poverty spend around $14,900. The district type closest to the state average are those considered rural and high poverty and suburban districts with low poverty.
Aaron Churchill, lead Ohio researcher for the Fordham Institute, said that urban districts – like Columbus City Schools, the state’s largest district – often have higher spending because they can pull more in tax revenue and the state supports them at a higher rate because they are serving a higher proportion of disadvantaged students. Small, high-poverty towns on the other hand, generate less tax revenue from property values and district employee wages, the highest expense for schools, may be lowered by less market competition.
Churchill said schools should be focused on directing their funding toward initiatives that improve student outcomes and achievement.
“It’s making sure we’re focused on quality, we’re focused on performance, and that we’re rewarding performance,” Churchill said. “And we don’t do enough of that in the education system now.”
Churchill said there is a long-running debate among education researchers about whether increasing spending translates to meaningful results for students. Overall, school funding has increased on average over $2,000 per-pupil since 2015 and reached a record-high in 2025, according to the Fordham Institute.
“You can see in the numbers that we’re spending more than we ever have,” Churchill said. “The real million-dollar question is ‘Can our schools spend the money well?’”
Which central Ohio districts have the best results compared to funding?
The Dispatch compared overall spending per-pupil for central Ohio school districts to the ODEW’s performance index, using 2025 state data.
The Performance Index uses the performance level results for students in third grade through high school on Ohio’s state testing. The Performance Index (PI) score accounts for the level of achievement of every student, not just whether they are “proficient.” Higher performance levels receive larger weights in the calculation, but all achievement levels are included. Overall, the state average of performance scores was 91.8, according to 2025 state data.
The central Ohio school district with the highest spending was Columbus City Schools, which spent $24,505 per pupil and received a PI score of 60.7. The district with the highest PI was Grandview Heights Schools, which received a 106 PI score and spent $21,567 per pupil. New Albany-Plain Local Schools was a close second in PI at 105.1 while spending more than $4,000 less than Grandview Heights at $16,923 per-pupil.
Here’s how central Ohio schools stack up by spending versus achievements on tests, according to the Ohio Department of Education (sorted by highest spending per-pupil):
- Columbus City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $24,505; PI score: 60.7
- Grandview Heights Schools – Spending per-pupil: $21,567; PI score: 106
- Bexley City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $21,025; PI score: 102.7
- Dublin City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $18,702; PI score: 97.6
- Worthington City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $18.573 ; PI score: 94.3
- Madison-Plains Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $17,646; PI score: 88
- New Albany-Plain Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,923; PI score: 105.1
- Westerville City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,815; PI score: 89.7
- Olentangy Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,780; PI score: 103.9
- Groveport Madison Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,236; PI score: 72.6
- Upper Arlington City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16,282; PI score: 103.6
- Canal Winchester Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $16.154; PI score: 89.1
- Average Ohio school district – Spending per-pupil: $16,069; PI score: 91.8
- Reynoldsburg City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,956; PI score: 72.2
- Gahanna-Jefferson City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,742; PI score: 89.7
- Hilliard City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,694; PI score: 90
- South Western City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,600; PI score: 78.5
- Whitehall City Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,593; PI score: 66.95
- Johnstown-Monroe Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $15,163; PI score: 94.5
- Jonathan Alder Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,803; PI score: 95.9
- Pickerington Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,470 ; PI score: 90.9
- Big Walnut Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $14,239; PI score: 95.1
- London City – Spending per-pupil: $13,750; PI score: 81.3
- Marysville Exempted Village Schools – Spending per-pupil: $13,608; PI score: 95.5
- Licking Heights Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $13,585; PI score: 85.4
- Hamilton Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,971; PI score: 82.2
- Bloom-Carrol Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,720; PI score: 90.89
- Licking Valley Local Schools – Spending per-pupil: $12,587; PI score: 85
Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report
LONDON, Ohio (WSYX) — Officials broke ground on a new evidence collection building for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation in London, a project aimed at strengthening the agency’s crime-scene and cold-case work.
The new facility will replace BCI’s current evidence collection building, which is 800 square feet. Attorney General Dave Yost said the new building is needed to better track evidence and bring justice to victims as DNA technology evolves.
“But this story illustrates why it’s so important to have enough space to be able to hold the materials for these cases, to be able to store them properly, to maintain their integrity, so that when the science does catch up, we’re able to process a rape or a murder case and find the person who did it. There’s nothing that keeps me up at night more than thinking about unsolved cases,” Yost said.
The project is expected to take one year.
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