[Stardust]

http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...902150422/

LOUISVILLE - With three events to go in the boys' state swimming championships, Covington Catholic coach Richard Dickman started doing math on his score sheet.


The numbers showed him something remarkable: If everything went in CovCath's favor, the Colonels could bring an end to Louisville St. Xavier's 20-year run as state champion.

But everything didn't go as planned, and CovCath claimed the runner-up trophy - its best state finish since 2004 - in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the Ralph Wright Natatorium.

Behind the strength of four second-place finishes and a state title in the 400-yard freestyle relay, CovCath scored 215.5 points, just 14 behind St. Xavier. Beechwood, with 184 points, finished third.

"That's as close as that scoreboard has looked in a long time," Dickman said. "It's exciting to be in contention for runner-up, and for a while it was even more exciting to be in contention to win."

For CovCath senior Zane Rowland, the 400 relay title and runner-up team finish atoned for what had been a bittersweet meet until the end. Rowland finished second in the 50 freestyle, the 100 freestyle and the 200 free relay, an unexpected result considering CovCath had set a state record in that event during prelims Friday.

"We lost that 200 relay, and we showed we wanted this one real bad," Rowland said after the 400 relay victory. "I think we showed today that St. Xavier can be taken down."

Dickman said the 200 relay loss to Paul Laurence Dunbar might have been a result of the coach's strategy to ensure points. Before the race, he told his swimmers to be cautious when taking off from the starting blocks to avoid a disqualification that would jeopardize CovCath's standing in the team competition.

Dunbar, as a result, was quicker in transitions, and broke CovCath's state record (1:25.80), finishing the relay in 1:25.57, eight-hundredths of a second ahead of CovCath.

"Those guys sacrificed going faster for team points," Dickman said. "That was my call. I figured we couldn't afford to lose points."

Rowland and CovCath senior Nick Kunkel both finished first-team all-state, Kunkel swimming on the 400 relay team and finishing second in the 100 backstroke.

Beechwood put two swimmers - Shane Coltharp and Michael Miller - on the first team as well. Coltharp, a junior, dominated two individual events. He won the 200 individual medley in 1:50.73, almost three seconds ahead of second place. Later, he came out and routed the field in the 500 freestyle, trying to chase down the state record of 4:29.67 that has stood since 1987. Despite winning by several body lengths, Coltharp fell short of the record, touching the wall in 4:30.23, more than six seconds faster than his prelim time.

"I tried to take it out as fast as I could," Coltharp said, "and I was able to bring it home fast."

Beechwood's performance, which featured a runner-up finish in the 200 medley relay and a third-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay, might have been a harbinger of more success next season. All four relay swimmers, including Coltharp and Miller, will return.

"Just looking at Shane, knowing how he destroys people in the water, it's amazing knowing I've got another year with him," Miller said. "We're going to be on fire next year."