By Cort Reynolds

CANTON - Ada sophomore Klava Katayama finished 16th in the 50-yard freestyle finals of the 42nd annual Ohio Div. II girls state swim meet at Canton's C.T. Branin Natatorium Friday evening.

Katayama swam the 50-yard free B finals in a time of 24.71, finishing eighth in the B finals heat. The top eight from the prelims Thursday competed in the eight-swimmer A Finals.

"We're both pretty happy that she made it back to the finals for the first time," said Ada head coach Tanner Holke. Katayama took 17th at state in the freestyle last year.

Katayama took 16th out of 24 swimmers in the 50 free preliminary heats Thursday evening with a time of 24.51, which garnered her the last qualifying spot for the B finals.

Katayama also tied for 18th among a field of 24 in the 100 butterfly semifinal prelims Thursday evening. Klava and fellow sophomore Anna Baker of Middletown Bishop Fenwick each posted a time of 58.49, a career-best for the Adaite.

A swim-off for the 18th spot between Katayama and Baker to determine the second alternate spot was deemed unnecessary.

The top eight finishers from the preliminary heats made it to the A finals Friday, while 9-16 qualified into the B finals.

Girls Div. II 50 Yard Freestyle Finals Results

  A Final                          

Place Swimmer Class School Prelim time   Finals

 1 Cora Dupre          JR Mariemont           23.02      22.56  

 2 Bainon Hart         SO Hawken              23.63      23.24  

 3 Mairin O'Brien      FR Hawken              23.67      23.68  

 4 Audrey Cesar        FR Tol St. Ursula      23.80      23.73  

 5 Nyah Funderburke    FR Col School Girls    23.92      23.94  

 6 Emma Fortman        JR Madeira             24.02      23.97  

 7 Logan Lawhorn       SO Liberty Union       24.01      24.00  

 8 Alexis Cook         JR Tippecanoe          24.12      24.25  

                      B Final                         

Place Swimmer Class School Prelim time  Finals

9  Kaylee Nagel       FR Napoleon            24.39      24.25  

10 Maja Miedza        SO Bay Village         24.36      24.35  

11 Meggie Voigt       SO Bryan               24.33      24.45  

12 Molly Dynda        FR Tol St. Ursula      24.45      24.53  

13 Kennedy Newell     FR Celina              24.36      24.62  

14 Macy Arn           JR Benjamin Logan      24.46      24.63  

15 Samantha Kass      JR Columbus Academy    24.45      24.66  

16 Klava Katayama     SO Ada                 24.51      24.71