Swimmers of the Year
This one was a no-brainer. This past season, the four Euclid Panther girls pictured here with Coach John Elliott broke the school record and the Lake Erie League record in the 400-yard freestyle relay and qualified for the state meet in that event.
The quartet of mermaids includes senior Marisa Melchior, junior Emily Sweet, sophomore Andrea Bartel, and freshman Samantha (“Sam”) Lisy.
In addition to the freestyle relay, Bartel and Lisy each qualified for the state meet in two individual events – Bartel in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke, and Lisy in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke.
Marisa Melchior, who is a relative newcomer to competitive swimming, has a partial scholarship to swim at Wright State University. Emily Sweet, a multi-sport athlete, also competes for the Panthers in track and cross-country.
“Emily has been a strong performer in the relays,” says Coach Elliott. “She is very unselfish. She gave up the opportunity to rest for her individual events in order to be part of the relay team. We needed one more swimmer to step up—and Emily has done a great job for us.”
The Panther girls' team finished fourth out of 18 teams in the Mayfield sectional with 212 points. They placed eighth out of 40 teams in the district meet at Cleveland State's Busbey Natatorium, totalling 102 points--primarily through the performances of our four swimmers of the year. Among the rewards: Coach Elliott was named Lake Erie League "Coach of the Year."
John Sheridan
Retired journalist. From 1963 to 1972, wrote for and edited the Euclid News-Journal, predecessor to the Sun-Journal. From 1972 to 2000, I was a writer and editor for Industry Week magazine. Also have worked for the Plain Dealer as a part-time sportswriter, covering high school sports. And I was a contributor to the previous Euclid Observer. I have lived in Euclid for almost my entire life. I am a graduate of St. Joseph High School and John Carroll University.