Performance, coupled with leadership, are two of the ingredients considered when selecting a performer of the year. Max Leassner, a St. Xavier senior who won four gold medals at the state swimming meet, fits the description.

        After placing seventh (100 freestyle) and eighth (50 freestyle) at the 1999-2000 state meet, Leassner turned improved this season.

        He won individual state championships in 100 and 200 freestyle races and was a member of the Bombers' winning 200- and 400-freestyle relay teams.

        This effort earned Leassner The Enquirer's swimmer of the year, while St. Xavier's Jim Brower is coach of the year.

        “I knew that we had lost a lot of talent and after last season, I decided to dedicate myself to swimming,” Leassner said. “I was undefeated in the 100 but Jayme (Cramer) beat me once in the 200.”

        Brower pointed towards Leassner's turnaround as one of the keys in the Bombers drive for a record 23rd state championship.

        “Max was not only the difference for himself but also for the team,” Brower said. “He was the enforcer on the team who made everybody do what they had to do to be successful.”

        Brower's success at St. Xavier is unmatched since taking over the Bombers in 1990, stepping down for three seasons (1996, 97, 98), before taking over again for the this season.

        During his tenure, Brower's teams have won eight state championships, including the past two seasons by overwhelming margins of 394-182 in 2000 and 333-171 this season.

        Immediately following the state meet, Brower speculated the performance at the state meet might be good enough to earn the Bombers the national championship.

        “They'll take all of the events of the top teams and come up with a mythical race,” Brower said. “We needed to beat (Jacksonville, Fl.) Bolles' times in the relays, and we did it.”

        If St. X wins the national championship, it will be the Bombers first since 1992 and fourth overall.

        SWIMMER OF THE YEAR:

        Max Leassner, St. Xavier,Senior, 200 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay

        COACH OF THE YEAR:

        Jim Brower,St. Xavier,State Champions

        FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS:

        Kurt Hardesty,St. Xavier,Freshman,200 Medley Relay

        David Janszen,St. Xavier,Junior,200 Medley Relay,200 Individual Medley,400 Freestyle Relay

        Jayme Cramer,St. Xavier,Senior,100 Butterfly,100 Backstroke,200 Medley Relay,400 Freestyle Relay,

        Kyle Ransom,St. Xavier,Sophomore,200 Medley Relay,200 Freestyle Relay,400 Freestyle Relay

        Ben Appel,Wyoming,Senior,50 Freestyle

        Marty Tomes,Anderson,Junior,500 Freestyle

        Chris Bushelman,St. Xavier,Sophomore,200 Freestyle Relay

        Pete Carothers,St. Xavier,Freshman,200 Freestyle Relay

        Rob Kauscher,Anderson,Senior,100 Breaststroke

        200 medley relay: St. Xavier (Kurt Hardesty, David Janszen, Jayme Cramer, Kyle Ransom).

        200 freestyle: Max Leassner, St. Xavier

        200 individual medley: David Janszen, St. Xavier

        50 freestyle: Ben Appel, Wyoming

        100 butterfly: Jayme Cramer, St. Xavier

        100 freestyle: Max Leassner, St. Xavier

        500 freestyle: Marty Tomes, Anderson

        200 freestyle Relay: St. Xavier (Max Leassner, Chris Bushelman, Pete Carothers, Kyle Ransom)

        100 backstroke: Jayme Cramer, St. Xavier

        100 breaststroke: Rob Kauscher, Anderson

        400 freestyle relay: Kyle Ransom, David Janszen, Max Leassner, Jayme Cramer.

        HONORABLE MENTION

        200 medley relay: Anderson: (Michael Tomes, Rob Kauscher, Marty Tomes, Jarad Daley). Wyoming: (Michael Byrnes, Dan Schrider, Phillip Roebuck, Mark Giardini). Sycamore: (Brad Hunter, Mike Walsh, Rob Klasmeier, Evan Witte). Fairfield: (Nick McCollum, Nick Ivey, Justin Marcy, Philip Hartman). Milford: (Blake Davis, Matt Carroll, Tyler Stratton, Andy Stafford). Moeller: (Ross Bittner, Rob Magnus, Evan Herdeman, Michael Taylor).

        200 freestyle: Andy Hoffman, Summit Country Day; Kevin Nead, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy; Dan Guibord, St. Xavier; Chris Bushelman, St. Xavier; Brian Tiemeier, La Salle; Blake Davis, Milford; Jay Miller, Princeton; Jake Keefe, St. Xavier; Quintin Neubauer, Sycamore.

        200 individual medley: Ryan Koscianski, Wyoming; Paul Bonner, St. Xavier; David Habel, St. Xavier; Rob Kauscher, Anderson; John Stoneburner, St. Xavier; Nick McCollum, Fairfield; Phillip Roebuck, Wyoming; Eric Myers, Wyoming.

        50 freestyle: Kort Blohm, Wilmington; Kes Aukstuolis, Sycamore; Kurt Hardesty, St. Xavier; Adam Dehne, La Salle; Michael Byrnes, Wyoming; David Mail, Middletown; Justin Marcy, Fairfield.

        100 butterfly: Phillip Roebuck, Wyoming; Ryan Klasmeier, Sycamore; Marty Tomes, Anderson; Adam Dehne, La Salle; Scott Tanner, St. Xavier; Joe Bingham, St. Xavier; Steve Raszka, Middletown.

        100 freestyle: Ben Appel, Wyoming; Brian Tiemeier, La Salle; David Mail, Middletown; Kes Aukstuolis, Sycamore.

        500 freestyle: David Habel, St. Xavier; Jake Keefe, St. Xavier; Andy Hoffman, Summit Country Day; Dan Guibord, St. Xavier; Kyle Ransom, St. Xavier; Nick McCollum, Fairfield; Kevin Nead, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy; Blake Davis, Milford.

        200 freestyle relay: Sycamore: Kes Aukstuolis, Evan Witte, Brad Hunter, Mike Walsh. Wyoming: Dan Schrider, Mark Giardina, Jonathon Henkel, Ben Appel. Anderson: Charles Huizenga, David Skeggs, Jarad Daley, Michael Tomes. Princeton: Ben Wilson, Greg Hui, Sam Hall, Jay Miller.

        100 backstroke: Michael Tomes, Anderson; Kurt Blohm, Wilmington; Michael Byrnes, Wyoming; Kurt Hardesty, St. Xavier; David Janszen, St. Xavier; Jonathon Henkel, Wyoming; Kyle Bogenschutz, St. Xavier.

        100 breaststroke: John Stoneburner, St. Xavier; Nick Ivey, Fairfield; Ryan Rooney, St. Xavier; John Carrigan, Mariemont; Nick Anderson, Anderson; Will Elcook, Springboro; Dan Schrider, Wyoming.

        400 freestyle relay: Wyoming: Michael Byrnes, Ryan Koscianski, Ben Appel, Jonathon Henkel. Anderson: Michael Tomes, Jarad Daley, Marty Tomes, Rob Kauscher. Sycamore: Brad Hunter, Evan Witte, Quintin Neubauer, Kes Aukstuolis. La Salle: Adam Dehne, Ryan Flynn, Dan Huey, Brian Tiemeier.

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