Marian Collins wasn’t intending to be omniscient, of course. But last month, following the Perry Invitational, the standout Mentor sophomore offered a self-critique of the state of her 200-yard individual medley to that juncture in the season. At Perry, she had displayed notable improvement in but terfly en route to winning the event. “I think it’s because that, to me, (fly) is my weakest stroke,” Collins said. “Even though now, I feel like, it might be backstroke, so I should probably train that more.” Perry Invitational swimming: Davis, Collins power dominant Mentor girls team crown push It's one thing to just say it. It's quite another to do something about it. Feb. 21, during the Division I Cleveland State District, the work on that element shone on a prominent stage en route to Canton — as well as en route to a program breakthrough. Collins captured 200 IM in an all News-Herald coverage area clash with Chardon's Briella Hewitt, turning in an overall time of 2 minutes, 9.57 seconds to Hewitt's 2:09.82. Both secured automatic berths for state next weekend at Branin Natatorium by going 1-2. It is the first Mentor girls swimming individual-event district title since program great Maria Coy earned top honors in 50 freestyle her junior year in 2014, as well as the seventh in any individual event for the Cardinals since 1999. "Well, I didn't know that," Collins said. "But I mean, that's a really big accomplishment for me personally. And that being my best time I've gone in my whole life, it's definitely really a big deal for me." Collins' foresight would make any mentalist going viral impressing pro sports teams sensing the unknown or fortune teller proud. Maybe even, for those of a certain age, Johnny Carson's Carnac. Last winter at the D-I CSU District, as Collins took sixth in 200 IM, her back split was a 33.97. Her best invitational split of the regular season was a 33.44 as she won the Greater Cleveland Conference meet in this pool. Last week at the D-I CSU Sectional, she hit for a 32.42 on back. Here? A 32.50 that made a big difference while dueling Hewitt. "Well, I really wouldn't say I focus on it in practice," Collins said. "But once I got into the race, I knew what I needed to do. And I was just like, 'OK, I have to keep my head back. Make sure my tempo is right.' And then I just went." Leaning into such a strong, refined back split allowed Collins to translate into a 36.93 breaststroke and 31.60 free closer. The latter is .92 faster than her district pace in 2025. She understood what was required. Hewitt, being probably with room to spare the premier butterflier in this IM field, had the advantage there. So fending off the skilled Hilltoppers' senior, someone Collins knows well, had to come from elsewhere. "Oh, it's very helpful," Collins said of Hewitt's presence. "Training with her for club, too, is really helpful as well. Because we can push each other a lot. And we just make each other faster swimmers. She's obviously a very strong swimmer. It's honestly a little bit stressful. But being able to have that good competition then good friendship out of it, too, is definitely very helpful." Collins later came back for a fifth in 100 breast (1:06.41) and a 54.02 anchor as Mentor sought a leapfrog from a 'B' heat to the podium in 400 free relay. The Cardinals got it with a fifth overall in 3:40.50, hoping to get into the state at-large conversation. Mentor's Elisabeth Davis was second in 100 back with a 56.86 for an auto berth and fourth in 100 free in 53.04. On 100 back, she hit a "go play the lottery" split: 29.77 home after being the same last week at sectional. That is the Cardinals' highest girls district 100 back finish since another program great, Katie Haller, won the second of her district crowns in the event in 2009. In addition, Mentor took third as a team with 180 points. Hewitt delivered a high-output swansong at CSU in her own right. The Chardon senior, in addition to her 200 IM runner-up, was second in 100 butterfly with an encouraging 57.95 to secure a double-auto trip to Canton. On 100 fly, Hewitt did well to locate back-end speed. She was 30.47 home after being high-31s in the regular season and 31.10 at sectional last weekend. "I feel like my back-end speed, we've really worked a lot on it," Hewitt said. "So I was definitely happy with that. It honestly felt not super hard. So I'm excited for what I can do next week. I definitely didn't go out fast enough. I obviously split faster with my IM fly. So I'm hoping I'll go faster next week." As far as that 200 IM battle with Collins, Hewitt, too, got going on back, trying to build on her advantage in fly quality. Unfortunately, and Hewitt knew it, breaststroke was .56 slower than her district swim last winter, when she was fourth. So while the overall time was a slight cut from that performance (.21), Hewitt will return to the proverbial lab this week cognizant of what needs work. "I mean, my backstroke can always use work," Hewitt said. "So I was happier with that split. But it's still definitely not good enough compared to what other girls are going. I've just got to keep working on that for sure." Hewitt was also hoping, prior to the swimmeet.com D-I district compilation being complete and providing the verdict, of getting a Chardon relay down. The 400 free relay might have yielded the better chance of the two with other districts not yet in the pool for the day, as it took fourth with a 3:40.02. Hewitt went 52.75 on the anchor. "I mean, my fingers are crossed," Hewitt said. "I'm hoping we can make it. These girls deserve it so much, and there's nothing more that I want than to take a relay to state. I love going individually, but it would mean the world if I had my girls with me for my senior year." After a challenging start to the meet, Janet Rockenberger laudably dug in to aid the Hilltoppers' cause. The senior was fourth in 500 free (5:21.53), went 24.99 on Chardon's seventh-place 200 free relay (1:40.97) and 54.75 on that 400 free relay. On the boys side, Mayfield's 200 medley relay delivered the surprise of the meet locally with a district crown. The quartet of Adam Glowczewski, Max Semenov, Gavin Goldstein and Casey Cullivan hit for a 1:39.14. Semenov, the lone senior on the relay, went 27.57 on breast, a .80 cut from district a year ago. That is the first district top-four for the Wildcats in boys 200 medley relay since a fourth in 2002. As of 8:15 p.m., the swimmeet district comp was not yet available to determine at-large qualifiers. This story will be updated later tonight with coverage area at-larges if applicable. ...read more read less