The Carmel girls swim team could be in for a historic weekend Friday and Saturday when the Greyhounds head down to the IU Natatorium for the IHSAA state finals.
It’s easy to say “What else is new,” when it comes to Carmel, but the Greyhounds always seem to find new ways to re-write the record books. First on Carmel’s mind will be extending its record state championship streak: The Greyhounds will be going for a 37th straight state title.
Carmel qualified all 27 of its swims to the state prelims, which take place Friday evening. The IHSAA released heat sheets and psych sheets for the meet earlier this week, and the Greyhounds are the top seeds in seven of the 12 events. That includes all three relays, where Carmel hopes to keep another streak going: Since the 2009 state meet, the ‘Hounds have won 41 of 42 relay events.
Berit Berglund is looking for her fourth consecutive title in the 100 backstroke. The Carmel senior set the state record of 51.50 in last year’s prelims and then equaled the same time in the championship final. She is the top seed in this year’s meet after a 54.31 performance in last Saturday’s sectional meet. With a fourth title, Berglund would become the 12th individual overall and second backstroker to pull off a career sweep, joining former Greyhound Claire Adams (2013-16).
Carmel sophomore Alex Shackell set a state record in the 100 butterfly in this meet a year ago winning in a time of 51.71. She is the top seed in the event this year at 52.04, nearly two and a half seconds faster than next best time. The last swimmer to win the butterfly in her first two years was Leslie Place of Fort Wayne Snider in 1991 and 1992. Shackell is also the top seed in the 50 freestyle at 22.42, just ahead of defending champion Lilian Christianson (22.60). Shackell also swam a leg on two of the Greyhounds’ championship relay teams including the state record setting 200 medley team.
A newcomer to Carmel’s team, freshman Molly Sweeney is the top seed in the breaststroke (1 minute, 1.94 seconds). The Greyhounds have the top three seeds in that event: Senior Vivian Wilson is the second seed at 1:02.40, while another freshman, Lucy Enoch, is the third seed at 1:02.94.
In addition, Carmel has another defending state champion in the field. Lynsey Bowen’s time of 4:45.15 tied the 500 freestyle state record in the first year of her high school career in 2022. She became just the fourth freshman to win the event and the Carmel sophomore will look for a repeat performance this weekend. Leah Retrum of Columbus North was the last sophomore to win the event her first two years on her way to a four-year sweep from 2000-2003. Bowen’s sectional time of 5:03.78 was the 10th best time in the state last weekend.
Carmel won the state meet last year by scoring 461 points, and set the record for points scored two years ago with 479 points.
Meanwhile, Fishers holds the top seed in three events. Senior Josephine “Jo Jo” Ramey is seeded first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:48.16, and the 500 free with a time of 4:48.27. Another senior, Kate Mouser, is seeded first in the individual medley (2:00.48). Mouser is also the second seed in the 500 free at 4:48.35.
The Tigers have been the state runners-up for the past three years; Fishers totaled 283 points at last year’s meet, by far the most ever for the Tigers. Fishers qualified 22 swims for the state.
Next in line is Hamilton Southeastern, with 14 swims qualified. Junior Audrey Crawford holds two high seeds, with a second seed in the butterfly (54.51) and a third seed in the IM (2:00.72).
Noblesville qualified six for state, with Maya McDonald leading the way. The junior is seeded 10th in the breaststroke and is only 0.17 seconds off eighth place. The top eight at Friday’s prelims qualify for the championship heat, with positions nine to 16 qualifying for the consolation heat.
Westfield has two relays at state: The medley and the 200 free relay. Hamilton Heights junior Teegan Madara qualified in the IM and the 500 free; she is seeded ninth in the latter event.
Here is a list of state qualifiers from Hamilton County, along with their seeds and sectional times.
200 medley relay: 1. Carmel 1:39.26, 3. Fishers 1:42.96, 4. Hamilton Southeastern 1:43.12, 25. Westfield 1:50.00.
200 freestyle: 1. Jo Jo Ramey (F) 1:48.16, 2. Lynsey Bowen (C) 1:48.27, 3. Alexandra Ward (C) 1:48.86, 4. Erin Cummins (C) 1:49.23, 11. Emma Schumacher (F) 1:52.22, 14. Nalanie Marinel Cortez (F) 1:53.30.
200 individual medley: 1. Kate Mouser (F) 2:00.48, 2. Molly Sweeney (C) 2:00.58, 3. Audrey Crawford (HSE) 2:00.72, 4. Vivian Wilson (C) 2:01.43, 5. Avery Stein (F) 2:01.81, 6. Alyssa Street (C) 2:03.56, 10. Anna Stolle (HSE) 2:06.21, 16. Avery Hannon (F) 2:07.89, 18. Katelyn Kertin (HSE) 2:08.43, 21. Teegan Madara (HH) 2:08.83.
50 freestyle: 1. Alex Shackell (C) 22.42, 4. Meghan Christman (C) 23.13, 8. Grace Dougherty (C) 23.62, 9. Addison Carlile (F) 23.64, 17. Claire Francis (F) 24.07, 19. Emma Schwertfeger (F) 24.09.
One-meter diving: 10. Gretchen Osmun (F) 397.10, 18. Melaina Munson (C) 362;65, 19. Eryn McMahon (N) 362.25, 24. Ella Penny (HSE) 341.30.
100 butterfly: 1. Shackell (C) 52.04, 2. Crawford (HSE) 54.51, 3. Keira Kask (C) 54.65, 8. Carlile (F) 55.80, 18. Parker Kurzawa (C) 56.75, 20. Haddie Vohs (N) 57.07.
100 freestyle: 4. Cummins (C) 51.20, 5. Berit Berglund (C) 51.24, 7. Dougherty (C) 51.68, 11. Cortez (F) 52.36, 15. Schwertfeger (F) 52.64, 18. Francis (F) 52.76, 21. Ashley Saple (HSE) 52.83, 24. Kiley Zoeller (HSE) 53.30.
500 freestyle: 1. J. Ramey (F) 4:48.27, 2. Mouser (F) 4:48.35, 3. Ward (C) 4:50.37, 6. Alyssa Street (C) 4:58.15, 9. Madara (HH) 5:03.56, 10. Bowen (C) 5:03.78, 16. Sabrina Ledwith (N) 5:07.88, 22. Frankie Ramey (F) 5:10.37.
200 freestyle relay: 1. Carmel 1:33.82, 2. Fishers 1:34.45, 9. Southeastern 1:36.85, 16. Noblesville 1:38.52, 21. Westfield 1:39.49.
100 backstroke: 1. Berglund (C) 54.31, 3. Kask (C) 55.12, 11. Grace Newton (HSE) 56.94, 12. Kayla Barr (C) 56.96, 15. Naomi Haines (HSE) 57.29, 17. Avery Hannon (F) 57.71, 24. Caroline Santerre (N) 58.91.
100 breaststroke: 1. Sweeney (C) 1:01.94, 2. Wilson (C) 1:02.40, 3. Enoch (C) 1:02.94, 5. Stein (F) 1:03.30, 10. Maya McDonald (N) 1:04.18, 13. Stolle (HSE) 1:04.88, 17. Eloise Harrison (HSE) 1:05.67, 22. Kertin (HSE) 1:06.19, 23. Schumacher (F) 1:06.31.
400 freestyle relay: 1. Carmel 3:23.62, 2. Fishers 3:26.35, 5. Southeastern 3:30.32, 14. Noblesville 3:38.16.