The girls swimming and diving sectional finals took place on Saturday, the second step of the IHSAA post-season.
A good number of Hamilton County swimmers took the step from sectionals to state, qualifying a total of 54 swim to next week’s big meet at the IU Natatorium. The state preliminaries are Friday night, with the finals the following day.
At the Carmel sectional, the host Greyhounds put themselves in excellent position to contend for a 33rd straight state championship. Carmel won the sectional title (a state record 37th) with 561 points, plus qualified 24 swimmers for state and won 11 of the 12 events.
Kelly Pash was a double winner for the Greyhounds, taking the individual medley and butterfly races in state cut times. Other Carmel winners, all making state cuts as well, were Kendra Bowen in the 200 freestyle, Colleen Duffy in the 50 free, Gretchen Lueking in the 100 free, Ashlyn Underhill in the 500 free and Madelyn Christman in the backstroke. Freshman Darci Commons won the diving and advances to Tuesday’s diving regional at Hamilton Southeastern.
The ‘Hounds also swept all three relays, again beating the state cut in each event. Christman, Pash, Meredith Berglund and Duffy won the medley relay; Grace Pangburn, Avery Williams, Rachel Young and Lueking paced the 200 free relay; and Sarah Myung, Underhill, Berglund and Bowen were first in the 400 free relay.
Winners automatically advance to state regardless of time, followed by any swimmer that matches or beats the state cut time in her event. Carmel had 14 additional qualifiers by time: Underhill and Lueking in the 200 free, Christman in the IM, Williams and Pangburn in the 50 free, Berglund in the butterfly, Williams in the 100 free, Bowen and Morgan Croaning in the 500 free, Taylor Conley and Duffy in the backstroke, and MacKenna Lieske, Maggie Love and Sarah Jarding in the breaststroke.
Noblesville finished second in the team standings with 366 points. The Millers had the lone victory by a non-Carmel school: Sophomore Sammy Huff paced the breaststroke, winning the event in 1:03.86, two seconds faster than the state cut time.
The Millers also qualified two relays for state by cut times: Jordan Cooley, Huff, Caitlin Marshall and Abby Harvey reached the standard in the medley relay; while Marshall, Gillian Cripe, Sophie Resner and Huff beat the cut in the 400 free relay. In addition, a handful of swims were fast enough to possibly earn a callback, meaning it is fast enough to fill a field of 32 in the event.
Westfield placed third as a team, scoring 348 points. The Shamrocks had three state qualifiers: Katherine Hand earned a state cut in the IM, as did Erin Verbrugge in the backstroke and the 400 free relay team of Hand, Kerry Effinger, Macy Hoaglan and Verbrugge. In addition, Taylor Jackson finished fourth in diving and earned a spot in the Tuesday regional.
Hamilton Heights finished fourth with 190 points, while Guerin Catholic was fifth with 133.5 points. Both schools advanced a diver to the regional: The Golden Eagles’ Emma Abdalla placed second and the Huskies’ Bailey Haworth was third.
Heights’ Rachel Sanqunetti placed fourth in the IM and fifth in the backstroke, both times could be good enough to a callback to state. The callbacks are usually determined by Sunday afternoon and will be posted on the IHSAA’s website.
AT CARMEL
Team scores: Carmel 561, Noblesville 366, Westfield 348, Hamilton Heights 190, Guerin Catholic 133.5, Maconaquah 130, Western 117, Tipton 114, Northwestern 108.5, Kokomo 105, Eastern 25.
200 medley relay (State cut 1:43.34)
“A” final: 1. Carmel (Madelyn Christman, Kelly Pash, Meredith Berglund, Colleen Duffy) 1:43.34, 2. Noblesville (Jordan Cooley, Sammy Huff, Caitlin Marshall, Abby Harvey) 1:47.87, 3. Westfield (Hannah Jones, Erin Verbrugge, Katherine Hand, Kerry Effinger) 1:51.05, 4. Heights (Rachel Sanqunetti, Emily Lester, Ryleigh Poe, Tara Holder) 1:54.56, 8. Guerin Catholic (Clare Cline, Catalina Dunasky, Gwen Ronnau, Mary Kate Cline) 2:02.02.
200 freestyle (State cut 1:53.27)
“A” final: 1. Kendra Bowen (C) 1:48.83, 2. Ashlyn Underhill (C) 1:49.81, 3. Gretchen Lueking (C) 1:49.86, 4. Sanqunetti (HH) 1:55.64, 5. Macy Hoaglan (W) 1:56.28, 6. Gillian Cripe (N) 1:57.17, 7. Sophie Resner (N) 1:58.65, 8. Tina Berger (N) 2:02.48.
“B” final: 9. Erica Hunckler (GC) 2:01.68, 12. Ava Friedman (W) 2:05.07, 13. Lauren Martin (W) 2:05.13.
200 individual medley (State cut 2:06.88)
“A” final: 1. Pash (C) 2:02.47, 2. Christman (C) 2:03.46, 3. Hand (W) 2:06.18, 4. Huff (N) 2:08.60, 5. Rachel Young (C) 2:09.25, 6. Holder (HH) 2:16.67, 7. Claire Yeakey (N) 2:18.62, 8. Olivia Kielty (W) 2:19.52.
“B” final: 9. Ellie Ketcham (W) 2:19.81, 10. Elizabeth Mulanax (N) 2:20.70, T14. Ronnau (GC) 2:29.49.
50 freestyle (State cut 24.07)
“A” final: 1. Duffy (C) 23.47, 2. Avery Williams (C) 23.55, 3. Grace Pangburn (C) 24.02, 5. Harvey (N) 24.81, 6. Effinger (W) 25.50, 7. Lily Hunter (W) 25.83.
“B” final: 9. M.K. Cline (GC) 25.65, 10. Mia Herzog (W) 25.79, 14. Emma Snyder (N) 26.42, 15. Sydney Peck (N) 26.83.
One-meter diving (Top four advance to regionals)
Finals: 1. Darci Commons (C) 444.15, 2. Emma Abdalla (GC) 394.80, 3. Bailey Haworth (HH) 324.25, 4. Taylor Jackson (W) 317.70, 9. Amanda Barker (W) 269.60, 11. Grace Woods (C) 248.45, 13. Allissa Schwartz (W) 216.60.
100 butterfly (State cut 56.89)
“A” final: 1. Pash (C) 54.44, 2. Berglund (C) 55.59, 3. Marshall (N) 57.02, 4. Hand (W) 57.12, 5. Hannah White (C) 57.15, 6. Cooley (N) 1:00.63, 7. Poe (HH) 1:01.24, 8. Hannah Jones (W) 1:01.96.
“B” final: 9. Ava Wettrick (N) 1:02.63, 11. Madeline DiFlora (W) 1:05.80, 14. Kennedy Weaver (HH) 1:07.89, 15. Kat Cox (HH) 1:09.07.
100 freestyle (State cut 52.29)
“A” final: 1. Lueking (C) 50.66, 2. Williams (C) 51.31, 3. Young (C) 52.33, 5. Erica Hunckler (GC) 53.81, 7. Cripe (N) 53.99, 8. Harvey (N) 55.12.
“B” final: 9. Effinger (W) 54.87, 10. Friedman (W) 56.72, 12. Katie Kramer (N) 57.82, 15. Hunter (W) 59.06.
500 freestyle (State cut 5:05.41)
“A” final: 1. Underhill (C) 4:54.45, 2. Bowen C) 4:55.26, 3. Morgan Croaning (C) 5:01.99, 4. Marshall (N) 5:06.13, 5. Hoaglan (W) 5:14.01, 6. Holder (HH) 5:20.91, 7. Berger (N) 5:26.90, 8. Yeakey (N) 5:27.78.
“B” final: 9. Poe (HH) 5:25.46, 11. Martin (W) 5:33.40, 13. Kendall Wilkes (W) 5:46.10, 15. Carlie Flintoff (HH) 6:01.71.
200 freestyle relay (State cut 1:38.84)
“A” final: 1. Carmel (Pangburn, Williams, Young, Lueking) 1:35.51, 2. Noblesville (Cripe, Resner, Yeakey, Harvey) 1:40.56, 3. Westfield (Verbrugge, Hunter, Herzog, Hoaglan) 1:40.97, 4. Guerin Catholic (Dunasky, Stephanie DeLancey, Danielle Hunckler, E. Hunckler) 1:47.48, 8. Heights (Cox, Maria Mitchell, Gen Trese, Mady Hutcherson) 1:51.98.
100 backstroke (State cut 57.68)
“A” final: 1. Christman (C) 54.96, T2. Taylor Conley (C) 55.45; Duffy (C) 55.45, 4. Verbrugge (W) 57.67, 5. Sanqunetti (HH) 58.22, 6. Cooley (N) 59.70, 7. M.K. Cline (GC) 1:00.19, 8. Resner (N) 1:00.79.
“B” final: 9. Emily DeCocq (N) 1:03.99, 10. Lauren Rowe (W) 1:04.09, 11. M. Herzog (W) 1:04.32.
100 breaststroke (State cut 1:05.88)
“A” final: 1. Huff (N) 1:03.86, 2. MacKenna Lieske (C) 1:04.12, 3. Maggie Love (C) 1:04.89, 4. Sarah Jarding (C) 1:05.326. Kielty (W) 1:10.71, 7. Elle Herzog (W) 1:10.92, 8. Fiona Halvorsen (N) 1:11.08.
“B” final: 10. Delaney Howard (N) 1:12.68, 12. Lester (HH) 1:14.31, 13. Dunasky (GC) 1:16.10, 14. Cox (HH) 1:18.66, 16. Weaver (HH) 1:22.05.
400 freestyle relay (State cut 3:36.08)
“A” final: 1. Carmel (Sarah Myung, Underhill, Berglund, Bowen) 3:30.85, 2. Noblesville (Marshall, Cripe, Resner, Huff) 3:34.65, 3. Westfield (Hand, Effinger, Hoaglan, Verbrugge) 3:35.16, 4. Heights (Sanqunetti, Poe, Hutcherson, Holder) 3:49.24.
“B” final: 10. Guerin Catholic (DeLancey, C. Cline, D. Hunckler, Ronnau) 4:08.43.
Fishers won the championship at its own sectional, holding off rival Hamilton Southeastern by the score of 537-502. This marks the fifth sectional title for the Tigers, and its first since 2017.
Fishers won seven events and qualified 15 swims to the state meet. Hannah Pratt was a double winner for the Tigers, taking the 200 and 100 freestyles in state cut times. Other individual winners for Fishers were Alexandra Stein in the 50 free, Kara Robeson in the butterfly and Samantha Hietpas in the 500 free.
The Tigers won two relays as well. Stein, Kalliopi Agapios, Ellen Fero and Pratt teamed up to take the 200 free relay, and Fishers finished the meet with Fero, Stein, Abigail Jahns and Pratt winning the 400 free relay.
The Tigers had eight additional swims qualify by time. The medley relay team of Agapios, Lydia Reade, Nicole Rueff and Fero made the state cut, as Lydia Reade and Corinne Yorkman both qualified in the IM, as did Morgan Booth and Jahns in the 500 free and Reade in the breaststroke. Fero also made the cut in the 50 free, and she did so in the consolation heat of that event, winning that race in 24.07 seconds. Fero received ninth place for scoring purposes, but she is headed to state regardless. Morgan Casey finished second in the diving and will compete in the Tuesday regional.
Fishers coach Joe Keller said that the focus for his team was on progress, and not process.
“Today is about celebrating our progress and they did a great job in that and gave us a reason to celebrate,” said Keller.
The Royals had three event winners. Sarah Ballard took the diving with a score of 465.40 points and will be one of three Southeastern divers at the regional. Halli Siwik finished in third place and Ashley Sinicropi was fourth.
In the pool, the Royals got a win from the medley relay team of Abigail Harter, Molly Robinson, Hannah Pugh and Brianna Saple. Harter also won the backstroke, finishing nearly two seconds faster than the state cut time.
Molly Pedersen qualified for state with cut times in four events. Individually, she qualified in the 200 and 100 freestyles, then joined Southeastern’s other two state-qualifying relays, joining Pugh, Ellie Pedersen and Saple in the 200 free relay and Ellie Pedersen, Saple and Harter in the 400 free relay. Pugh also qualified in the butterfly and Robinson qualified in the breaststroke. Several times were also fast enough to potentially earn callbacks as well.
AT FISHERS
Team scores: Fishers 537, Hamilton Southeastern 502, Yorktown 292, Pendleton Heights 283, Oak Hill 198, Anderson 140, Marion 77, Elwood 28.
200 medley relay (State cut 1:43.34)
“A” final: 1. Southeastern (Abigail Harter, Molly Robinson, Hannah Pugh, Brianna Saple) 1:44.24, 2. Fishers (Kalliopi Agapios, Lydia Reade, Nicole Rueff, Ellen Fero) 1:45.96.
200 freestyle (State cut 1:53.27)
“A” final: 1. Hannah Pratt (F) 1:51.14, 2. Molly Pedersen (HSE) 1:52.45, 3. Abigail Jahns (F) 1:53.59, 4. Morgan Booth (F) 1:53.90, 5. Kayleigh Witt (HSE) 1:57.56, 6. Ellie Pedersen (HSE) 1:59.21.
200 individual medley (State cut 2:06.88)
“A” final: 1. Emily Weiss (Y) 2:05.36, 2. Reade (F) 2:05.59, 3. Corinne Yorkman (F) 2:06.42, 4. Savannah Kennedy (F) 2:06.97, 5. A. Harter (HSE) 2:07.15, 6. Pugh (HSE) 2:08.01, 7. Olivia Harter (HSE) 2:11.88.
50 freestyle (State cut 24.07)
“A” final: 1. Alexandra Stein (F) 24.22, 2. Saple (HSE) 24.33, 3. Agapios (F) 24.37, 4. Laura MacLafferty (HSE) 24.44, 6. Kennedy Fisher (HSE) 24.69.
“B” final: 9. Fero (F) 24.07.
One-meter diving (Top four advance to regionals)
Finals: 1. Sarah Ballard (HSE) 465.40, 2. Morgan Casey (F) 452.35, 3. Halli Siwik (HSE) 452.00, 4. Ashley Sinicropi (HSE) 427.30, 5. Grace Mossing (F) 406.30, 6. Natalie Bryan (F) 385.25.
100 butterfly (State cut 56.89)
“A” final: 1. Kara Robeson (F) 55.76, 2. Pugh (HSE) 56.57, 3. Rueff (F) 56.58, 4. Stein (F) 58.37, 5. Da Bin Jung (HSE) 59.69, 6. Olivia Kiley (HSE) 1:00.65.
100 freestyle (State cut 52.29)
“A” final: 1. Pratt (F) 51.61, 2. M. Pedersen (HSE) 52.08, 3. E. Pedersen (HSE) 53.72, 5. Agapios (F) 54.65.
“B” final: 9. Emma Julien (F) 54.60, 10. Robinson (HSE) 55.43.
500 freestyle (State cut 5:05.41)
“A” final: 1. Samantha Hietpas (F) 4:51.54, 2. Booth (F) 4:59.99, 3. Jahns (F) 5:02.20, 5. Witt (HSE) 5:18.00, 6. Sloane Gardner (HSE) 5:21.34, 8. Brooke Ratliff (HSE) 5:28.18.
200 freestyle relay (State cut 1:38.84)
“A” final: 1. Fishers (Stein, Agapios, Fero, Pratt) 1:36.03, 2. Southeastern (Pugh, M. Pedersen, E. Pedersen, Saple) 1:37.90.
100 backstroke (State cut 57.68)
“A” final: 1. A. Harter (HSE) 55.87, 2. O. Harter 58.01, 3. Yorkman (F) 58.18, 4. Robeson (F) 58.69, 5. Kennedy (F) 1:00.24, 7. Rebecca Ang (HSE) 1:01.08.
100 breaststroke (State cut 1:05.88)
“A” final: 1. Weiss (Y) 1:00.997, 2. Reade (F) 1:04.04, 3. Robinson (HSE) 1:04.92, 4. Fisher (HSE) 1:06.04, 5. Mackenzie Pierce (F) 1:06.09, 6. Ashley Baker (HSE) 1:08.99, 7. Emily Pfeifer (F) 1:09.63.
400 freestyle relay (State cut 3:36.08)
“A” final: 1. Fishers (Fero, Stein, Jahns, Pratt) 3:30.01, 2. Southeastern (E. Pedersen, Saple, A. Harter, M. Pedersen) 3:30.30.
University finished 10th at the Zionsville sectional on Friday.
Charlotte Kumler took eighth in the 500 free, then later joined Kylar Kavanaugh, Regan Hooker and Ella Eskenazi to place eighth in the 400 free relay.
AT ZIONSVILLE
Team scores: Zionsville 557, Harrison 304, Lebanon 290, West Lafayette 229, Lafayette Jefferson 184, Clinton Central 155, McCutcheon 154, Frankfort 112, Lafayette Central Catholic 90, University 80, Carroll 79.
200 medley relay
“B” final: 10. University (Charlotte Kumler, Caitlin Clark, Regan Hooker, Macy Paton) 2:14.33.
200 freestyle
“B” final: 14. Kumler 2:19.39.
200 individual medley
“B” final: 12. Hooker 2:37.05, 16. Clark 2:48.35.
100 butterfly
“B” final: 11. Hooker 1:14.29.
500 freestyle
“A” final: 8. Kumler 6:11.63.
“B” final: 15. Ella Eskenazi 6:35.59.
200 freestyle relay
“B” final: 10. University (Kyler Kavanaugh, Clark, Stasis Reinholt, Eskenazi) 2:03.59.
100 breaststroke
“B” final: 15. Clark 1:24.56.
400 freestyle relay
“A” final: 8. University (Kumler, Kavanaugh, Hooker, Eskenazi) 4:26.13.
The Carmel girls swim team won its state-record 37th sectional championship on Saturday. The Greyhounds qualified 24 swims for the state meet, where it will go for a 33rd consecutive state championship. (Bret Richardson)
The Fishers girls swim team won the sectional title at its own aquatic center on Saturday. The Tigers won seven events and qualified 15 swims for the state meet. (Richie Hall)