Carmel on track to extend state streak

Hounds have seven top seeds; Fishers divers could make a splash

The REPORTER

The Carmel boys swim team has won the past 10 state championships, and the Greyhounds are ready to extend that streak into a second decade.

Carmel is the overwhelming favorite to triumph in the team standings at the IHSAA state meet, which begins Friday evening at the IU Natatorium with the preliminaries. The top 16 swims in each event advance to the Saturday afternoon finals, with positions 9-16 in the “B” Final, or consolation heat, and the top eight positions swimming in the “A” Final, or championship heat.

The ‘Hounds are top seeded in seven events. Sophomore William Allen holds the first seed in two events, starting with the 200 freestyle. Allen won that event at the Carmel sectional with a time of 1 minute, 37.19 seconds. The second seed is his Greyhounds teammate, senior and Columbia commit Ethan Zhang, with a time of 1:38.23.

Allen is also the No. 1 seed in the 500 free, clocking in at 4:23.31 at the sectional. Carmel holds the 1-2-4 seeds in that event, with senior Anderson Kopp, a Duke commit, qualifying second in 4:24.02. Zhang is the fourth seed at 4:28.69.

Greyhounds sophomore Yi Zheng is the first seed in the individual medley; his sectional time was 1:47.64. Senior Andrew Shackell, a Texas commit, holds the top seed in the butterfly event with a time of 47.11 seconds. He finished third in the butterfly last year at state.

Carmel also has the first seed in all three relays: the Greyhounds’ medley relay time is 1:29.70, the 200 free relay clocked in at 1:23.28 and the 400 free relay qualified with a time of 3:04.43.

Diving in

Fishers could make a run at the podium this weekend at the state meet. Not only do the Tigers have 15 swims competing in the prelims, but they also have three divers, all of whom are capable of scoring a large number of points. That could help Fishers as it tries for its first runner-up finish since 2021.

Senior Jacob Schade brings the third-most points to state, as he scored 507.75 at Tuesday’s diving regional at the Tigers’ pool. Mason Lawson is seeded fifth with a regional score of 496.05 points, while Kirby Danglade is seeded ninth after totaling 431.55 points. Schade has qualified for state twice before, making the medals stand both times (third two years ago and fifth last year).

Back in the pool, Fishers senior Jonathan Hines is seeded third in both the 200 free (1:39.11) and the 500 free (4:25.36). Hines was the state runner-up in the 500 free last season and placed fourth in the 200 free.

Sophomore Alex Koo is rated ninth in the 50 free; his time of 21.27 seconds is just 0.01 off the eighth-seed time. The Tigers have all three relays seeded in the top eight as well: Fishers’ medley and 400 free relays are rated sixth and the 200 free relay is seeded seventh.

Hamilton Southeastern will have 10 swims competing at state this year. Leading the way is senior Jihoon Jung, who is committed to Dartmouth College.

Jung is seeded third in the individual medley (1:49.31) and fourth in the butterfly (49.28). He medaled in both events last year at state, placing fifth in both events. Senior Collin Huston is seeded fourth in the breaststroke (56.13); he made the podium last year at state by also finishing fifth. The Royals also hold fifth seeds in the medley and 400 free relay.

Westfield qualified five swims for state this year. The Shamrocks advanced their medley and 400 free relays, while sophomore Garreth Thomas qualified in the IM and butterfly events. Another sophomore, Griffin Barents Froman, qualified in the breaststroke event.

Noblesville has four swims at state, in addition to a top returning diver. Senior Aiden Kless is a two-time state medalist, having placed fifth two years ago and seventh last year. Kless is seeded sixth this season after compiling a regional score of 490.45 points Tuesday at Fishers.

As for the swimming, the Millers qualified all three relays, while sophomore Liam Hayward qualified individually in the backstroke.