As it always does, the battle between Hamilton Southeastern and Fishers for the girls swimming sectional championship came down to the late stages of the meet.
The Royals were the winners this year, celebrating another championship at their home pool during Saturday’s sectional finals. Southeastern scored 518 points to take back the trophy. Fishers had won last year; this year the Tigers were second with 466 points.
“The girls did a good job,” said HSE coach Andy Pedersen. “I’m really proud of them.”
Just as important, both schools qualified several swims for next Friday’s state preliminaries at the IUPUI Natatorium. The Royals will have 12 swims head to the next level, with Fishers qualifying 11.
Southeastern won six events, starting with a record-setting medley relay. The team of Abby Harter, Madison Kertin, Hannah Pugh and Emily Barnes sailed to victory in a new sectional mark of 1:43.48.
Barnes would later pick up a victory in the 50 freestyle, with Pugh triumphing in the butterfly. Harter finished first in the backstroke and led a 1-2-3 finish in that event, with all three swimmers getting under the state cut, thus automatically qualifying for state.
“I thought the kids swam great all day long,” said Pedersen. “We’ve got some kids that aren’t shaved yet. Cuts were great. From a technical perspective, on the walls, I thought we really left some time out there. I’m very excited about the fact that we could be better next weekend.”
The Royals also won the 200 free relay, with Molly Pedersen, Kayleigh Witt, Bri Saple and Barnes swimming in that event.
Sarah Ballard won the diving competition, advancing her to the diving regional at Fishers on Wednesday. The top four divers move on to regional, and that includes HSE’s Halli Siwik, who placed third.
State cut swimmers were Abby Harter and Pugh in the individual medley, Pedersen in the 100 free and backstroke, Olivia Harter in the backstroke and the 400 free relay team of Barnes, Witt, Pedersen and Abby Harter.
“Very exciting,” said Barnes, an HSE senior. “I can’t wait. This is my first time going all four events.”
As a senior, Barnes knows how emotional the meet can be. “I definitely know how to handle it now, but it still is a roller-coaster of emotions the entire day,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Tigers won four events. Hannah Pratt triumphed twice, in the 200 and 100 freestyles, with Samantha Hietpas leading a 1-2-3 finish in the 500 free – all three under the state cut. Pratt was also part of a winning relay, joining Amilia Nusbaum, Abigail Jahns and Kyla Srncik to win the 400 free relay.
Also qualifying for state by beating the state cut: Corinne Yorkman, Miya Wai, Nicole Rueff, Ellen Fero in the medley relay, Nusbaum in the 50 free, Rueff in the butterfly, Jahns and Morgan Booth in the 500 free and Wai in the breaststroke. Morgan Casey and Grace Mossing both qualified for the regional in diving.
Unfortunately, the Tigers had to deal with a disqualification in the 200 free relay. First-year coach Joe Keller was proud of how his girls came back after that adversity.
“It’s part of life and we’re always building character in this sport,” said Keller. “And it’s a great sport because of what kids learn. Today, there were some learning moments.”
“I was really proud how the girls came back, how they rebounded. They showed their fortitude. To win the last relay, that was pretty awesome after what had happened just previously.”
Pedersen also said that he “just hated to see disqualifications play into the process.”
“I have such a high level of respect for the Fishers coaching staff, their athletes,” said Pedersen. “Our kids had a fantastic meet. So did theirs. It is what it is, I just wish it hadn’t gone that way.”
The sectional title is the 18th in program history for Southeastern. Also, both teams have several swims that could receive callbacks to state, meaning that they are fast enough to fill a field of 32 spots in an event once all the sectional champions and state cut qualifiers are placed. Those should be announced by Sunday evening on the IHSAA’s website.
AT SOUTHEASTERN
Team scores: Hamilton Southeastern 518, Fishers 466, Pendleton Heights 309, Yorktown 283, Oak Hill 220, Anderson 109, Elwood 81, Marion 70, Liberty Christian 38, Lapel 12.
200 medley relay (State cut 1:48.96)
“A” Final: 1. Southeastern (Abby Harter, Madison Kertin, Hannah Pugh, Emily Barnes) 1:43.48, new sectional record, 3. Fishers (Corinne Yorkman, Miya Wai, Nicole Rueff, Ellen Fero) 1:46.51.
200 freestyle (State cut 1:53.22)
“A” Final: 1. Hannah Pratt (F) 1:50.96, 2. Abigail Jahns (F) 1:53.58, 3. Kayleigh Witt (HSE) 1:54.03, 4. Morgan Booth (F) 1:55.53, 5. Ellie Pedersen (HSE) 1:56.76, 6. Olivia Vicory (HSE) 2:00.83.
200 individual medley (State cut 2:06.95)
“A” Final: 1 Emily Weiss (Y) 2:01.51, 2. A. Harter (HSE) 2:05.07, 3. Pugh (HSE) 2:06.38, 4. Yorkman (F) 2:07.35, 5. Olivia Harter (HSE) 2:07.58, 6. Savannah Kennedy (F) 2:09.65, Wai (F) DQ.
50 freestyle (State cut 24.10)
“A” Final: 1. Barnes (HSE) 23.62, 2. Amilia Nusbaum (F) 23.84, 4. Fero (F) 24.31, 5. Kyla Srncik (F) 24.41, 6. Lauren Passios (HSE) 25.00, 8. Bri Saple (HSE) 25.30.
One-meter diving (Top four advance to regional)
1. Sarah Ballard (HSE) 457.70, 2. Morgan Casey (F) 443.70, 3. Halli Siwik (HSE) 423.10, 4. Grace Mossing (F) 421.00, 6. Ashley Sinicropi (HSE) 377.80, 9. Natalie Bryan (F) 330.30.
100 butterfly (State cut 57.08)
“A” Final: 1. Pugh (HSE) 56.39, 2. Rueff (F) 56.75, 4. Kara Robeson (F) 57.09, 5. Kertin (HSE) 58.31, 7. DaBin Jung (HSE) 1:00.47.
“B” Final: 9. Emma Julien (F) 1:02.80.
100 freestyle (State cut 52.34)
“A” Final: 1. Pratt (F) 51.72, 2. Nusbaum (F) 51.79, 3. Molly Pedersen (HSE) 51.94, 5. Srncik (F) 53.10, 6. Witt (HSE) 54.22, 7. Saple (HSE) 55.13.
500 freestyle (State cut 5:05.24)
“A” Final: 1. Samantha Hietpas (F) 4:54.49, new HSE pool record. 2. Jahns (F) 4:59.14, 3. Booth (F) 5:03.57, 4. Passios (HSE) 5:24.36, 6. O. Vicory (HSE) 5:32.70.
“B” Final: 9. Anna MacLafferty (HSE) 5:37.59.
200 freestyle relay (State cut 1:38.71)
“A” Final: 1. Southeastern (M. Pedersen, Witt, Saple, Barnes) 1:36.16, Fishers DQ.
100 backstroke (State cut 57.84)
“A” Final: 1. A. Harter 55.28, 2. M. Pedersen (HSE) 56.28, 3. O. Harter (HSE) 57.16, 5. Yorkman (F) 58.19, 6. Robeson (F) 59.65, 7. Fero (F) 1:00.04.
100 breaststroke (State cut 1:05.97)
“A” Final: 1. Weiss (Y) 598.68, new sectional record, 2. Wai (F) 1:04.79, 3. Victoria Vicory (HSE) 1:06.12, 4. Kertin (HSE) 1:06.99, 5. Kennedy (F) 1:10.14, 6. E. Pedersen (HSE) 1:10.31, 7. Kayce Ingram (F) 1:11.48.
400 freestyle relay (State cut 3:35.14)
“A” Final: 1. Fishers (Nusbaum, Jahns, Srncik, Pratt) 3:28.35, 2. Southeastern (Barnes, Witt, M. Pedersen, A. Harter) 3:28.49.
Over at Noblesville, Carmel put itself in excellent position to continue its state championship streak by qualifying all 27 of its swims for the Natatorium.
The Greyhounds won the sectional title with 579 points, giving them a 35th sectional championship and record 34th in a row. Carmel won 11 of the 12 events.
Individual Greyhound champions were Kelly Pash in the 200 and 100 freestyles, Trude Rothrock in the IM and butterfly, Grace Pangburn in the 50 free, Alaina Heyde in diving, Kendra Bowen in the 500 free and Grace Estabrook in the breaststroke. Carmel also swept all three relays: Colleen Duffy, Estabrook, Meredith Berglund and Avery Williams took the medley relay; Pangburn, Samantha Waples, Rachel Young and Maggie Love triumphed in the 200 free relay and Ashlyn Underhill, Rothrock, Bowen and Pangburn swam the first-place 400 free relay.
Qualifying by the state cut were: Underhill and Bowen in the 200 free, Katie Dougherty and Young in the IM, Alyssa Conley and Duffy in the 50 free, Berglund and Williams in the butterfly, Underhill and Young in the 100 free, Dougherty and Hannah White in the 500 free, Duffy, Taylor Conley and Sarah Myung in the backstroke and Alyssa Conley and Sarah Jarding in the breaststroke. Emma Toomey placed third in diving and will join Heyde at the Wednesday regional in Fishers.
The host Millers placed second with 364 points, just edging out Westfield’s 361. Noblesville had four state qualifiers, with Caitlin Marshall (butterfly) and Sammy Huff (breaststroke) the two individuals getting state cut times.
Both girls swam in the qualifying medley relay with Jordan Cooley and Abby Harvey – an all-freshman lineup. Noblesville finished the meet with Gillian Cripe and Sophie Carmosino joining Marshall and Huff on the qualifying 400 free relay.
The Shamrocks sent three swimmers to state. Erin Verbrugge broke through to win the backstroke, making her the only non-Carmel winner at the sectional. Verbrugge qualified for the IM with a state cut, and also joined Molly Ruggles, Katherine Hand and Mia Herzog to get a state cut time on the medley relay. Several of Noblesville and Westfield’s times could be good enough to get callbacks as well.
Hamilton Heights finished a strong fourth with 219 points. Jordyn Feiwell placed second and will advance to the regional. Rachel Sanqunetti took fourth in the 200 free and fifth in the backstroke; her backstroke time could potentially get a callback to state.
Guerin Catholic scored 127 points to take seventh place. The 400 free relay team of Mary Cline, Stephanie DeLancey, Gwen Ronnau and Catalina Dunasky finished fifth.
AT NOBLESVILLE
Team scores: Carmel 579, Noblesville 364, Westfield 361, Hamilton Heights 219, Maconaquah 153, Western 142, Guerin Catholic 127, Tipton 96, Kokomo 92, Northwestern 59, Eastern 43.
200 medley relay (State cut 1:48.96)
“A” Final: 1. Carmel (Colleen Duffy, Grace Estabrook, Meredith Berglund, Avery Williams) 1:45.11, 2. Westfield (Molly Ruggles, Erin Verbrugge, Katherine Hand, Mia Herzog) 1:48.12, 3. Noblesville (Jordan Cooley, Sammy Huff, Caitlin Marshall, Abby Harvey) 1:48.66, 4. Heights (Rachel Sanqunetti, Emily Lester, Claire Sloderbeck, Tara Holder) 1:53.52, 6. Guerin Catholic (Clare Cline, Catalina Dunasky, Danielle Hunckler, Mary Cline) 2:02.66.
200 freestyle (State cut 1:53.22)
“A” Final: 1. Kelly Pash (C) 1:47.68, 2. Ashlyn Underhill (C) 1:49.72, 3. Kendra Bowen (C) 1:50.19, 4. Sanqunetti (HH) 1:56.50, 5. Kerry Effinger (W) 1:58.17, 6. Gillian Cripe (N) 1:59.86, 7. Brooke Haflich (N) 2:00.72, 8. Tina Berger (N) 2:03.77.
“B” Final: 9. Lauren Martin (W) 2:04.25, 10. Lauren Rowe (W) 2:04.31, 14. Allison Osborne (HH) 2:15.02.
200 individual medley (State cut 2:06.95)
“A” Final: 1. Trude Rothrock (C) 2:01.45, 2. Katie Dougherty (C) 2:03.52, 3. Verbrugge (W) 2:05.96, 4. Rachel Young (C) 2:06.04, 5. Huff (N) 2:08.73, 6. Hand (W) 2:09.72, 7. Cooley (N) 2:16.23, 8. Elizabeth Mulanax (N) 2:18.52.
“B” Final: 9. Holder (HH) 2:19.70, 10. Sydney Ruggles (W) 2:19.78, 13. Catalina Dunasky (GC) 2:27.50, 14. Gwen Ronnau (GC) 2:27.80, 15. Lucy Uhrick (HH) 2:28.00.
50 freestyle (State cut 24.10)
“A” Final: 1. Grace Pangburn (C) 23.62, 2. Alyssa Conley (C) 23.66, 3. Duffy (C) 23.86, 5. M. Herzog (W) 24.64, 7. Harvey (N) 25.15, 8. Sophie Carmosino (N) 25.82.
“B” Final: 9. Lily Hunter (W) 25.32, 10. M. Cline (GC) 25.47, 11. Sloderbeck (HH) 26.10, 14. Sarah Hayes (N) 26.71, 16. Madeline DiFlora (W) 27.03.
One-meter diving (Top four advance to regional)
1. Alaina Heyde (C) 451.85, 2. Jordyn Feiwell (HH) 450.80, 3. Emma Toomey (C) 414.55, 6. Emma Abdalla (GC) 373.55, 7. Taylor Jackson (W) 363.95, 9. Bailey Haworth (HH) 350.70, 10. Grace Helms (C) 348.65, 12. Gabby Sanburn (W) 337.40, 15. Caitlin Coy (HH) 312.70.
100 butterfly (State cut 57.08)
“A” Final: 1. Rothrock (C) 54.01, 2. Berglund (C) 55.17, 3. Avery Williams (C) 56.38, 4. Marshall (N) 56.61, 5. Hand (W) 57.85, 6. M. Ruggles (W) 59.01, 7. Ava Wettrick (N) 1:00.74, 8. Bri McBride (N) 1:01.93.
“B” Final: 9. Ryleigh Poe (HH) 1:01.42, 10. Kendall Wikes (W) 1:02.90, 12. Hunckler (GC) 1:08.67.
100 freestyle (State cut 52.34)
“A” Final: 1. Pash (C) 49.39, 2. Underhill (C) 51.01, 3. Young (C) 51.25, 7. Hunter (W) 54.47, 8. Cripe (N) 54.62.
“B” Final: 9. Harvey (N) 55.46, 11. Sloderbeck (HH) 55.97, 12. Carmosino (N) 56.12, 14. Riley Howe (W) 57.55, 16. Stephanie DeLancey (GC) 1:00.80.
500 freestyle (State cut 5:05.24)
“A” Final: 1. Bowen (C) 4:57.13, 2. Dougherty (C) 4:57.44, 3. Hannah White (C) 5:01.85, 4. Marshall (N) 5:08.40, 5. Holder (HH) 5:22.46, 6. Berger (N) 5:22.97, 7. Haflich (N) 5:25.75, 8. Poe (HH) 5:25.81.
“B” Final: 9. Martin (W) 5:28.79, 10. Lauren Todd (W) 5:31.94, 11. Wilkes (W) 5:36.09, 15. C. Cline (GC) 5:59.26.
200 freestyle relay (State cut 1:38.71)
“A” Final: 1. Carmel (Pangburn, Samantha Waples, Young, Maggie Love) 1:36.04, 2. Westfield (Effinger, Hunter, M. Ruggles, M. Herzog) 1:39.54, 3. Noblesville (Harvey, Carmosino, Emma Snyder, Cripe) 1:41.52, 6. Heights (Osborne, Tiffany Williams, Uhrick, Emily Lester) 1:52.39, 7. Guerin Catholic (Hinckler, Ronnau, Kate Swack, DeLancey) 1:52.70.
100 backstroke (State cut 57.84)
“A” Final: 1. Verbrugge (W) 55.90, 2. Duffy (C) 56.21, 3. Taylor Conley (C) 56.40, 4. Sarah Myung (C) 57.27, 5. Sanqunetti (HH) 57.97, 6. Mia Herzog (W) 58.91, 7. Cooley (N) 59.82, 8. M. Ruggles (W) 59.91.
“B” Final: 9. M. Cline (GC) 1:00.16, 10. McBride (N) 1:01.65, 11. Kyra Smythe (N) 1:03.18, 16. Osborne (HH) 1:09.20.
100 breaststroke (State cut 1:05.97)
“A” Final: 1. Grace Estabrook (C) 1:04.04, 2. Huff (N) 1:04.15, 3. A. Conley (C) 1:05.46, 4. Sarah Jarding (C) 1:05.77, 6. Rachel Tat (N) 1:10.68, 7. Elle Herzog (W) 1:11.40, 8. Lester (HH) 1:11.95.
“B” Final: 9. Mulanax (HH) 1:13.88, 10. Lexi Hall (W) 1:15.23, 11. DiFlora (W) 1:15.50, 12. Dunasky (GC) 1:15.87, 13. Uhrick (HH) 1:15.96.
400 freestyle relay (State cut 3:35.14)
“A” Final: 1. Carmel (Underhill, Rothrock, Bowen, Pangburn) 3:26.99, 2. Noblesville (Cripe, Marshall, Carmosino, Huff) 3:34.35, 3. Westfield (Effinger, Hand, Hunter, Verbrugge) 3:35.60, 4. Heights (Sloderbeck, Holder, Poe, Sanqunetti) 3:42.56, 5. Guerin Catholic (M. Cline, DeLancey, Ronnau, Dunasky) 3:57.05.
University competed at the Zionsville sectional, scoring 61 points.
The Trailblazers’ highest finish was in the 400 free relay, where Charlotte Kumler, Regan Hooker, Macy Paton and Caitlin Clark placed seventh.
AT ZIONSVILLE
Team scores: Zionsville 550, Lebanon 303, McCutcheon 275.5, West Lafayette 256, Harrison 244, Lafayette Jefferson 180.5, Clinton Central 103, Frankfort 95, Lafayette Central Catholic 80, Carroll 75, University 61.
200 medley relay
“B” Final: 10. University (Charlotte Kumler, Caitlin Clark, Regan Hooker, Macy Paton) 2:10.60.
200 freestyle
“B” Final: 10. Kumler 2:11.43.
200 individual medley
“B” Final: 12. Hooker 2:34.93.
100 backstroke
“B” Final: 10. Kumler 1:07.86.
100 breaststroke
“B” Final: 13. Hooker 1:21.00.
400 freestyle relay
“A” Final: 7. University (Kumler, Hooker, Paton, Clark) 4:23.36.
ABOVE: The Hamilton Southeastern girls swim team won the sectional title at its own pool Saturday. The Royals scored 518 points and also qualified 12 swims for next week’s state preliminaries. (Richie Hall)
BELOW: The Carmel girls swim team dominated at the Noblesville sectional on Saturday, scoring 579 points. The Greyhounds also qualified all 27 swims to the state preliminaries, putting them in excellent position to go for a 32nd straight state title. (Bret Richardson)
