By RICHIE HALL
INDIANAPOLIS – At this point in the decades-long journey of the Carmel girls swim team, nothing the Greyhounds do should be surprising to anyone.
But this year, Carmel’s performance at the state meet may have surprised the Greyhounds themselves.
Carmel ran its sensational state championship streak to 33 on Saturday, winning again at the IU Natatorium. The ‘Hounds totaled 413 points, far outdistancing runner-up Franklin Community’s 167.5 points. Winning has become a habit for Carmel, but coach Chris Plumb never expected his team to top the 400-point mark.
“We knew we had a lot of holes to fill and a lot of places that needed to be a lot better for us to perform like we can and we have in the past,” said Plumb. “We just came in, really, a lot more free with an open mind and just making it about the experience without caring so much about the result.”
It was another great experience for the Greyhounds, who won six of the 12 events, including the first three. Madelyn Christman, Kelly Pash, Meredith Berglund and Colleen Duffy teamed up for a victory in the medley relay, then Kendra Bowen led a 1-2-4 finish in the 200 freestyle. Ashlyn Underhill placed second and freshman Gretchen Lueking was fourth.
Pash then picked up a win in the individual medley, as she began her journey to four state titles at this year’s meet. The senior would also win the butterfly, then finish the meet as part of the first-place 400 free relay, joining Lueking, Christman and Underhill. Carmel also won the 200 free relay, which featured Duffy, Avery Williams, Lueking and Bowen.
Pash totaled 12 state titles for her career, placing her fourth on the all-time list between three other Carmel legends: Claire Adams (16), Veronica Burchill (15) and Emily Ayres (14).
“I couldn’t be happier with how things went,” said Pash, who has committed to swim at the University of Texas. “I ended on a good one. I’m really proud of myself. I’m really proud of the team. This is how we wanted to end our season. I’m really proud of everyone.
In all, the Greyhounds totaled 20 medals at state. Duffy was also the runner-up in the 50 free, while Lueking was third in the 50 free and Christman took third in the backstroke and fourth in the IM. Underhill finished third in the 500 free, while Bowen was fourth in the 500 free.
Also earning medals: Williams in the 50 free (fifth) and 100 free (sixth), Meredith Berglund in the butterfly (fifth), Darci Commons in diving (sixth), Morgan Croaning in the 500 free (sixth), Duffy in the backstroke (sixth) and Taylor Conley in the backstroke (seventh).
THIRD PLACE FOR TIGERS
Fishers has its own streak going: This marks the seventh year in a row that the Tigers have placed in the top 10 at state.
In fact, Fishers got a top five finish for the third year in a row. The Tigers tied for third with Fort Wayne Carroll; both schools scored 165 points. Fishers accomplished this feat thanks to 13 swims at the state meet, including five that earned medals.
Three of those medals came in the relays: Ellen Fero, Alexandra Stein, Kalliopi Agapios and Nicole Pratt, took fifth in the 200 free relay; Fero, Stein, Corinne Yorkman and Pratt were fifth in the 400 free relay; and Yorkman, Lydia Reade, Kara Robeson and Fero placed seventh in the medley relay.
“We’re still transitioning in this process,” said Tigers coach Joe Keller. “We’re progressing. We’re a lot better than we were a year ago. We’re learning a lot. The team effort on the relays was outstanding this weekend.”
Fishers senior Samantha Hietpas placed second in the 500 free, while Morgan Casey took fourth in diving.
“I swam pretty good tonight,” said Hietpas, who will swim at Missouri State. “No matter what place I got, I did it for my team. That’s the mindset I had going into it. I got second, and that’s okay, because I saw my team cheering for me at the side.”
ROYALS TAKE EIGHTH PLACE
Hamilton Southeastern finished in eighth place at the meet, scoring 138 points. The Royals have finished in the top 10 for seven consecutive years and 19 times overall.
The relays led the way for the Southeastern, with all of them placing in the top eight and earning medals. The medley relay team of Abigail Harter, Molly Robinson, Hannah Pugh, Brianna Saple took fourth; Molly Pedersen, Saple, Ellie Pedersen and Laura MacLafferty teamed up to finish sixth in the 200 free relay, and Molly Pedersen, Saple, Harter and Ellie Pedersen placed seventh in the 400 free relay.
Molly Pedersen finished the meet with four medals, as she also took fourth in the 100 free and seventh in the 200 free. Harter placed fourth in the backstroke.
“Molly has made so much progress this season in addressing her weaknesses and building new strengths – and she is only beginning to discover her potential,” said HSE coach Andy Pedersen. “It seemed like Abby got better each time she raced over the course of our championship meets and is so close to putting together the perfect race – she continues to prove how special she is in tight races and is so close to leaping to the next level as a competitor.”
The Royals also had three divers at state: Sarah Ballard took 11th, Halli Siwik was 16th and Ashley Sinicropi tied for 27th.
“While all three girls had their share of successes and tough experiences on Saturday, it was amazing to watch their resolve, mental toughness, persistence, support of one another, and they way they continued to battle despite the challenges of not performing their very best,” said Pedersen. “We are so proud of our divers for so many reasons but above all else, being a great teammate is perhaps the most important thing we could ask for – these girls are above the cut and always place the team before themselves.”
MILLERS’ HUFF TAKES FOURTH IN BREASTSTROKE
Noblesville sophomore Sammy Huff had a nice time in her first state meet, placing fourth in the breaststroke.
“It just makes you proud for what you’ve achieved over the year,” said Huff. “It’s just something you can look back on and remember all the hard work that you put into it.”
Huff’s time was 1:03.56, and she also met another challenge after the race: She had to get right back in and race for the Millers’ 400 free relay team. Huff joined Caitlin Marshall, Sophie Resner and Gillian Cripe in placing 14th.
“During practice, we’ve actually been doing 100 breaststroke and then a 100 free, with only a minute break in between, and that’s exactly what it felt like,” said Huff. “It was just like doing one fast event right after another.”
VERBRUGGE SWIMS AGAIN FOR WESTFIELD
Westfield senior Erin Verbrugge got to make her fourth appearance at state on Saturday. She placed 16th in the backstroke and was part of the 12th-place 400 free relay team, with Macy Hoaglan, Katherine Hand and Kerry Effinger.
“I think I did pretty well, considering the circumstances,” said Verbrugge, who will swim at Purdue next year. “I’ve had two knee surgeries in the past eight months. I was happy to be here and just happy to swim.”
Team scores (top 10 and all county): 1. Carmel 413, 2. Franklin Community 167.5, T3. Fishers 165; Fort Wayne Carroll 165, 5. Northridge 163, 6. South Bend St. Joseph 149, 7. Homestead 140, 8. Hamilton Southeastern 138, 9. Chesterton 101, 10. Zionsville 61, T17. Noblesville 29, T28. Westfield 1.
200 medley relay
“A” final: 1. Carmel (Madelyn Christman, Kelly Pash, Meredith Berglund, Colleen Duffy) 1:41.39, 4. Southeastern (Abigail Harter, Molly Robinson, Hannah Pugh, Brianna Saple) 1:44.28, 7. Fishers (Corinne Yorkman, Lydia Reade, Kara Robeson, Ellen Fero) 1:45.72.
“B” final: 13. Noblesville (Jordan Cooley, Sammy Huff, Caitlin Marshall, Abby Harvey) 1:48.03.
200 freestyle
“A” final: 1. Kendra Bowen (C) 1:47.86, 2. Ashlyn Underhill (C) 1:48.16, 4. Gretchen Lueking (C) 1:50.14, 5. Hannah Pratt (F) 1:50.44, 7. Molly Pedersen (HSE) 1:51.37.
“B” final: 16. Abigail Jahns (F) 1:56.29.
200 individual medley
“A” final: 1. Pash (C) 1:58.54, 4. Christman (C) 2:01.77.
“B” final: 13. Corinne Yorkman (F) 2:07.01.
50 freestyle
“A” final: 1. Elsa Fretz (Northridge) 22.88, 2. Duffy (C) 23.31, 5. Avery Williams (C) 23.44.
“B” final: 13. Grace Pangburn (C) 23.94.
One-meter diving
Finals: 1. Jackie Brenn (Homestead) 547.55, 4. Morgan Casey (F) 461.30, 6. Darci Commons (C) 433.10, 11. Sarah Ballard (HSE) 422.50, 16. Halli Siwik (HSE) 374.75.
Preliminaries: T27. Ashley Sinicropi (HSE) 168.95; Emma Abdalla (Guerin Catholic) 168.95.
100 butterfly
“A” final: 1. Pash (C) 52.89, 5. Berglund (C) 54.80.
“B” final: 10. Pugh (HSE) 55.77, 13. Nicole Rueff (F) 56.28, 14. Hannah White (C) 56.54, 16. Robeson (F) 56.74.
100 freestyle
“A” final: 1. Emma Wright (Hobart) 49.95, 3. Lueking (C) 50.44, 4. M. Pedersen (HSE) 51.06, 6. Williams (C) 51.21.
“B” final: 10. Pratt (F) 52.00, 15. Rachel Young (C) 52.60.
500 freestyle
“A” final: 1. Mary Catherine Pruitt (South Bend St. Joseph) 4:49.42, 2. Samantha Hietpas (F) 4:52.55, 3. Underhill (C) 4:52.79, 4. Bowen (C) 4:58.76, 6. Morgan Croaning (C) 4:59.50.
“B” final: 9. Morgan Booth (F) 4:58.44, 10. Abigail Jahns (F) 5:01.30.
200 freestyle relay
“A” final: 1. Carmel (Duffy, Williams, Lueking, Bowen) 1:33.17, 5. Fishers (Fero, Alexandra Stein, Kalliopi Agapios, Pratt) 1:35.70, 6. Southeastern (M. Pedersen, Saple, Ellie Pedersen, Laura MacLafferty) 1:36.72.
100 backstroke
“A” final: 1. Mallory Jackson (Fort Wayne Carroll) 54.32, 3. Christman (C) 54.44, 4. Harter (HSE) 54.92, 6. Duffy (C) 55.35, 7. Taylor Conley (C) 55.38.
“B” final: 16. Erin Verbrugge (W) 57.92.
100 breaststroke
“A” final: 1. Emily Weiss (Yorktown) 58.91, 4. Huff (N) 1:03.56.
“B” final: 11. Reade (F) 1:05.03, 13. MacKenna Lieske (C) 1:05.44, 16. Maggie Love (C) 1:07.60.
400 freestyle relay
“A” final: 1. Carmel (Pash, Lueking, Christman, Underhill) 3:20.82, 5. Fishers (Fero, Stein, Yorkman, Pratt) 3:28.67, 7. Southeastern (M. Pedersen, Saple, Harter, E. Pedersen) 3:29.8.
“B” final: 12. Westfield (Macy Hoaglan, Verbrugge, Katherine Hand, Kerry Effinger) 3:32.91, 14. Noblesville (Marshall, Sophie Resner, Gillian Cripe, Huff) 3:34.50.
The Carmel girls swim team ran its state championship streak to 33 on Saturday at the IU Natatorium. The Greyhounds scored 413 points and won six events. (Bret Richardson)