‘Hounds run championship record to 31

Carmel’s Sammie Burchill reacts after winning the state championship in the individual medley with a new record time. Burchill’s time of 1:56.67 broke the nine-year old record of Center Grove legend Michelle McKeehan. (Photo by Bret Richardson)

Flashback to 52 weeks ago. You’re the Carmel girls swim team, and you finally scaled the seemingly insurmountable record of consecutive state championships. So now what?

You keep going.

The Greyhounds added to their record Saturday at the IU Natatorium by winning their 31st straight state title. Carmel scored 386.5 points, well ahead of second-place Chesterton’s 189. The ‘Hounds totaled eight individual victories, which is just one shy of the wins that their record-setting team of 2015 collected two years ago.

Simply put, Carmel is its own measuring stick.

“There is no secret, number one,” said Greyhounds coach Chris Plumb. “Number two, set really high standards. We know what we can do, and it’s a lot more than people think. We set that high standard. It’s uncomfortable, but we know what the human body can do, and we push that every day.”

Carmel began the meet by winning three individual events. First up was a medley relay win from senior Sammie Burchill, juniors Grace Estabrook and Trude Rothrock, and sophomore Grace Pangburn.

Rothrock was back in the pool minutes later for the 200 freestyle. She wound up part of a 1-2 finish for the ‘Hounds in that event, behind senior Emma Nordin, who defended her state title in that event.

“It’s my senior year, it’s just exciting to be closing it off like this,” said Nordin. “I’m just having so much fun with my teammates.”

Next up was the individual medley, and Burchill not only won it, but set a new state record of 1:56.67, two-tenths of a second faster than the old record. The old mark was held by Center Grove Michelle McKeehan, who went on to swim at the University of Georgia – which just happens to be where Burchill will be swimming next fall.

“On the bus on the way home a year ago, we talked about her breaking the record this year,” said Plumb. “This has been a year process for her, she really wanted that record. She’s worked hard, we’ve seen it in practice, but to actually see it come to fruition, it’s just a special feeling. It’s a great moment for her.”

“I was pretty anxious after last year, when I won,” said Burchill. “I was like, ‘Oh, I want to go do it again.’ Waiting a year to do it was kind of agonizing, just getting to this point. But it was so worth it in the end.”

Rothrock would get her own state championship after the diving break, winning the butterfly event. Next up was sophomore Kelly Pash, who was the 100 freestyle winner. Then Nordin led the way for another 1-2 finish, defending her 500 free state championship. Junior Katie Dougherty got the second place finish.

“She wasn’t on our team for the past two years,” said Plumb. “Comes in as a junior and gets second in the 500. That’s a special day.”

Carmel finished up the meet by taking the two remaining relays. Pangburn, Pash, sophomore Rachel Young and Nordin won the 200 free relay, and Rothrock, Pash, Nordin and Burchill took the 400 free relay.

Nordin will swim for Arizona State University in the fall. Morgan Grout, who swam in two consolation races for Carmel, is headed to the University of Iowa, while Caroline Schultz, who took fourth in the butterfly, will swim at the University of Kansas.