Greencastle boys', girls' win WCC swimming championship

Sunday, January 11, 2015
The enitre Greencastle swim team including coaches celebrated in the pool after winning the WCC. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

When all was said and done at Crawfordsville High School Saturday afternoon, Greencastle's swim teams stood tall at the 2015 West Central Conference meet.

While the boys' side pulled away from the field of North Putnam, South Putnam and Cascade with a team score of 371, the girls' needed every point they could muster, edging past the Cadets by the slender margin of 356-352.

Greencastle head coach Kent Menzel attributed the closeness of the meet to the rest of the conference making large strides over the past few seasons.

Greencastle's Elijah Brittain in his butterfly. (Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT)

"All three of the other WCC coaches, Anna Kendall, Tony Gray and Paul Williams, are doing great things with their teams," Menzel pointed out. "Those three have turned this into a very exciting and hotly-contested meet.

"I just can't say enough about the great job that they're doing."

The Tiger Shark girls spent most of the meet trading wins with Cascade, starting with wins 200 medley relay through the team of Grace Gillen, Beth Ann Hansen, Kelly Hansen and Cecilia Pohlar and the 200 freestyle through Mallary Meyer.

South Putnam's Zane Crosby, Greencastle's Taylor Secrest and North Putnam's Bailey Allen start their 50-yard freestyle. (Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT)

Amelia Smith won the 50 and 100 freestyle races before anchoring the 200 freestyle relay team of Meyer, Pohlar and Corrie Romer.

Meyer picked up a second win the 100 backstroke before emulating Smith by anchoring the meet-winning 400 freestyle relay team of Smith, Gillen and Romer.

Menzel said the squad showed great resiliency to find a way to win the meet.

Katie Hansel of South Putnam in her leg of the 400-yard relay. (Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT)

"We were behind from the start and we were fighting, fighting, fighting for every point that we could get," Menzel said. "I can't say how proud I am of our girls, the character that they demonstrated today and the ability to fight for every point they could get to bring it down to the last relay, where we had a strong quartet of swimmers.

"I was confident in their ability to bring it home for us but it was more than just that relay. It was every girl on that team.

"Beth Ann Hansen, Kristen Stevens, Jessica Roberts, Gabby Selvia and Ruth Heithaus, among others who were swimming so well today, were the ones who got those points that brought home the win for us," Menzel added.

"I'm very proud of the team. I think our performances were absolutely outstanding and I'm looking forward to shifting our focus to the sectional championship and the state meet. This is a great set-up for us to move forward with confidence for those meets."

The 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams set new WCC records, events which Menzel had strong connections to.

"Also, a great effort on the day came from the two meet record setters, the girls' 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay. The girls beat records that my daughters were part of years ago, so I'm very excited to have been here to see those records broken.

"Those relay teams went on to incredible performances at the sectionals and I believe both of those relays swam at the state meet. That was a highlight of the day."

North Putnam picked up a win when Abby Spencer won the 500 freestyle race. The Cougars picked up third-place finishes from Spencer in the 200 freestyle, Desirae Poynter in the diving competition and the 200 medley relay team of Spencer, Rebecca Muse, Krisara Dill and Elizabeth Alford.

North Putnam head coach Tony Gray said the day was yet another indicator that the program was headed in the right direction.

"I think it was a great day for our program," Gray said. "We've come a long way in three years, when we had one returning girl and three returning boys.

"We have 28 swimmers this year and the kids are working very hard. All in all, it was a great job and I'm a happy camper."

"The race of the day was Abby Spencer in the 500 free," Gray added. "A 15-second drop is just huge for her."

South Putnam claimed second-place finishes through Katie Jo Beasley in the 200 and 500 freestyle races and Alex Fanning in the 100 breaststroke. Third-place finishes came from Katie Hansel in the 50 freestyle, the 200 freestyle relay team of Beasley, Hansel, Megan Arnold and Maddy King and the 400 freestyle relay team of Beasley, Hansel, Megan Arnold and Olivia Arnold.

While wins were hard to come by, South Putnam head coach Anna Kendall said times fell all across the board, helping the Eagles pip North Putnam to third place by a point.

"It was a great meet for our swimmers," Kendall said. "Everybody swam really well, they've been working hard and it really paid off today."

In the boys' event, Greencastle picked up four wins, four second place, four third place and six fourth place finishes, utilizing its depth to outlast North Putnam 371-321.

Elijah Brattain led the charge with wins in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly while anchoring both the 200 freestyle relay team of Taylor Secrest, Logan Wood and Jacob Kessler and the 400 freestyle relay team of Wood, Connor Stimpert and Nathan Gobert to wins.

Second-place finishes for the Tiger Sharks went to Johnson in the 100 backstroke, Taylor Secrest in the 50 freestyle, Zach Secrest in the 100 breaststroke and the 200 medley relay team of Kessler, Johnson Taylor Secrest and Zach Secrest.

Menzel said beating back a strong challenge from North Putnam was a positive sign for the team.

"The boys' meet went our way," Menzel said. "Our kids swam strong against a very strong North Putnam team and it was good to see everybody swimming well and scoring well.

"This meet required a very strong effort from us. I'm proud of what the boys were able to do."

North Putnam found wins through the 200 medley relay team of Andy Rogers, Joseph Davis, Jonah Creamean and Bailey Allen, Creamean in the 200 IM, Kavyn Timm in the diving competition, Nicholas Young in the 500 freestyle and Davis in the 100 breaststroke."

"We won five of the nine individual events on the boys' side but we don't have the depth developed yet to compete with Greencastle," Gray said. "Any time we can win five of the events on the boys' side and set four school records in a day, that's great.

"We set records in the boys' 200 freestyle, 200 IM, 100 butterfly and the girls' 500 freestyle. I'd also like to point out the diving champion Kavyn Timm while the boys' medley relay team swam a great race."

South Putnam earned three wins on the day, two of which came through Zane Crosby in the 50 and 100 freestyle races. Zach Rayce took first in the 100 backstroke for the Eagles' other win, while finishing second in the 100 butterfly.

"Everyone had or almost had lifetime best swims and we had three individual wins on the guys side, which is the first time we've had anything like that happen in at least a decade," Kendall noted. "We also had a new school record set by Zach Rayce in the backstroke.

While all the schools have meets during the next month, most of the attention now turns to the sectionals, which begin in four weeks for the girls and six weeks for the boys.

In the meantime, each of the county coaches said their approach over that time would be geared toward getting the best out of their swimmers at the end of the year.

"We've got four weeks until girls' sectional, so we've got another week of pretty good work, then start settling down and focusing a little more on speed and getting everyone ready for sectionals," Gray said.

"I think we have some technical work to do and we're really going to focus on that in the next few weeks," Kendall said. "I'm looking forward to sharpening up some of their swims.

"I think they were in a great place mentally today to race and I would like to see them bring that enthusiasm to the rest of the meets, in addition to fine-tuning those technical aspects. If we do those things, I see great things toward the end of the season."

"At this point in the season, we don't stop working hard as much as we work differently," Menzel noted. "We work a lot more on shorter, higher intensity efforts.

"The volume of November and December is now replaced by technique work, specialization and hard sprinting efforts. We'll also work to sharpen and refine our relays.

"The girls have about two weeks to really refine that steel and the boys have another four weeks before we start backing off with them and resting up. This year, I think we'll take a good, long rest before the sectional meet and I think we'll do very well," Menzel said.


At Crawfordsville High School

West Central Conference Meet

Girls' Results

Greencastle 356, Cascade 352, South Putnam 205, North Putnam 204

200 Medley Relay -- 1. Greencastle (Gillen, B. Hansen, K. Hansen, Pohlar) 2:02.74; 2. Cascade (Brown, Breeding, Keegan, Lucero) 2:08.37; 3. North Putnam (Spencer, Muse, Dill, Alford) 2:11.20; 4. South Putnam (Andersen, Fanning, Jones, O. Arnold) 2:25.17

200 Freestyle -- 1. Meyer (G) 2:07.70; 2. Beasley (SP) 2:13.75; 3. Spencer (NP) 2:14.37; 4. Ferguson (C) 2:21.38; 5. Hanson (C) 2:21.57; 6. Haltom (G) 2:23.10; 7. Horning (C) 2:29.48; 8. Selvia (G) 2:32.72; 9. Haywood (SP) 2:33.09; 10. Thornburg (C) 2:35.32; 11. S. Freije (NP) 2:36.81; 12. Sims (NP) 2:41.81; 13. Clifford (SP) 3:12.53; 14. Gong (G) 3:44.4

200 IM -- 1. Rosales (C) 2:28.78; 2. Deweese (C) 2:31.12; 3. Pohlar (G) 2:31.31; 4. Gillen (G) 2:36.66; 5. Breeding (C) 2:38.42; 6. M. Arnold (SP) 2:46.97; 7. Dill (NP) 2:47.81; 8. B. Hansen (G) 2:58.30; 9. Chambers (SP) 2:59.94; 10. Dickison (SP) 3:37.01

50 Freestyle -- 1. Smith (G) 25.23; 2. Romer (G) 26.24; 3. Hansel (SP) 27.06; 4. Alford (NP) 28.23; 5. Brown (C) 28.38; 6. Keegan (C) 29.29; 7. Stevens (G) 29.64; 8. Lucero (C) 30.01; 9. King (SP) 31.72; 10. Gray (NP) 32.39; 11. L. Freije (NP) 32.53; 12. Holden (C) 33.01; 13. Jones (SP) 33.6; 14. Nield (SP) 36.65; 15. Fanning (SP) 37.54; 16. Fulk (C) 47.26

Diving -- 1. Blackburn (C) 225.90; 2. Balzano (C) 129.95; 3. Poynter (NP) 124.30; 4. Couch (NP) 114.90; 5. Trauner (C) 108.20; 6. Cash (G) 103.65

100 Butterfly -- 1. Deweese (C) 1:04.65; 2. Rosales (C) 1:04.81; 3. Pohlar (G) 1:06.55; 4. K. Hansen (G) 1:11.61; 5. M. Arnold (SP) 1:13.63; 6. Dill (NP) 1:18.19; 7. Jones (SP) 1:22.69; 8. Muse (NP) 1:27.91; 9. Trivett (C) 1:28.24; 10. Heithaus (G) 1:36.10

100 Freestyle -- 1. Smith (G) 56.52; 2. Romer (G) 58.60; 3. Gillen (G) 1:00.92; 4. Hansel (SP) 1:02.18; 5. Alford (NP) 1:04.60; 6. Lucero (C) 1:07.62; 7. Balzano (C) 1:09.11; 8. Keegan (C) 1:09.30; 9. King (SP) 1:11.00; 10. Sims (NP) 1:11.40; 11. Andersen (SP) 1:12.47; 12. Holden (C) 1:14.19; 13. Kiste (SP) 1:17.83; 14. Gibson (C) 1:20.76: 15. Delano (SP) 1:24.25

500 Freestyle -- 1. Spencer (NP) 5:55.55; 2. Beasley (SP) 6:00.27; 3.Haltom (G) 6:28.23; 4. Hanson (C) 6:30.13; 5. Ferguson (C) 6:34.64; 6. Selvia (G) 6:34.97; 7. Horning (C) 6:44.99; 8. Roberts (G) 6:52.24; 9. S. Freije (NP) 6:58.41; 10. Haywood (SP) 7:01.23; 11. O. Arnold (SP) 7:15.34

200 Free Relay -- 1. Greencastle (Meyer, Pohlar, Romer, Smith) 1:43.04; 2. Cascade (Deweese, Breeding, Ferguson, Rosales) 1:50.35; 3. South Putnam (M. Arnold, King, Beasley, Hansel) 1:57.13; 4. North Putnam (Muse, Gray, Sims, S. Freije) 1:59.22

100 Backstroke -- 1. Meyer (G) 1:04.88; 2. Brown (C) 1:11.85; 3. Stevens (G) 1:17.47; 4. Roberts (G) 1:17.96; 5. Baldwin (C) 1:20.14; 6. L. Freije (NP) 1:21.55; 7. Thornburg (C) 1:22.11; 8. Gray (NP) 1:22.99; 9. Andersen (SP) 1:25.30; 10. Kiste (SP) 1:27.16; 11. O. Arnold (SP) 1:29.09; 12. Dickison (SP) 1:40.19; 13. Gong (G) 1:52.99

100 Breaststroke -- 1. Breeding (C) 1:16.88; 2. Fanning (SP) 1:23.66; 3. B. Hansen (G) 1:24.42; 4. Blackburn (C) 1:26.93; 5. Muse (NP) 1:27.06; 6. K. Hansen (G) 1:27.54; 7. Chambers (SP) 1:31.86; 8. Baldwin (C) 1:32.14; 9. Trivett (C) 1:32.43; 10. Heithaus (G) 1:33.51; 11. Delano (SP) 1:43.25; 12. Couch (NP) 1:46.07; 13. Clifford (SP) 1:46.47

400 Free Relay -- 1. Greencastle (Smith, Gillen, Romer, Meyer) 3:50.42; 2. Cascade (Deweese, Brown, Ferguson, Rosales) 4:05.34; 3. South Putnam (Beasley, O. Arnold, M. Arnold, Hansel) 4:28.27; 4. North Putnam (L. Freije, Sims, Muse, S. Freije) 5:00.57


Boys' Results

Greencastle 371, North Putnam 321, South Putnam 224, Cascade 163

200 Medley Relay -- 1. North Putnam (Rogers, Davis, Creamean, Allen) 1:49.81; 2. Greencastle (Johnson, Z. Secrest, Kessler, T. Secrest) 1:49.98; 3. South Putnam (H. Fields, A. Fields, Chambers, Seidler) 2:09.68

200 Freestyle -- 1. Brattain (G) 1:51.31; 2. Young (NP) 1:51.42; 3. Crum (C) 1:53.19; 4. Miller (C) 2:02.09; 5. Gobert (G) 2:03.51; 6. Wood (G) 2:04.95; 7. M. Timm (NP) 2:06.64; 8. Sheldon (NP) 2:17.92; 9. Hutcheson (SP) 2:21.41; 10. Osborne (C) 2:22.09; 11. Evens (SP) 2:33.56; 12. Gillen (G) 2:35.65; 13. E. Lewis (G) 2:42.79; 14. Vandermark (SP) 2:50.44

200 IM -- 1. Creamean (NP) 2:12.90; 2.VanWinkle (C) 2:14.73; 3. Stimpert (G) 2:16.76; 4. Davis (NP) 2:17.18; 5. C. Lewis (G) 2:27.75; 6. H. Fields (SP) 2:47.78; 7. Watson (G) 2:48.91; 8. Seidler (SP) 2:51.75

50 Freestyle -- 1. Crosby (SP) 22.77; 2. T. Secrest (G) 24.07; 3. Allen (NP) 24.35; 4. Kessler (G) 24.67; 5. Custis (G) 25.83; 6. McPherson (NP) 26.75; 7. Berlen (C) 27.37; 8. Pitts (SP) 27.41; 9. Duggan (SP) 27.88; 10. Priest (C) 27.90; 11. Reed (SP) 28.44; 12. C. Wunderlich (NP) 29.03; 13. Needham (C) 29.96; 14. Asher (NP) 30.06; 15. Smiley (G) 30.10; 16. K. Timm (NP) 30.72; 17. Shelton (NP) 31.21; 18. Watson (SP) 32.29; 19. Bennett (G) 32.57

Diving -- 1. K. Timm (NP) 192.75; 2. Ruble (NP) 165.70; 3. Bennett (G) 163.30; 4. McPherson (NP) 150.00; 5. Manion (G) 124.70; 6. Kendall (G) 113.55

100 Butterfly -- 1. Brattain (G) 56.08; 2. Rayce (SP) 57.48; 3. Creamean (NP) 57.68; 4. Kessler (G) 1:01.28; 5. Rogers (NP) 1:02.08; 6. Stimpert (G) 1:03.47; 7. Chambers (SP) 1:16.44; 8. Z. Secrest (G) 1:18.47; 9. Thompson (NP) 1:35.85

100 Freestyle -- 1. Crosby (SP) 50.39; 2. Miller (C) 54.33; 3. Allen (NP) 55.26; 4. Wood (G) 55.85; 5. Custis (G) 57.13; 6. Priest (C) 58.95; 7. Johnson (G) 59.53; 8. Pitts (SP) 1:00.71; 9. Sheldon (NP) 1:01.30; 10. Ruble (NP) 1:05.23; 11. Reed (SP) 1:06.3; 12. Duggan (SP) 1:08.07; 13. C. Wunderlich (NP) 1:09.21; 14. Vandermark (SP) 1:10.69; 15. Shelton (NP) 1:12.32

500 Freestyle -- 1. Young (NP) 5:06.41; 2. Crum (C) 5:17.44; 3. Headley (G) 5:52.67; 4. C. Lewis (G) 5:55.20; 5. Noble (NP) 6:09.42; 6. Hutcheson (SP) 6:25.19; 7. Osborne (C) 6:29.42; 8. Thompson (NP) 6:37.42; 9. A. Fields (SP) 6:40.32; 10. Evens (SP) 6:49.99; 11. E. Lewis (G) 7:19.20

200 Free Relay -- 1. Greencastle (T. Secrest, Wood, Kessler, Brattain) 1:34.94; 2. North Putnam (Creamean, Davis, Allen, Young) 1:35.32; 3. Cascade (Miller, VanWinkle, Priest, Crum) 1:41.07; 4. South Putnam (Rayce, Pitts, A. Fields, Crosby) 1:42.03

100 Backstroke -- 1. Rayce (SP) 57.20; 2. Johnson (G) 1:02.90; 3. VanWinkle (C) 1:03.11; 4. Gobert (G) 1:04.28; 5. Rogers (NP) 1:08.05; 6. M. Timm (NP) 1:08.15; 7. H. Fields (SP) 1:15.59; 8. Chambers (SP) 1:16.06; 9. Needham (C) 1:19.26; 10. Gillen (G) 1:21.17; 11. Asher (NP) 1:23.35; 12. Manion (G) 1:38.03

100 Breaststroke -- 1. Davis (NP) 1:10.17; 2. Z. Secrest (G) 1:12.67; 3. T. Secrest (G) 1:13.08; 4. Watson (G) 1:17.32; 5. A. Fields (SP) 1:17.51; 6. Seidler (SP) 1:20.04; 7. Noble (NP) 1:20.32; 8. Berlen (C) 1:23.17; 9. Watson (SP) 1:26.40; 10. B. Wunderlich (NP) 1:29.06

400 Free Relay -- 1. Greencastle (Stimpert, Gobert, Wood, Brattain) 3:35.03; 2. Cascade (Miller, Priest, VanWinkle, Crum) 3:36.10; 3. North Putnam (Rogers, Young, M. Timm, Sheldon) 3:47.61; 4. South Putnam (Crosby, H. Fields, Pitts, Rayce) 3:49.87

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: