County swimmers tackle Athenian Invite

Monday, January 26, 2015
Eagle Zane Crosby swims in the 100-freestyle. (Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT)

Saturday morning saw Greencastle, North Putnam and South Putnam's swim teams make the trek to Crawfordsville for the swimming portion of the 12-team, two-day Athenian Invitational.

The Tiger Shark boys' team finished third behind Westfield and Terre Haute South while the girls' team finished fourth behind the Shamrocks, Braves and McCutcheon.

Greencastle head coach Kent Menzel pointed to the assistant coaches and parents' behind-the-scenes work as a major assistance to the team's success.

Cougar Jonah Creamean in his 100-butterfly. (Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT)

"I think the day went very well for us," Menzel said. "Our coaching staff had them well prepared for the day and we had awesome support from the parents.

"They work really hard to make sure that we're well fed, well rested and ready to swim, so I thank (assistant coaches) Nathan Lewis, Elie Gleason and all of our parents for the help they did today getting the kids ready to go.

"That preparation led to some very fast swimming and lifetime bests all over the board," Menzel added.

Cecilia Pohlar of GHS swims her 200-IM. (Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT)

Greencastle picked up a pair of wins in relays through the girls' 200 freestyle relay team of Mallary Meyer, Cecilia Pohlar, Corrie Romer and Amelia Smith and 400 freestyle relay team of Smith, Romer, Meyer and Grace Gillen.

Top-10 finishes for the girls included Pohlar in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly, Smith and Romer in the 50 and 100 freestyle, Meyer in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke, Gillen in the 100 freestyle and Beth Ann Hansen in the 100 breaststroke, along with the 200 medley relay team of Gillen, Pohlar, Beth Ann Hansen and Kelly Hansen.

Among the Top-10 finishers for the boys were Elijah Brattain in the 200 freestyle, Connor Stimpert in the 200 IM and 500 freestyle, Taylor Secrest in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, Logan Wood in the 50 freestyle Preston Headley in the 500 freestyle, and Mitchell Johnson in the 100 backstroke.

In addition, the 200 medley relay team of Johnson, Jacob Kessler, Taylor Secrest and Zach Secrest, the 200 freestyle relay team of Wood, Kessler, Brattain and Taylor Secrest and the 400 freestyle relay team of Wood, Stimpert, Brattain and Nathan Gobert each placed in the top five.

Menzel also noted that both teams were firing through the end of the day.

"Those two relay wins for the girls were nice to see," Menzel said. "The girls were swimming fast and we've talked all season long about being prepared for the 400 freestyle relay, which is a hard mental challenge.

"Boy, were they prepared today. They looked very sharp, as did both the boys' 400 freestyle relay A and B teams, who were both strong today.

"The boys did a nice job of finishing third today against very strong competition," Menzel added. "It was those 400 freestyle relay teams that guaranteed the place for us.

"The boys were just as strong as the girls at the end of the meet, which was very nice for us to see."

North Putnam's Nicholas Young picked up the other win for the Putnam County schools with a first-place finish in the 500 freestyle as the boys finished seventh and the girls finished 11th overall.

Other top-10 finishes for the Cougars included Young in the 200 freestyle, Jonah Creamean in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, Joseph Davis in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke, Abby Spencer in the 200 freestyle and the boys' 200 freestyle relay team of Creamean, Davis, Young and Bailey Allen.

North Putnam head coach Tony Gray said the squad showed its mettle after a hard finish to the week.

"We had a meet Thursday night and then practiced hard twice Friday, which was all planned so that we could come into (Saturday) tired," Gray said. "This showed them exactly what they're made of.

"I think it was also a really good learning experience, especially for our younger kids. It exposed them to a format similar to sectionals.

"Now, they're going to walk into sectionals and be star-struck or feel out of place," Gray added. "They're going to walk in say, 'I've been here, I've done this, I can handle this.'"

South Putnam's boys finished one spot behind North Putnam in eighth while the girls finished ninth in the meet.

The Eagles had several top-10 finishes, including Zane Crosby in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, Zach Rayce in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke, Katie Jo Beasley in the 500 freestyle, Alex Fanning in the 100 breaststroke, the girls' 200 medley relay team of Beasley, Fanning, Megan Arnold and Katie Hansel, the girls' 400 freestyle relay team of Beasley, Arnold, Hansel and Maddy King and the boys' 400 freestyle relay team of Crosby, Rayce, Jake Hutcheson and Blaine Pitts.

South Putnam head coach Anna Kendall also lauded the team's efforts after a longer than usual week.

"Our swimmers are right on track with their best times for the most part," Kendall said. "Our younger swimmers did very well at this meet and we had a few swimmers come back for the finals that we didn't expect, which was fantastic.

"We practice twice a day but we don't swim races twice a day and we don't practice over six days. For them to swim six days and twice on the sixth day is a good thing developmentally and a great experience for our swimmers."

The three county schools will reconvene on Wednesday at South Putnam for the girls' Putnam County Meet.

Kendall saw the meet as a chance for the Eagles to continue to improve before sectionals begin.

"I'm looking forward to the county meet," Kendall said. "I feel like it's becoming more competitive and they'll get more competitive swims in.

"Our kids are working their times down bit by bit, which is great to see."

Gray said the girls would finally see some light at the end of the tunnel after Wednesday's meet.

"At the county meet, we know what we've got to do," Gray noted. "Our job is to beat South Putnam.

"We'll be hard-pressed to touch Greencastle this year because Coach Menzel does a great job with those girls. The girls are going to have to work hard.

"We will be getting some rest as we've told the girls today we're officially going to taper after the meet," Gray added. "They celebrated a little bit because they know there is some rest coming."

Menzel, meanwhile, said that the county meet was the jumping-off point for sectional preparations.

"The girls will swim well," Menzel said. "The county meet is not badly placed because it's the kind of workout you might do seven days out from the sectional prelims.

"In practice, you're not doing a whole lot of intensity, but for a couple of moments you need to have that intensity and the racing at county can be used very productively toward the end of having swimmers rested and prepared for the sectional championship.

"We see that meet as part of our puzzle, too, and use it to our greatest advantage to get the girls and boys ready."


At Crawfordsville

Boys' Results

No. 30 Westfield 790, No. 31 Terre Haute South 534, Greencastle 406, No. 38 Crawfordsville 364, North Montgomery 290, Lafayette Jeff 253, North Putnam 251, No. 47 McCutcheon 201, South Putnam 131, Southmont 11, Clinton Central 106, Liberty Christian 42

200 Medley Relay -- 1. North Montgomery 1:44.19; 2. Westfield 1:45.18; 3. Crawfordsville 1:48.65; 4. Westfield 1:50.84; 5. Greencastle (Johnson, Z. Secrest, Kessler, T. Secrest) 1:51.76; 6. Terre Haute South 1:51.77; 7. Southmont 1:52.95; 8. Lafayette Jeff 1:53.03; 9. Terre Haute South 1:53.75; 10. McCutcheon 1:54.13; 11. North Putnam (Rogers, Davis, Creamean, Allen) 1:54.40; 12. Greencastle (Stimpert, Headley, Gobert, C. Lewis) 1:55.04; 14. South Putnam (Rayce, A. Fields, Pitts, Crosby) 1:56.58; 22. North Putnam (M. Timm, Noble, K. Timm, McPherson); 25. South Putnam (Seidler, Evens, Chambers, Watson) 2:19.51; 26. Greencastle (E. Lewis, Watson, Gillen, Manion) 2:19.68; 29. North Putnam (Asher, B. Wunderlich, Thompson, Shelton) 2:28.47

200 Freestyle -- 1. Mitchell (THS) 1:47.35; 2. Maxwell (NM) 1:51.99; 3. Cammack (THS) 1:53.76; 4. Young (NP) 1:54.19; 5. Brattain (G) 1:56.36; 6. Creamean (NP) 1:58.16; 7. Hand (WF) 1:59.57; 8. Trinh (LJ) 2:00.52; 9. Patrick (WF) 2:01.17; 10. Huesca (CV) 2:04.41; 17. M. Timm (NP) 2:08.75; 18. Custis (G) 2:09.55

200 IM -- 1. Neiderberger (WF) 2:05.03; 2. Kenney (WF) 2:07.92; 3. Allen (THS) 2:08.89; 4. Brauner (WF) 2:13.81; 5. Cox (LJ) 2:14.93; 6. Stimpert (G) 2:15.85; 7. Davis (NP) 2:15.98; 8. Pruett (CV) 2:16.44; 9. Crowell (THS) 2:19.75; 10. Humphrey (CV) 2:25.69; 16. C. Lewis (G) 2:34.35; 20. H. Fields (SP) 2:42.64

50 Freestyle -- 1. Huycke (MC) 22.46; 2. Kenney (WF) 22.64; 3. Carr (WF) 22.82; 4. Barton (NM) 22.91; 5. Crosby (SP) 23.17; 6. Fairfield (CV) 23.24; 7. Dellinger (LJ) 23.44; 8. Kurek (WF) 23.50; 9. T. Secrest (G) 24.03; 10. Wood (G) 25.10; 12. Kessler (G) 24.74; 14. Allen (NP) 25.15

100 Butterfly -- 1. Carr (WF) 53.84; 2. Crampton (LJ) 55.42; 3. Maxwell (NM) 56.97; 4. Kenney (WF) 57.93; 5. Rayce (SP) 1:00.01; 6. Brauer (WF) 1:00.03; 7. Turman (THS) 1:00.05; 8. Pruett (CV) 1:00.54; 9. Wilson (THS) 1:01.09; 10. Creamean (NP) 1:01.84; 11. Gobert (G) 1:00.90; 12. Kessler (G) 1:01.34; 14. Rogers (NP) 1:04.65; 17. Pitts (SP) 1:07.23

100 Freestyle -- 1. Huycke (MC) 49.41; 2. Kenney (WF) 49.72; 3. Cammack (THS) 50.03; 4. Brattain (G) 50.21; 5. Crosby (SP) 51.21; 6. Spencer (NM) 52.74; 7. Dellinger (LJ) 52.79; 8. Huesca (CV) 53.98; 9. Moe (WF) 54.44; 10. Spitalniak (MC) 58.64; 15. Wood (G) 56.13; 18. Allen (NP) 57.04; 19. Custis (G) 57.41

500 Freestyle -- 1. Young (NP) 5:07.09; 2. Turman (THS) 5:14.45; 3. Stimpert (G) 5:26.74; 4. Lutz (WF) 5:30.30; 5. Trinh (LJ) 5:36.30; 6. Malott (CV) 5:43.78; 7. Humphrey (CV) 5:44.15; 8. Drudge (WF) 5:44.29; 9. Lisle (WF) 5:44.33; 10. Headley (G) 5:46.75; 11. C. Lewis (G) 5:50.53; 15. Hutcheson (SP) 6:09.01; 16. Noble (NP) 6:10.82; 18. A. Fields (SP) 6:23.82; 19. Thompson (NP) 6:35.78; 23. Evens (SP) 6:53.20

200 Freestyle Relay -- 1. Westfield 1:33.54; 2. North Montgomery 1:34.06; 3. Terre Haute South 1:34.81; 4. Greencastle (T. Secrest, Wood, Kessler, Brattain) 1:35.43; 5. North Putnam (Creamean, Davis, Allen, Young) 1:38.14; 6. Crawfordsville 1:39.85; 7. Lafayette Jeff 1:40.81; 8. McCuthceon 1:42.09; 9. Westfield 1:42.83; 10. Terre Haute South 1:42.85; 16. Greencastle (Watson, E. Lewis, Z. Secrest, Custis) 1:54.72; 20. North Putnam (McPherson, Asher, Sheldon, C. Wunderlich) 1:55.78; 21. South Putnam (H. Fields, Seidler, Reed, Hutcheson) 1:58.26; 23. North Putnam (K. Timm, Noble, Shelton, Thompson) 2:02.95; 24. Greencastle (Smiley, Bennett, Gillen, Manion) 2:04.26; 27. South Putnam (Watson, Vandermark, Evens, Duggan) 2:05.76

100 Backstroke -- 1. Mitchell (54.43; 2. Spitalniak (MC) 56.79; 3. Kurek (WF) 58.55; 4. Moe (WF) 59.42; 5. Crampton (LJ) 1:00.14; 6. Rayce (SP) 1:00.34; 7. Carrithers (THS) 1:00.90; 8. Wilson (THS) 1:03.18; 9. Johnson (G) 1:04.16; 10. Zimmermon (SM) 1:05.41; 13. Gobert (G) 1:05.49; 18. M. Timm (NP) 1:10.20; 19. Rogers (NP) 1:10.81

100 Breaststroke -- 1. Niederberger (WF) 1:02.37; 2. Fairfield (CV) 1:03.91; 3. Allen (THS) 1:07.45; 4. Cox (LJ) 1:08.28; 5. Crowell (THS) 1:08.35; 6. Yeng (THS) 1:08.82; 7. Hand (WF) 1:09.06; 8. Mandeville (THS) 1:09.18; 9. Davis (NP) 1:10.82; 10. T. Secrest (G) 1:11.26; 12. Z. Secrest (G) 1:1.89; 15. Headley (G) 1:13.94

400 Freestyle Relay -- 1. Westfield 3:25.56; 2. Terre Haute South 3:26.21; 3. Greencastle (Gobert, Wood, Stimpert, Brattain) 3:36.95; 4. North Montgomery 3:38.43; 5. Westfield 3:40.06; 6. Terre Haute South 3:48.77; 7. South Putnam (Crosby, Hutcheson, Pitts, Rayce) 3:51.54; 8. Southmont 3:51.85; 9. Westfield 3:53.73; 10. Crawfordsville 3:57.80; 11. Greencastle (Johnson, C. Lewis, Headley, Custis) 3:59.42. 13. North Putnam (Rogers, Sheldon, M. Timm, Young) 4:02.07; 20. North Putnam (C. Wunderlich, K. Timm, Shelton, B. Wunderlich) 4:56.11

Girls' Results

No. 35 Westfield 674, No. 45 McCutcheon 518, Terre Haute South 491, Greencastle 400, North Montgomery 293, Lafayette Jeff 260, Clinton Central 175, South Putnam 166, Crawfordsville 163, Liberty Christian 121, North Putnam 120, Southmont 73

200 Medley Relay -- 1. McCutcheon 1:57.28; 2. Westfield 1:58.38; 3. Terre Haute South 1:59.99; 4. Greencastle (Gillen, B. Hansen, K. Hansen, Pohlar) 2:06.50; 5. Westfield 2:09.57; 6. North Montgomery 2:10.63; 7. Clinton Central 2:11.82; 8. Terre Haute South 2:15.03; 9. Crawfordsville 2:16.66; 10. South Putnam (Beasley, Fanning, M. Arnold, Hansel) 2:16.80; 11. North Putnam (Spencer, Muse, Dill, Alford) 2:17.47; 15. South Putnam (Andersen, Chambers, Jones, O. Arnold) 2:24.58; 21. North Putnam (S. Freije, L. Freije, Gray, Sims) 2:29.75

200 Freestyle -- 1. Williams (WF) 1:58.68; 2. Gallagher (MC) 2:04.41; 3. Oleson (WF) 2:04.60; 4. Dillon (THS) 2:06.74; 5. Christjansen (THS) 2:06.78; 6. Niemann (CC) 2:07.96; 7. Sunkel (LJ) 2:09.89; 8. Brazel (LC) 2:12.63; 9. Coy (WF) 2:12.86; 10. Spencer (NP) 2:13.96; 11. Beasley (SP) 2:15.73; 20. Selvia (G) 2:29.82

200 IM -- 1. Gray (LC) 2:18.73; 2. Gallagher (MC) 2:23.65; 3. Ruggles (WF) 2:24.04; 4. Zamora (MC) 2:28.49; 5. Pohlar (G) 2:32.43; 6. Blansette (WF) 2:32.62; 7. Kirsch (THS) 2:36.47; 8. Mitchell (NM) 2:41.34; 9. Zentz (WF) 2:41.88; 10. Dixon (CV) 2:45.32; 12. M. Arnold (SP) 2:45.68; 15. Dill (NP) 2:49.57; 17. K. Hansen (G) 2:50.71

50 Freestyle -- 1. Auckley (MC) 24.55; 2. Smith (G) 25.47; 3. Romer (G) 26.27; 4. Moore (THS) 26.43; 5. Steele (WF) 26.86; 6. Gage (THS) 26.99; 7. DeLong (MC) 27.20; 8. Steele (WF) 27.25; 9. Odle (NM) 27.97; 10. Ater (THS) 28.22; 11. Gillen (G) 27.19; 12. Hansel (SP) 28.22; 18. Stevens (G) 29.74

100 Butterfly -- 1. Zamora (MC) 1:02.22; 2. Gray (LC) 1:02.36; 3. Ruggles (WF) 1:03.37; 4. Senseman (THS) 1:03.14; 5. Meyer (G) 1:03.33; 6. Ruggles (WF) 1:04.86; 7. Stewart (CC) 1:05.03; 8. Pohlar (G) 1:07.32; 9. Ruggles (WF) 1:10.20; 10. Mitchell (NM) 1:13.26; 12. M. Arnold (SP) 1:14.66; 13. K. Hansen (G) 1:15.07; 14. Dill (NP) 1:17.96; 17. Jones (SP) 1:20.66

100 Freestyle -- 1. Williams (WF) 54.84; 2. Smith (G) 56.59; 3. Steele (WF) 57.78; 4. Romer (G) 58.07; 5. Commons (MC) 59.66; 6. Brooks (WF) 59.86; 7. Gillen (G) 59.92; 8. Moore (THS) 1:00.03; 9. Gage (THS) 1:00.96; 10. Coy (WF) 1:01.82; 11. Hansel (SP) 1:02.52; 17. Alford (NP) 1:06.29

500 Freestyle -- 1. Gallagher (MC) 5:28.61; 2. Oleson (WF) 5:34.34; 3. Blansette (WF) 5:36.27; 4. Dillon (THS) 5:39.99; 5. Sunkel (LJ) 5:45.16; 6. Brazel (LC) 5:47.95; 7. Niemann (CC) 5:49.21; 8. Wickholm (SM) 5:56.52; 9. Hawkins (WF) 5:57.47; 10. Beasley (SP) 5:58.67; 12. Spencer (NP) 6:04.85; 17. Haltom (G) 6:26.45; 18. Selvia (G) 6:30.33; 25. S. Freije (NP) 6:57.24; 26. Heithaus (G) 7:01.09; 28. O. Arnold (SP) 7:09.65; 29. Haywood (SP) 7:13.58

200 Freestyle Relay -- 1. Greencastle (Meyer, Pohlar, Romer, Smith) 1:43.28; 2. McCutcheon 1:43.69; 3. Terre Haute South 1:47.78; 4. Lafayette Jeff 1:56.23; 5. North Montgomery 1:56.56; 6. Terre Haute South 1:56.59; 7. Westfield 1:57.18; 8. McCutcheon 1:57.35; 9. Liberty Christian 2:00.12; 10. Crawfordsville 2:01.05; 11. North Putnam (Alford, Muse, Dill, Spencer) 2:01.72; 12. Greencastle (Stevens, B. Hansen, K. Hansen, Selvia) 2:04.53; 19. South Putnam (Andersen, Jones, Haywood, King) 2:13.90; 21. (Kiste, Delano, Fanning, Clifford) 2:28.52

100 Backstroke -- 1. Auckley (MC) 1:00.13; 2. Ruggles (WF) 1:02.87; 3. Senseman (THS) 1:02.92; 4. Meyer (G) 1:06.69; 5. Steele (WF) 1:07.64; 6. Hawkins (WF) 1:08.12; 7. Commons (MC) 1:09.55; 8. Odle (NM) 1:10.00; 9. Wickholm (SM) 1:11.65; 10. Ater (THS) 1:11.76; 12. Stevens (G) 1:15.36; 16. Roberts (G) 1:18.74; 18. L. Freije (NP) 1:21.10

100 Breaststroke -- 1. Gallagher (MC) 1:12.89; 2. Brooks (WF) 1:14.31; 3. Stewart (CC) 1:16.34; 4. Christjansen (THS) 1:16.84; 5. DeLong (MC) 1:19.58; 6. Ruggles (WF) 1:20.29; 7. Kirsch (THS) 1:21.11; 8. Fanning (SP) 1:23.52; 9. Preston (LJ) 1:23.94; 10. B. Hansen (G) 1:25.61; 14. Muse (NP) 1:27.86; 16. Chambers (SP) 1:29.43

400 Freestyle Relay -- 1. Greencastle (Smith, Gillen, Romer, Meyer) 3:49.12; 2. Westfield 3:50.83; 3. Terre Haute South 3:56.46; 4. Westfield 4:10.00; 5. McCutcheon 4:10.57; 6. Clinton Central 4:18.27; 7. Lafayette Jeff 4:19.03; 8. North Montgomery 4:23.82; 9. South Putnam (Beasley, King, M. Arnold, Hansel) 4:26.10; 10. Southmont 4:37.56; 12. North Putnam (L. Freije, Gray, Sims, S. Freije) 4:56.71; 15. Greencastle (Haltom, Heithaus, Roberts, Gong) 5:14.39; 16. South Putnam (Dickison, Nield, Chambers, O. Arnold) 5:25.88

Next Meet: The Putnam County girls' swimming teams meet at South Putnam for the Putnam County Swim Meet Wednesday. South Putnam (boys) hosts Mooresville Tuesday.

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