Greencastle Tiger Sharks land three relays in sectional final

PLAINFIELD -- A new venue greeted the Putnam County swimmers as North Putnam, South Putnam and Greencastle's girls' swim squads competed at the Plainfield sectional Thursday night.

The Tiger Sharks advanced all three relays into the finals Saturday, with the 200 medley relay squad of Sarah Beams, Sydney Cassida, Rachel Custis and Rosio Gomez placing fifth, the highest finish of the day among the county swimmers.

The 200 free relay squad narrowly edged out South Putnam for the last spot in the finals, while the 400 free relay squad also placed eighth.

Greencastle also had several swimmers advance to the consolation finals. Faith Liveoak qualified in the 200 and 500 free, with Emily Wheeler qualifying in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke.

Other top 16 finishes included Rosio Gomez in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly, Sarah Beams in the 100 butterfly, Rachel Custis in the 100 free and backstroke, and Nicolette Peters in the 100 breaststroke.

South Putnam and North Putnam each advanced their 200 medley relay and 200 free relay squads.

After the meet, Greencastle head coach Kent Menzel praised the work of his squad.

"It just went great. I can't say enough about how well the girls swam tonight. All three of those relays were just rock solid. We had several lifetime best splits in those relays," Menzel said.

"We accomplished what we wanted to do on the relays and in the individual swims, the girls just let loose. I haven't counted them up, but we probably had a lifetime best or season best in every event.

"We got people through in the events we were looking for. We're back in seven of the eight events that we entered tonight and all of those have an opportunity to move up yet again."

"A lot of swimmers seeded outside the top 16 swam into the top sixteen. That was a great thing to see," Menzel added.

South Putnam head coach Matthew Edwards said that the squad needed some time to settle in.

"We felt really good about it. When we first got the news of the sectional change, we were a little unsure about it. They were comfortable at the Crawfordsville sectional," Edwards said.

"They were a little nervous and anxious and we told them they couldn't worry. There are a lot of good swimmers here, but they couldn't let that get them down.

"All we could ask for was the time improvement and that's what they did. A lot of them felt good after winning their heats," Edwards added.

North Putnam head coach Tony Gray noted that while the squad was not at 100 percent, those at the meet did very well.

"I think we represented the school well. We didn't get any individuals in the finals, though the relays did fairly well," Gray said.

"We've had a tough week; two girls were in the hospital and another girl wasn't able to be here because of illness.

"But, they came, they had some fun, they set some of their season best times and that's all we can ask," Gray added.

With several swimmers and the divers returning Saturday, the coaches said their squads were geared up for one more round in the pool.

"The girls are looking to set their best times of the year. One of the relay teams set a season best and the other one was just off of it," Cougar coach Gray said.

"They already told me that their goal in the 200 free relay was to be under two minutes Saturday, so they're in the right frame of mind and they want to improve."

Eagle coach Edwards added, "It's the last hurrah of the season. Courtney Sullivan, in her first year of diving, is looking very good on the board and she's got a great attitude. She's ready to go.

"As far as the relays go, they're pumped and they realize that this is their last meet and they're going to give it every ounce they have."

"We always expect everyone to go faster. That's how we train and that's our philosophy," Tiger Shark coach Menzel mentioned. "We know that we were under the gun Thursday night, but we try to build on the fact that Saturday is the real day to shine."

"It's disappointing not to be in the Crawfordsville sectional. We have lots of friends over there from swimming there for years."

"But this is a challenge that moves us up. We want to become better as a swim program. To come to this sectional and swim against better teams is one of the paths for us to accomplish that," Menzel said.

"We've been working with the team about building for the future. We know we have to step it up, keep improving and keep striving forward."

"So with that in mind, this is a great thing for us, to go against stronger programs so that we can become stronger."

At Plainfield

IHSAA Sectional -- Plainfield High School

Advancing to Finals Saturday

200 Medley Relay -- 1. Terre Haute South 1:54.49; 2. Avon 1:59.30; 3. Terre Haute North 1:59.78; 4. Plainfield 2:02.83; 5. Greencastle (Beams, Cassida, Custis, Gomez) 2:06.85; 6. Danville 2:08.16; 7. Cascade 2:13.35; 8. Tri-West 2:13.40; 9. South Putnam (Deszi, McHugh, Trisler, Boetjer) 2:24.38; 10. North Putnam (Wolf, Muse, Byrd, Moore) 2:24.80; 11. West Vigo 2:25.50

200 Free -- 1. Kitching (A) 1:59.54; 2. Campbell (A) 2:01.94; 3. Jones (TW) 2:02.70; 4. Kline (THN) 2:02.97; 5. R. Senseman (THS) 2:05.85; 6. Whicker (P) 2:07.33; 7. Smith (A) 2:08.09; 8. Lautenschlager (P) 2:08.37; 9. K. Powers (THN) 2:08.49; 10. Kroll (D) 2:09.20; 11. Dillon (THS) 2:09.49; 12. Mitchell (D) 2:16.27; 13. Breeding (C) 2:16.73; 14. Cloe (P) 2:18.57; 15. Craft (TW) 2:20.61; 16. Liveoak (G) 2:21.58; 19. Alford (NP) 2:28.41; 23. Cox (SP) 2:36.12; 25. Mason (G) 2:40.79; 27. Boetjer (SP) 2:51.70; 28. Miles (NP) 2:53.56; 29. Wood (G) 2:56.01; 30. Livesay (NP) 3:14.29

200 IM -- 1. Walters (A) 2:15.65; 2. Wishart (A) 2:15.79; 3. S. Senseman (THS) 2:21.11; 4. Hunter (P) 2:23.07; 5. Taber (P) 2:23.95; 6. Sieferman (A) 2:25.63; 7. Caudill (THN) 2:28.41; 8. Steflug (THS) 2:28.59; 9. McGovern (D) 2:30.55; 10. Eschbach (D) 2:34.35; 11. Scott (THS) 2:34.86; 12. Wheeler (G) 2:36.08; 13. Rosales (C) 2:45.25; 14. Copeland (P) 2:42.31; 15. Gomez (G) 2:43.28; 16. Bagnoche (THN) 2:46.47; 19. Trisler (SP) 3:06.63; 20. Kiste (SP) 3:07.47; 23. Hansen (G) 3:16.93

50 Free -- 1. Partlow (D) 24.91; 2. Badgley (A) 25.09; 3. K. Senseman (THS) 25.35; 4. Mitchell (D) 25.88; 5. Wickham (P) 26.00; 6. Powers (THN) 26.18; 7. Vandevoorde (P) 26.44; 8. Solik (C) 26.59; 9. Lodics (A) 26.80; 10. Scanland (A) 26.82; 11. Schilling (THS) 27.16; 12. Justus (P) 27.29; 13. Goatee (THN) 27.77; 14. Wolf (TW) 28.07; 15*: Mercho (THS) 28.38; 15*: Hagemier (TW) 28.38; 17. Howard (G) 28.39; 19. Byrd (NP) 28.72; 20. Farmer (SP) 29.33; 22. Peters (G) 29.81; 24. Beasley (SP) 30.22; 26. Stevens (G) 31.22; 28. Muse (NP) 32.44; 29. Moore (NP) 32.67; 30. Shaw (SP) 33.77

100 Fly -- 1. Partlow (D) 1:00.52; 2. Bray (THS) 1:.75; 3. Padget (THS) 1:01.75; 4. Jones (TW) 1:02.13; 5. Hill (A) 1:02.42; 6. Fay (A) 1:02.43; 7. Eschbach (D) 1:05.38; 8. Meronk (A) 1:06.30; 9. Justus (P) 1:07.04; 10. Schilling (THS) 1:07.24; 11. Dilbeck (P) 1:08.31; 12. Rosales (C) 1:10.39; 13. Vanwanzeele (P) 1:12.03; 14. Gomez (G) 1:13.80; 15. Krieg (TW) 1:14.21; 16. Beams (G) 1:15.55; 19. Byrd (NP) 1:17.90; 20. Trisler (SP) 1:18.32; 22. Moore (G) 1:18.73; 26. Shaw (SP) 1:47.93

100 Free -- 1. Badgley (A) 54.00; 2. K. Senseman (THS) 55.73; 3. Mitchell (D) 55.86; 4. Campbell (A) 56.27; 5. Wickham (P) 57.22; 6. Nichols (THN) 57.23; 7. Powers (THN) 57.27; 8. Vandevoorde (P) 58.41; 9. Whicker (P) 58.86; 10. Solik (C) 58.93; 11. Scanland (A) 59.00; 12. Dillon (THS) 59.74; 13. Goatee (THN) 59.84; 14. Padget (THS) 1:00.37; 15. McCalley (TW) 1:00.58; 16. Custis (G) 1:01.69; 17. Howard (G) 1:02.36; 21. Cox (SP) 1:05.75; 23. Farmer (SP) 1:07.92; 24. Beasley (SP) 1:08.05; 25. Stevens (G) 1:10.53; 27. Muse (NP) 1:15.66; 28. Wolf (NP) 1:16.42; 31. Livesay (NP) 1:20.39

500 Free -- 1. Kitchling (A) 5:14.16; 2. Kline (THN) 5:29.03; 3. Taber (P) 5:32.76; 4. Fay (A) 5:35.09; 5. R. Senseman (THS) 5:40.61; 6. Lautenschlager (P) 5:41.80; 7. Mali (A) 5:42.61; 8. Powers (THN) 5:44.43; 9. Kroll (D) 5:46.30; 10. Justus (P) 5:52.23; 11. Breeding (C) 6:12.35; 12. Schuldt (D) 6:18.81; 13. Liveoak (G) 6:20.39; 14. Whitlock (THS) 6:29.88; 15. Armfield (D) 6:33.64; 16. Sim (THS) 6:38.19; 18. Deszi (SP) 6:42.40; 19. Moore (G) 6:43.03; 20. Beams (G) 6:51.54

200 Free Relay -- 1. Plainfield 1:15.10; 2. Avon 1:46.96; 3. Danville 1:47.17; 4. Terre Haute South 1:47.66; 5. Tri-West 1:49.69; 6. Terre Haute North 1:52.58; 7. Cascade 1:57.16; 8. Greencastle (Peters, Stevens, Liveoak, Beams) 2:00.30; 9. South Putnam (Farmer, Beasley, Boetjer, Cox) 2:00.85; 10. North Putnam (Byrd, Alford, Moore, Muse) 2:05.49; 11. West Vigo 2:13.68

100 Back -- 1. Walters (A) 1:00.95; 2. G. Padget (THS) 1:01.32; 3. Sieferman (A) 1:04.1; 4. Mali (A) 1:05.51; 5. Steflug (THS) 1:07.37; 6. Caudill (THN) 1:08.72; 7. Breitweiser (THN) 1:08.84; 8. L. Padget (THS) 1:09.23; 9. Hagemier (TW) 1:10.18; 10. Dilbeck (P) 1:10.88; 11. Custis (G) 1:11.79; 12. Schnepp (P) 1:12.08; 13. Lewis (C) 1:12.71; 14. Schuldt (D) 1:13.32; 15. Williams (THN) 1:14.32; 16. Copeland (P) 1:14.64; 17. Deszi (SP) 1:16.94; 20. Alford (NP) 1:20.29; 21. Cassida (G) 1:20.43; 24. Mason (G) 1:24.33; 26. Wolf (NP) 1:27.50

100 Breast -- 1. Wishart (A) 1:08.89; 2. Bray (THS) 1:09.87; 3. Smith (A) 1:11.24; 4. Justus (P) 1:11.41; 5. Mitchell (D) 1:12.10; 6. S. Senseman (THS) 1:12.62; 7. Hunter (P) 1:12.76; 8. Meronk (A) 1:12.93; 9. Nichols (THN) 1:14.45; 10. McGovern (D) 1:15.80; 11. Wheeler (G) 1:15.98; 12. McCalley (TW) 1:17.57; 13. Peters (G) 1:18.41; 14. Breitweiser (THN) 1:18.69; 15. Bagnoche (THN) 1:19.16; 16. Scott (THS) 1:20.47; 20. McHugh (SP) 1:30.41; 21. Hansen (G) 1:31.37; 23. Kiste (SP) 1:37.21; 26. Moore (NP) 1:44.35; 29. Miles (NP) 1:48.55

400 Free Relay -- 1. Terre Haute North 3:51.13; 2. Terre Haute South 3:51.58; 3. Plainfield 3:51.60; 4. Danville 3:54.47; 5. Avon 3:58.91; 6. Cascade 4:06.19; 7. Tri-West 4:07.50; 8. Greencastle (Howard, Gomez, Liveoak, Wheeler) 4:15.90