Eagles bring divers, medley relay team to sectional final

Friday, February 1, 2013
South Putnam junior Katie McHugh swims the third leg of the 400-yard medley relay for the Eagles on Thursday. McHugh will be part of the team's medley relay on Saturday. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

AVON -- Saturday morning's diving event will be key for the South Putnam girls' swimming and diving team.

The Eagles qualified both sophomore Courtney Sullivan and freshman Maddison Plunkett, the county and West Central Conference champion.

In addition to the divers, SPHS will send it's medley relay team senior of Morgan Deszi, junior Katie McHugh, senior Lyndsie Beasley and freshman Katie Hansel.

"(Thursday's prelim) is kind of like getting ready for the prom," SPHS coach Matthew Edwards said. "Saturday is the real deal, it's just a matter of going through the motions to get there."

Beasley is also the second alternate for Saturday's 100 butterfly final, missing the cut by just over two seconds.

Freshman Katie Jo Beasley is the first alternate in both the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke.

Hansel is the first-alternate for the 500 free.

"It seems like we've got alternates growing out of our ears," Edwarsd said. "We're hoping some of our alternates get in there. Unfortunately, that comes with somebody else's misfortune usually."

The Eagles will rely on their strong divers to help them pile up points and compete at the sectional final.

Saturday will be the first 11-dive meet of the season for the Eagles, and the first such high school meet for Plunkett.

Sullivan, who finished second to Plunkett at both the county and conference meets, has an extra year of experience with the longer 11-dive format.

Regular season and dual meets have six dives.

Saturday's diving begins at 9 a.m.

First-fourth place finishers qualify for diving regionals.

In swimming events, first-place and swimmers who meet state qualifying times advance to the state finals.

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