County swimmers advance on record-breaking night

Thursday, February 5, 2015
Katie Hansel's record-breaking time in the 50 and 100 freestyle races earned her consolation finals spots for South Putnam. (Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT)

AVON--Four school records were set on an exciting opening day at the IHSAA Avon girls' sectional swimming meet.

Greencastle sent six swimmers and three relays, including a record-breaking 400 freestyle relay, into the finals on Saturday, along with four swimmers into the consolation finals.

South Putnam saw three records tumble as the Eagles send one swimmer and two relay teams into the finals, along with seven swimmers and a relay into the consolation finals. North Putnam adds three swimmers and three relay teams into the consolation finals.

The Tiger Shark relays powered through to the finals as Amelia Smith, Corrie Romer, Grace Gillen and Mallary Meyer took the top seed in the 400 freestyle relay, while Smith, Romer, Meyer and Megan Haltom were fourth in the 200 freestyle relay.

The 200 medley relay team of Gillen, Beth Ann Hansen, Kelly Hansen and Cecilia Pohlar finished seventh to advance to the finals as well.

Advancing to the finals in individual events we've Smith and Romer in the 50 and 100 freestyle, along Meyer in the 100 butterfly and backstroke.

Consolation final places went to Gillen 50 and 100 freestyle and Pohlar 200 IM and 100 butterfly.

Greencastle head coach Kent Menzel said the night was full of great swims from the top down.

"I felt the night went great," Menzel said. "We had some outstanding swims and the 400 freestyle relay was the fastest in school history by a second.

"The most enjoyable moment of the night for me was Ruth Heithaus and her incredible 20-second time drop in the 500 free. She used sheer force-of-will to create a miracle swim tonight.

"Our seniors, Kristen Stevens and Beth Ann Hansen, swam very hard tonight and had solid swims that left them just outside of the top-16," Menzel added. "Their efforts were outstanding and I want to emphasize what great leaders they have been for the team.

"Megan Haltom, Gabby Selvia and Amy Gong all had solid swims as well tonight. It was a great evening for the Tiger Sharks."

Menzel added there were plenty of races and some records to go after on Saturday.

"We've got six top-eight individual swims and three top-eight relays," Menzel said. "We're looking at the 200 and 400 freestyle relay records because we can go faster in both of those.

"We've also got four individual swims in the second-eight and we're looking to win those races as we always would. It was great to see our boys' team here and parents filling the stands and we're excited for what we can do on Saturday."

South Putnam's 200 medley relay team of Katie Jo Beasley, Alex Fanning, Megan Arnold and Katie Hansel finished eighth to reach the finals, while Beasley, Arnold, Hansel and Sunniva Andersen finished seventh in the 200 freestyle relay, breaking the school record in the process.

Andersen, Olivia Arnold, Alicia Haywood and Maddy King finished ninth in the 400 freestyle relay and will swim in the consolation final.

Beasley added a finals appearance in the 500 freestyle and a consolation final in the 200 freestyle to her Saturday.

Hansel made the consolation finals with school record-breaking swims in the 50 and 100 freestyle races. Arnold also made the consolation finals in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly, as did Fanning and Masey Chambers in the 100 breaststroke.

South Putnam head coach Anna Kendall praised the squad for its improvement from the previous season and was looking forward for more record-breaking swims Saturday.

"Tonight went great," Kendall said. "I was really proud of the girls, who've worked really hard all season and had lifetime bests almost all across the board.

"We have girls coming back in all but one event, which is new for us. Last year was the first year we had girls back at all in individual events, so this is a step up for us competitively, which is nice to see.

"I would love to see our record board completely revamped and we're making progress toward that end," Kendall added. "Katie Jo will come back Saturday in the top-eight, as will two of our relays.

"We couldn't be happier for the girls. To be in this sectional and have girls coming back is phenomenal and a big step up for us."

North Putnam's three relay teams will each compete in the consolation final with the 200 medley relay team comprised of Abigail Spencer, Rebecca Muse, Krisara Dill and Elizabeth Alford, the 200 freestyle relay team made up of Alford, Dill, Spencer and Lauren Freije and the 400 freestyle relay team composed of Muse, Lauren Freije, Sydney Sims and Samantha Freije.

Muse will also compete in the consolation finals of the 100 breaststroke, while Spencer competes in the consolation finals of the 200 and 500 freestyle.

North Putnam head coach Tony Gray said while the girls were tense in the early part of the meet, they began to open up and swim strong as the meet progressed.

"I think it went pretty well," Gray said. "We have five freshman girls and I think the inexperience showed tonight.

"Once the bright lights came on, they got a little bit nervous. We didn't get the start we were looking for but ended the night in strong fashion.

"We're bringing back three individual swimmers and three relay teams, so we'll be looking forward to that on Saturday," Gray added. "I think they'll be more relaxed, have a little bit more fun and I expect big things."

At Avon

200 Medley Relay --1. Avon 1:57.56; 2. Terre Haute South 1:58.34; 3. Cascade 2:00.29; 4. Terre Haut North 2:01.25; 5. Plainfield 2:01.69; 6. Danville 2:02.73; 7. Greencastle (Gillen, B. Hansen, K. Hansen, Pohlar) 2:05.46; 8. South Putnam (Beasley, Fanning, O. Arnold, Hansel) 2:10.48; 9. North Putnam (Spencer, Muse, Dill, Alford) 2:15.59; 10. Tri-West 2:20.79; 11. West Vigo 2:24.59

200 Freestyle --1. Myers (A) 1:56.03; 2. Jones (TW) 1:58.63; 3. Kline (THN) 1:59.51; 4. Jones (A) 2:00.59; 5. Graves (P) 2:02.42; 6. Dillon (THS) 2:02.88; 7. Christjansen (THS) 2:04.41; 8. Fay (A) 2:05.30; 9. Elliott (D) 2:05.81; 10. Lautenschlager (P) 2:06.27; 11. Beasley (SP) 2:10.41; 12. Spencer (NP) 2:13.10; 13. Kissinger (THN) 2:14.81; 14. Vanwanzeele (P) 2:15.68; 15. Ferguson (C) 2:16.75; 16. Powers (THN) 2:18.40; 17. Hanson (C) 2:21.06; 18. Haltom (G) 2:22.24

200 IM -- 1. Walters (A) 2:1.38; 2. Scott (THS) 2:18.96; 3. Hance (P) 2:19.96; 4. Adair (P) 2:22.30; 5. Miller (A) 2:22.76; 6. Smith (A) 2:23.22; 7. Mattick (THN) 2:24.28; 8. Hunter (P) 2:27.56; 9. Kirsch (THS) 2:28.69; 10. Deweese (C) 2:29.62; 11. Pohlar (G) 2:31.77; 12. Breitweiser (THN) 2:34.16; 13. Krock (THS) 2:41.79; 14. Breeding (C) 2:42.28; 15. M. Arnold (SP) 2:43.09; 16. Archer (THN) 2:43.13; 17. Armfield (D) 2:43.90; 18. Shelley (D) 2:49.05

50 Freestyle -- 1. Smith (G) 24.90; 2. Snoke (P) 25.28; 3. Vandevoorde (P) 25.35; 4. Rosales (C) 25.59; 5. Romer (G) 25.68; 6. Seaton (A) 25.74; 7. Gage (THS) 25.78; 8. Ater (THS) 25.79; 9. Moore (THS) 26.05; 10. Mothersead (A) 26.17; 11. Fair (TW) 26.49; 12. Hansel (SP) 26.50; 13. Gillen (G) 26.96; 14. Kiefer (A) 27.09; 15. Wurtzel (P) 27.13; 16. Graham (THN) 27.56; 17. Shelley (D) 27.57; 18. Keegan (C) 27.58

100 Butterfly -- 1. Jones (TW) 1:00.27; 2. Qualls (A) 1:00.54; 3. Waldbieser (THN) 1:01.49; 4. Meyer (G) 1:01.99; 5. Senseman (THS) 1:02.17; 6. Adair (P) 1:02.41; 7. Elder (A) 1:03.38; 8. Vanwanzeele (P) 1:03.65; 9. Fay (A) 1:03.72; 10. Deweese (C) 1:03.90; 11. Scott (THS) 1:04.78; 12. Elliot (D) 1:05.08; 13. Pohlar (G) 1:06.45; 14. Padget (THS) 1:09.1; 15. Wurtzel (P) 1:09.65; 16. M. Arnold (SP) 1:1.82; 17. K. Hansen (G) 1:12.01; 18. Bridgewater (WV) 1:14.12

100 Freestyle -- 1. Jones (A) 55.42; 2. Kline (THS) 55.47; 3. Snoke (P) 56.02; 4. Mattick (THN) 56.34; 5. Smith (G) 56.41; 6. Rosales (C) 56.68; 7. Romer (G) 56.92; 8. Moore (THS) 57.08; 9. Vandevoorde (P) 57.34; 10. Gage (THS) 57.54; 11. Seaton (A) 57.73; 12. Fair (TW) 58.61; 13. Hansel (SP) 58.90; 14. Gillen (G) 58.91; 15. Kiefer (A) 59.08; 16. Liebermann (THS) 59.48; 17. Vanwanzeele (P) 1:01.58; 18. Alford (NP) 1:01.78

500 Freestyle -- 1. Myers (A) 5:15.24; 2. Qualls (A) 5:15.64; 3. Carroll (P) 5:32.26; 4. Dillon (THS) 5:32.70; 5. Graves (P) 5:33.15; 6. Elder (A) 5:36.80; 7. Lautenschlager (P) 5:40.07; 8. Beasley (SP) 5:49.71; 9. Kissinger (THN) 5:54.96; 10. Spencer (NP) 5:55.69; 11. Kroll (D) 6:04.62; 12. Armfield (D) 6:1.64; 13. Carman (D) 6:18.53; 14. Weber (THN) 6:18.82; 15. Poe (THN) 6:22.01; 16. Ferguson (C) 6:22.99; 17. Hanson (C) 6:23.10; 18. Haltom (G) 6:25.10

200 Freestyle Relay -- 1. Terre Haute South 1:44.61; 2. Plainfield 1:45.34; 3. Avon 1:46.32; 4. Greencastle (Romer, Haltom, Pohlar, Smith) 1:47.26; 5. Tri-West 1:50.24; 6. Cascade 1:51.03; 7. South Putnam (M. Arnold, Andersen, Beasley, Hansel) 1:54.59; 8. Terre Haute North 1:54.98; 9. North Putnam (Alford, L. Freije, Dill, Spencer) 1:56.22; 10. Danville 1:58.25; 11. West Vigo 2:08.94

100 Backstroke -- 1. Walters (A) 1:00.22; 2. Senseman (THS) 1:03.03; 3. Meyer (G) 1:03.07; 4. Miller (A) 1:04.10; 5. Ater (THS) 1:04.16; 6. Mothersead (A) 1:04.35; 7. Hance (P) 1:04.66; 8. Vanwanzeele (P) 1:05.65; 9. Graham (THN) 1:07.88; 10. Brown (C) 1:09.44; 11. Breitweiser (THN) 1:10.03; 12. Liebermann (THS) 1:10.76; 13. Burke (D) 1:11.23; 14. Cox (TW) 1:12.84; 15. Kroll (D) 1:13.02; 16. Ross (P) 1:14.51; 17. Roberts (G) 1:15.04; 18. Stevens (G) 1:15.35

100 Breaststroke -- 1. Scanland (A) 1:10.42; 2. Smith (A) 1:10.77; 3. Mitchell (D) 1:12.00; 4. Waldbieser (THN) 1:12.11; 5. Heeger (A) 1:13.41; 6. Hunter (P) 1:14.50; 7. Carroll (P) 1:15.76; 8. Christjansen (THS) 1:17.23; 9. Kirsch (THS) 1:17.25; 10. Breeding (C) 1:17.69; 11. Fanning (SP) 1:20.30; 12. Pluff (THS) 1:24.15; 13. Huffman (D) 1:25.76; 14. Poe (THN) 1:25.96; 15. Chambers (SP) 1:26.51; 16. Muse (NP) 1:26.55; 17. B. Hansen (G) 1:26.67; 18. Swaim (THN) 1:26.55

400 Freestyle Relay -- 1. Greencastle (Smith, Gillen, Romer, Meyer) 3:47.69; 2. Terre Haute South 3:50.07; 3. Plainfield 3:54.95; 4. Terre Haute North 3:56.19; 5. Avon 3:58.51; 6. Tri-West 4:00.93; 7. Danville 4:09.50; 8. Cascade 4:20.21; 9. South Putnam (Andersen, O. Arnold, Haywood, King) 4:52.88; 19. North Putnam (S. Freije, Sims, Muse, L. Freije) 4:54.96

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