July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Goals lofty for JC tankers
Jay County Boys Swimming
The Jay County High School boys swim team has set the bar awfully high.
After winning just three meets the year before, the 2007-08 team set a school record with 12 victories. Not to be outdone, last season's team broke that mark by finishing 13-3.
Coach Barry Weaver said he'd be thrilled if his Patriots, who also finished as the 2009 sectional runners-up, could repeat that level of success.
"I'd be happy with last year's record," said Weaver. "Of course we always want to improve on that. ...
"We're keeping an eye on the end of the season ... so we can do our best at the end. ... Hopefully in February we can be in the top couple three in sectional again. ... And of course we always want to get somebody to state."
The leading candidate to make such a run is Aaron Hudson.
The senior is the top returning swimmer after finishing as the sectional runner-up a year ago in the 100-yard breaststroke. He also finished fourth in the 100 butterfly.
"He's coming back as a senior and working real hard to try to get under a minute (in the breaststroke)," said Weaver. "We feel like if he can get under a minute that'll be a great accomplishment. If he can do that, then he's going to break the state cut-off ...
"He's certainly pushing towards that. He's going to spend a lot of time trying to get that accomplished."
Hudson may need to break the state cut time, which would earn him an automatic spot in the state meet, with Muncie Central junior Daniel Proctor also returning in the event. Proctor beat Hudson by less than a second for the 2009 sectional title in the 100 breaststroke and went on to place 13th in the state.
The only other returning athlete to swim in a sectional championship race last season is Neal Fennig.
The junior backstroker finished fifth in the sectional last season, and all of the other top-12 swimmers in the event return this year. He was also fifth in the 200 individual medley.
"He's bigger and stronger and working harder than I've ever seen him," said Weaver. "He's doing a real nice job. He's a junior, and I think he wants to break that 1-minute mark he struggled with (until the final meet) last year."
Senior Jared Valentine, who will share team captain duties with Hudson, also placed in the sectional in a pair of events. He was ninth in the 500 freestyle and 11th in the 100 breaststroke.
"Aaron has always been a real positive person," said Weaver. "He's not a vocal person ... but at the same time he shows them how to do it. He's very good at helping the other guys ...
"Jared is doing a nice job in that respect too. He knows what it takes and knows what we've got to do in order to get better."
Sophomore Wiley Young will be the top swimmer for JCHS in the butterfly following a 10th-place sectional effort a year ago. He was also ninth in the 200 individual medley a year ago.
Senior Derek Hughes will join him in the butterfly, while Caleb Hummel will help Valentine in the distance events. The Patriots also have one diver on the roster in freshman Trent Whitenack.
Weaver said the biggest question mark for his group comes in the sprint freestyle events.
"I'm not really sure where we're going to be," he said. "That leaves a lot of questions in the 50 and the 100.
"If I look at it from last year's results, I'd say that's where we're going to struggle. We have to replace Chance Milligan, Derik Lucas ... who were very solid sprinters."
Milligan and Lucas each placed in the top 12 in the sectional in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events.
The team also lost leading scorer Sam Miller, a 2009 state qualifier in the 200 freestyle, Lance VanSkyock and Nathan Cain to graduation as well.
Weaver said it will be up to his group of young swimmers - Richard Osterholt, Wiley Young and Caleb Hummel - to help fill the void. "I think we've got the guys who can do that, but there are still question marks. ... We have a lot of questions about where people are going to fit," he said. "I think almost every year we have questions and we have sophomores and juniors who step forward. ... I'm sure hoping we have that same thing."[[In-content Ad]]
After winning just three meets the year before, the 2007-08 team set a school record with 12 victories. Not to be outdone, last season's team broke that mark by finishing 13-3.
Coach Barry Weaver said he'd be thrilled if his Patriots, who also finished as the 2009 sectional runners-up, could repeat that level of success.
"I'd be happy with last year's record," said Weaver. "Of course we always want to improve on that. ...
"We're keeping an eye on the end of the season ... so we can do our best at the end. ... Hopefully in February we can be in the top couple three in sectional again. ... And of course we always want to get somebody to state."
The leading candidate to make such a run is Aaron Hudson.
The senior is the top returning swimmer after finishing as the sectional runner-up a year ago in the 100-yard breaststroke. He also finished fourth in the 100 butterfly.
"He's coming back as a senior and working real hard to try to get under a minute (in the breaststroke)," said Weaver. "We feel like if he can get under a minute that'll be a great accomplishment. If he can do that, then he's going to break the state cut-off ...
"He's certainly pushing towards that. He's going to spend a lot of time trying to get that accomplished."
Hudson may need to break the state cut time, which would earn him an automatic spot in the state meet, with Muncie Central junior Daniel Proctor also returning in the event. Proctor beat Hudson by less than a second for the 2009 sectional title in the 100 breaststroke and went on to place 13th in the state.
The only other returning athlete to swim in a sectional championship race last season is Neal Fennig.
The junior backstroker finished fifth in the sectional last season, and all of the other top-12 swimmers in the event return this year. He was also fifth in the 200 individual medley.
"He's bigger and stronger and working harder than I've ever seen him," said Weaver. "He's doing a real nice job. He's a junior, and I think he wants to break that 1-minute mark he struggled with (until the final meet) last year."
Senior Jared Valentine, who will share team captain duties with Hudson, also placed in the sectional in a pair of events. He was ninth in the 500 freestyle and 11th in the 100 breaststroke.
"Aaron has always been a real positive person," said Weaver. "He's not a vocal person ... but at the same time he shows them how to do it. He's very good at helping the other guys ...
"Jared is doing a nice job in that respect too. He knows what it takes and knows what we've got to do in order to get better."
Sophomore Wiley Young will be the top swimmer for JCHS in the butterfly following a 10th-place sectional effort a year ago. He was also ninth in the 200 individual medley a year ago.
Senior Derek Hughes will join him in the butterfly, while Caleb Hummel will help Valentine in the distance events. The Patriots also have one diver on the roster in freshman Trent Whitenack.
Weaver said the biggest question mark for his group comes in the sprint freestyle events.
"I'm not really sure where we're going to be," he said. "That leaves a lot of questions in the 50 and the 100.
"If I look at it from last year's results, I'd say that's where we're going to struggle. We have to replace Chance Milligan, Derik Lucas ... who were very solid sprinters."
Milligan and Lucas each placed in the top 12 in the sectional in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events.
The team also lost leading scorer Sam Miller, a 2009 state qualifier in the 200 freestyle, Lance VanSkyock and Nathan Cain to graduation as well.
Weaver said it will be up to his group of young swimmers - Richard Osterholt, Wiley Young and Caleb Hummel - to help fill the void. "I think we've got the guys who can do that, but there are still question marks. ... We have a lot of questions about where people are going to fit," he said. "I think almost every year we have questions and we have sophomores and juniors who step forward. ... I'm sure hoping we have that same thing."[[In-content Ad]]
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD