February 3, 2017 at 6:35 p.m.
Stars, Patriots are favored
Stars, Patriots are favored
The Starfires established themselves as the favorites.
The Patriots ripped through the pool right behind them.
The two area teams put together the kinds of tournament swims they expected, and many that went beyond expectations, setting themselves up as the clear top two at the girls swimming sectional preliminaries Thursday at Jay County.
South Adams, seeking its first championship since 2001, put itself in the driver’s seat thanks to earning five No. 1 seeds. Based on preliminary results, which do not include diving, the Starfires have about a 50-point advantage over the host school.
“We did really well tonight,” said SAHS coach Andy Lehman. “We had two swims that swam a little lower than what they were seeded coming in. Everyone else swam their seed or moved up. … I’m very pleased. Our girls are pumped.”
The team’s one significant hiccup was a false start leading to a disqualification in the 200 freestyle relay. That will cost the Starfires their opportunity to score as many as 40 points in the event, but they still control their own destiny.
The meet continues with diving preliminaries at 9:30 a.m. Saturday followed by swimming and diving finals at 1 p.m.
“Obviously that 200 free relay is a little upsetting, but we know that we can overcome that so we’re not going to dwell on that,” Lehman said, noting that South Adams’ last title team won despite a DQ in the 200 medley relay. “I’m very excited with the times we saw, some significant drops from some of our girls tonight. And the smiles on their faces just said it all and that’s what it’s all about.”
The Patriots followed their neighbors to the north with three top seeds — two from junior Alex Bader and the third in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The two-time defending champions look to be about 50 points ahead of Delta, which is projected to finish third ahead of Norwell and Muncie Central in the 11-team field.
“Holy smokes, that was amazing,” said JCHS coach Matt Slavik. “I knew we could swim good, and I’ve seen it, but some of these swims tonight were way beyond my expectations. …
“I’m definitely super stoked.”
Jay County turned in the most dominant effort of the evening in sweeping the top three spots in the 100-yard breaststroke. Bader earned the second of her two top seeds in the event, blowing away the field by nearly five seconds in 1 minute, 5.96 seconds.
The Patriots ripped through the pool right behind them.
The two area teams put together the kinds of tournament swims they expected, and many that went beyond expectations, setting themselves up as the clear top two at the girls swimming sectional preliminaries Thursday at Jay County.
South Adams, seeking its first championship since 2001, put itself in the driver’s seat thanks to earning five No. 1 seeds. Based on preliminary results, which do not include diving, the Starfires have about a 50-point advantage over the host school.
“We did really well tonight,” said SAHS coach Andy Lehman. “We had two swims that swam a little lower than what they were seeded coming in. Everyone else swam their seed or moved up. … I’m very pleased. Our girls are pumped.”
The team’s one significant hiccup was a false start leading to a disqualification in the 200 freestyle relay. That will cost the Starfires their opportunity to score as many as 40 points in the event, but they still control their own destiny.
The meet continues with diving preliminaries at 9:30 a.m. Saturday followed by swimming and diving finals at 1 p.m.
“Obviously that 200 free relay is a little upsetting, but we know that we can overcome that so we’re not going to dwell on that,” Lehman said, noting that South Adams’ last title team won despite a DQ in the 200 medley relay. “I’m very excited with the times we saw, some significant drops from some of our girls tonight. And the smiles on their faces just said it all and that’s what it’s all about.”
The Patriots followed their neighbors to the north with three top seeds — two from junior Alex Bader and the third in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The two-time defending champions look to be about 50 points ahead of Delta, which is projected to finish third ahead of Norwell and Muncie Central in the 11-team field.
“Holy smokes, that was amazing,” said JCHS coach Matt Slavik. “I knew we could swim good, and I’ve seen it, but some of these swims tonight were way beyond my expectations. …
“I’m definitely super stoked.”
Jay County turned in the most dominant effort of the evening in sweeping the top three spots in the 100-yard breaststroke. Bader earned the second of her two top seeds in the event, blowing away the field by nearly five seconds in 1 minute, 5.96 seconds.
Patriot sophomore Vivienne Kunkler was the runner-up in 1:10.92, and Jamie Valentine was more than a second ahead of South Adams’ Audrey Burson for third in 1:12.4.
Bader’s other top seed came in the 50-yard freestyle, which she won by more than a second over the Starfires’ Ashley LeFever in 24.12.
She also anchored the top-seeded 200 freestyle relay team, joining Elizabeth McDowell, Erica Hathaway and Vivienne Kunkler for a time of 1:47.59.
While the Patriot breaststrokers came up big late, senior Ashton Klopp powered South Adams early on.
After the Starfires took the meet-opening 200-yard medley relay by more than six seconds in 1:54.2, Klopp earned the first of her two No. 1 seeds by nearly four seconds in the 200 freestyle in 2:00.42. Immediately after the intermission she dominated again, taking the top spot in the 100 butterfly by about 3.5 seconds in 1:00.26 with JCHS’s Elizabeth McDowell second.
Norwell freshman Alyssa Cyrus joined Bader and Klopp in taking first in a pair of preliminary events — the 200 individual medley ahead of South Adams’ Brette Klopp and Olivia Von Gunten and the 100 backstroke with Brette Klopp again as the No. 2 seed.
LeFever picked up the other individual No. 1 seed for South Adams with a time of 54.79 in the 100 freestyle, and the Starfires also earned the top spot in the 400 freestyle relay.
McDowell added a No. 4 seed for Jay County in the 100 backstroke, and Hathaway matched her with the No. 4 seed in the 500 freestyle to go along with the No. 5 seed in the 200 freestyle. Kunkler and Jenna Dunfee area seeded sixth and seventh respectively in the 100 freestyle, with Dunfee also earning the No. 8 seed in the 100 backstroke.
“After Christmas break, she’s just been working hard,” said Slavik of Dunfee, who cut time in both of her individual events to advance to the championship heat. “It’s just a tempo thing. It’s a mental thing for her. Going from a 1:05 to a 1:01 in the 100 freestyle tonight and legitimately thinking she can go under a minute, that’s a big deal.”
Valentine added a No. 7 seed in the 100 butterfly, and Kaitlyn Dow took the No. 8 spot in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. The JCHS teams of Valentine, Dow, Dunfee and Hannah James in the 200 medley relay and Hathaway, Valentine, Dow and Dunfee in the 400 freestyle relay are both seeded fourth.
South Adams put multiple swimmers in the top eight of every event except the 100 backstroke, with Olivia Von Gunten and Riley Thompson going two-three in the 500 freestyle. Thompson is also the No. 3 seed in the 200 freestyle, and Caroline Kloepper and Isabel Von Gunten nabbed the No. 4 and 5 spots respectively in the 50 freestyle. Other top-eight seeds for the Starfires were Kloepper in fifth in the 100 butterfly, Audrey Burson sixth in the 200 IM and Hadi Hawbaker eighth in both the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.
“Hadi Hawbaker moved up and got into the finals in both of her events. She was not seeded in the finals in either of her events,” he said, adding compliments for freshman Hannah Neuenschwander, the No. 9 seed in the 200 freestyle and No. 10 seed in the 100 butterfly, as well. “I would say those two girls really stuck out to me.”
James hacked 30 seconds off of her time in the 500 freestyle and is the No. 12 seed in that event. Others swimming for JCHS in Saturday’s consolation finals will be her twin sister Emma (12th – 200 IM) and Madison Brown (15th –- 200 IM).
Bader’s other top seed came in the 50-yard freestyle, which she won by more than a second over the Starfires’ Ashley LeFever in 24.12.
She also anchored the top-seeded 200 freestyle relay team, joining Elizabeth McDowell, Erica Hathaway and Vivienne Kunkler for a time of 1:47.59.
While the Patriot breaststrokers came up big late, senior Ashton Klopp powered South Adams early on.
After the Starfires took the meet-opening 200-yard medley relay by more than six seconds in 1:54.2, Klopp earned the first of her two No. 1 seeds by nearly four seconds in the 200 freestyle in 2:00.42. Immediately after the intermission she dominated again, taking the top spot in the 100 butterfly by about 3.5 seconds in 1:00.26 with JCHS’s Elizabeth McDowell second.
Norwell freshman Alyssa Cyrus joined Bader and Klopp in taking first in a pair of preliminary events — the 200 individual medley ahead of South Adams’ Brette Klopp and Olivia Von Gunten and the 100 backstroke with Brette Klopp again as the No. 2 seed.
LeFever picked up the other individual No. 1 seed for South Adams with a time of 54.79 in the 100 freestyle, and the Starfires also earned the top spot in the 400 freestyle relay.
McDowell added a No. 4 seed for Jay County in the 100 backstroke, and Hathaway matched her with the No. 4 seed in the 500 freestyle to go along with the No. 5 seed in the 200 freestyle. Kunkler and Jenna Dunfee area seeded sixth and seventh respectively in the 100 freestyle, with Dunfee also earning the No. 8 seed in the 100 backstroke.
“After Christmas break, she’s just been working hard,” said Slavik of Dunfee, who cut time in both of her individual events to advance to the championship heat. “It’s just a tempo thing. It’s a mental thing for her. Going from a 1:05 to a 1:01 in the 100 freestyle tonight and legitimately thinking she can go under a minute, that’s a big deal.”
Valentine added a No. 7 seed in the 100 butterfly, and Kaitlyn Dow took the No. 8 spot in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. The JCHS teams of Valentine, Dow, Dunfee and Hannah James in the 200 medley relay and Hathaway, Valentine, Dow and Dunfee in the 400 freestyle relay are both seeded fourth.
South Adams put multiple swimmers in the top eight of every event except the 100 backstroke, with Olivia Von Gunten and Riley Thompson going two-three in the 500 freestyle. Thompson is also the No. 3 seed in the 200 freestyle, and Caroline Kloepper and Isabel Von Gunten nabbed the No. 4 and 5 spots respectively in the 50 freestyle. Other top-eight seeds for the Starfires were Kloepper in fifth in the 100 butterfly, Audrey Burson sixth in the 200 IM and Hadi Hawbaker eighth in both the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.
“Hadi Hawbaker moved up and got into the finals in both of her events. She was not seeded in the finals in either of her events,” he said, adding compliments for freshman Hannah Neuenschwander, the No. 9 seed in the 200 freestyle and No. 10 seed in the 100 butterfly, as well. “I would say those two girls really stuck out to me.”
James hacked 30 seconds off of her time in the 500 freestyle and is the No. 12 seed in that event. Others swimming for JCHS in Saturday’s consolation finals will be her twin sister Emma (12th – 200 IM) and Madison Brown (15th –- 200 IM).
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