November 7, 2018 at 5:22 p.m.
Girls chasing fourth set of titles
Three-tine sectional, ACAC champs open Saturday
Girls chasing fourth set of titles
Matt Slavik has coached three squads to conference and sectional championships in the last four years.
Much of that success was behind the efforts of three NCAA Division I athletes, who combined for five state medals, and two more who are competing in NAIA.
Despite their absence, Slavik is confident his Jay County High School girls swim team can be just as dominant.
“I feel like as a team we can be every bit as productive as any team we’ve had,” said Slavik, whose squad opens the season Saturday at the Norwell Invitational. “But it’s going to certainly require production from everybody all the way down.”
Jay County returns four state swimmers from last season. Sophomore Eliza Bader competed in three events, Vivienne Kunkler (senior) and Ashlyn Dow (sophomore) both swam in a pair of relays and Erica Hathaway (senior) took part as an individual.
Bader, the third in line of four swimming sisters, was 31st in the 100-yard butterfly while helping the 200 freestyle and medley relays place 18th and 21st respectively.
“She had a strong season last year,” Slavik said of the sophomore, whose sisters Sophie and Alex along with cousin Anne Vormohr all won state medals and now swim for Ball State. “She’s only in her second year and coming in strong.”
Kunkler returns as the favorite to win the sectional title in the 100 backstroke after finishing as the runner-up to Alex Bader a year ago. She was also fourth in the 100 freestyle.
“She’s found a new motivation,” Slavik said, noting the lanky senior wants to swim in college. “She has gotten more coordination and I think we’ll probably see her in the state championship in the 100 breaststroke.
“I think she’s got a shot to get out of here and then not just get down (to state) but do fairly well.”
Dow finished in the top four at sectional in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events, while competing with the 200 freestyle relay at state. Slavik said she will again hold down the freestyle sprints while also complementing Kunkler in the breaststroke.
Hathaway, who was 32nd at state in the 500 freestyle, will also be used elsewhere instead of solely as a distance swimmer.
“We’ve had the largest offseason weightlifting and training groups that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Slavik said. “I think the desire for this team is more widespread. We’ve had great teams in the past and last year we wanted to build upon what we had done in previous seasons and this year is no different.
“We want to try to build upon what we’ve done. The expectations are the same; They’ve decided their goals are to win (Allen County Athletic Conference) and sectional.”
Much of that success was behind the efforts of three NCAA Division I athletes, who combined for five state medals, and two more who are competing in NAIA.
Despite their absence, Slavik is confident his Jay County High School girls swim team can be just as dominant.
“I feel like as a team we can be every bit as productive as any team we’ve had,” said Slavik, whose squad opens the season Saturday at the Norwell Invitational. “But it’s going to certainly require production from everybody all the way down.”
Jay County returns four state swimmers from last season. Sophomore Eliza Bader competed in three events, Vivienne Kunkler (senior) and Ashlyn Dow (sophomore) both swam in a pair of relays and Erica Hathaway (senior) took part as an individual.
Bader, the third in line of four swimming sisters, was 31st in the 100-yard butterfly while helping the 200 freestyle and medley relays place 18th and 21st respectively.
“She had a strong season last year,” Slavik said of the sophomore, whose sisters Sophie and Alex along with cousin Anne Vormohr all won state medals and now swim for Ball State. “She’s only in her second year and coming in strong.”
Kunkler returns as the favorite to win the sectional title in the 100 backstroke after finishing as the runner-up to Alex Bader a year ago. She was also fourth in the 100 freestyle.
“She’s found a new motivation,” Slavik said, noting the lanky senior wants to swim in college. “She has gotten more coordination and I think we’ll probably see her in the state championship in the 100 breaststroke.
“I think she’s got a shot to get out of here and then not just get down (to state) but do fairly well.”
Dow finished in the top four at sectional in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events, while competing with the 200 freestyle relay at state. Slavik said she will again hold down the freestyle sprints while also complementing Kunkler in the breaststroke.
Hathaway, who was 32nd at state in the 500 freestyle, will also be used elsewhere instead of solely as a distance swimmer.
“We’ve had the largest offseason weightlifting and training groups that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Slavik said. “I think the desire for this team is more widespread. We’ve had great teams in the past and last year we wanted to build upon what we had done in previous seasons and this year is no different.
“We want to try to build upon what we’ve done. The expectations are the same; They’ve decided their goals are to win (Allen County Athletic Conference) and sectional.”
Jay County hosts the conference meet Jan. 18 and 19, with the sectional scheduled for Jan. 31 and Feb. 2.
The Patriots have a handful of other swimmers to supplement the four returning state athletes. Rieley Brewster, a sophomore, was fifth in both the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley races at sectional. Classmate Lilly Clemmons was one spot ahead of Brewster in the IM, and tied for sixth in the 100 freestyle.
“Rieley Brewster is another one stepping up right now and swimming with the top group,” Slavik said. “She’s gained some maturity and understanding of how this works and has improved quite a bit.”
Junior twins Emma and Hanna James return having scored points at sectional. Sophomores Kelly Strausburg, Kassidy Fennig and Kearston Myers, as well as freshmen Emily Dues and Alayna Paro, are also expected to make contributions to this year’s squad.
“I expect a lot out of our sophomores,” Slavik said. “We have a lot of sophomores that maybe didn’t get the credit that they deserved last year. I think they’re going to fill nicely.”
Dues is the team’s only diver this year.
Jay County has 11 home meets on its schedule, starting with a showdown with Adams Central on Nov. 19. They return home 10 days later against Anderson before the Celina Sprints on Dec. 1. Norwell, which was runner-up to Jay County at sectional, comes to Portland on Dec. 6 and the Patriots host Delta on Dec. 11.
They entertain Bellmont and Celina on Jan. 2 and 3 respectively before hosting the Jay County Invitational on Jan. 4 and 5.
Jay County’s final home meet of the regular season is a double dual with Blackford and Muncie Burris on Jan. 22.
But all eyes are focused on sectional and claiming the program’s fourth championship in five years after going four decades without one.
“I think we have the talent to get our first- and second-place finishers, but I also think we’ve got some depth,” Slavik said.
The Patriots have a handful of other swimmers to supplement the four returning state athletes. Rieley Brewster, a sophomore, was fifth in both the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley races at sectional. Classmate Lilly Clemmons was one spot ahead of Brewster in the IM, and tied for sixth in the 100 freestyle.
“Rieley Brewster is another one stepping up right now and swimming with the top group,” Slavik said. “She’s gained some maturity and understanding of how this works and has improved quite a bit.”
Junior twins Emma and Hanna James return having scored points at sectional. Sophomores Kelly Strausburg, Kassidy Fennig and Kearston Myers, as well as freshmen Emily Dues and Alayna Paro, are also expected to make contributions to this year’s squad.
“I expect a lot out of our sophomores,” Slavik said. “We have a lot of sophomores that maybe didn’t get the credit that they deserved last year. I think they’re going to fill nicely.”
Dues is the team’s only diver this year.
Jay County has 11 home meets on its schedule, starting with a showdown with Adams Central on Nov. 19. They return home 10 days later against Anderson before the Celina Sprints on Dec. 1. Norwell, which was runner-up to Jay County at sectional, comes to Portland on Dec. 6 and the Patriots host Delta on Dec. 11.
They entertain Bellmont and Celina on Jan. 2 and 3 respectively before hosting the Jay County Invitational on Jan. 4 and 5.
Jay County’s final home meet of the regular season is a double dual with Blackford and Muncie Burris on Jan. 22.
But all eyes are focused on sectional and claiming the program’s fourth championship in five years after going four decades without one.
“I think we have the talent to get our first- and second-place finishers, but I also think we’ve got some depth,” Slavik said.
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