Stars aligned for historic Patriot title

Editor’s note: In more than six years, sports editor Chris Schanz has seen his fair share of athletic contests. Some stick out more than others. In this “Greatest Games” series, he will reminisce about some of the games — or meets — he’ll never forget witnessing.

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For decades, Jay County has sent a female to the IHSAA Swimming and Diving State Championships in Indianapolis.

It often came after a rather disappointing team performance less than a week earlier, as the Patriots were never able to claim a sectional championship.

A lack of depth was generally the reason why.

At the turn of the decade, though, the Patriots started to make a surge. After placing fourth in 2010, they jumped to second in 2011. The following year, they were a distant runner-up, 142 points behind Muncie Central as the Bearcats claimed their second of four consecutive championships.

Jay County closed the gap to just 11 points in 2013, and were second by 23 points in 2014.

The stars aligned the following season. In its 40th year, Jay County finally claimed the sectional title that had been elusive for so long.

“It feels so good, so good to finally win this, after four years, to make history, our last year, as seniors,” a giddy Laurann Schoenlein said while bouncing with excitement next to classmates Katy Smeltzer and Taylor Campbell following the title. “It’s an amazing feeling.”

Taking the top spot in seven races was certainly key for Jay County to total 395 points, dethroning the Muncie Central squad that ended up third. But in five events, the Patriots had three individuals earn points.

The Patriots finally had the depth they had been missing.

The program’s mainstays did their thing, with Sophie Bader taking first in the 200-yard individual medley and 100 butterfly, while cousin Anne Vormohr won the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke. In the 200 freestyle, Alex Bader was first. The trio teamed with Katy Smeltzer to win both the meet-opening 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay.

But it was the supplemental Patriots who picked up crucial points. Smeltzer was the runner-up to Vormohr in the 50 freestyle. Elizabeth McDowell was fourth in the 200 freestyle and seventh in the 500 freestyle. Ashley Mark took fourth in the 200 IM and was two spots ahead of McDowell in the 500 freestyle. Jamie Valentine placed eighth in the 100 butterfly.

While Jay County didn’t get the victory in the 100 breaststroke — that went to Cady Farlow of South Adams — the Patriots had a trio compete in the championship heat. Alex Bader was the runner-up, Valentine placed fifth and Taylor Campbell was seventh.

Smeltzer's 100 freestyle effort earned her second place, and Jay County’s 400 freestyle relay team of Schoenlein, McDowell, Valentine and Mark finished fifth.

Jay County also got much-needed points in the consolation finals of three events. Abby Saxman and Valentine were 10th and 13th, respectively, in the 100 backstroke. Cassie Reno finished 12th in the 100 butterfly and Campbell was 14th in the 200 IM.

Diving also resulted in three Patriots earning points. Heather Stinson placed third to make regional, while Samantha Link was 12th and Mackenzie Knisely took 14th.

The goal as a swimmer is always to compete in the championship heat and win, those who did not earn 20 points for an individual victory still contributed to the team. Every point matters in a swim meet, and Jay County squeezed all it could out of the depth it had.

Their collective efforts ended a streak of sectional setbacks and kicked off a string of Patriot dominance in the pool.

“It’s just awesome knowing that we made history,” Vormohr, who at the time was a junior, said. “I walk in every day and you see the picture on the wall; you see the boys 2002 sectional champions. … And it’s just like, ‘I wish I had that. I wish my team was up there.’ So it’s going to be awesome when we see our picture up on the wall.”

After receiving the trophy, the Patriots — coach Matt Slavik and assistant coach Cori Vormohr included — jumped into the pool, traversed the lane dividers and swam toward their fans in the stands. They shouted the school song, treading water and slapping the surface in jubilee.

Jay County’s 2015 sectional championship marked the first of five titles in the span of six years. The only year since then the Patriots did not sing their fight song after a victory came in 2017 when they placed second to South Adams.

The groundwork had been set for years. It took a full team effort to end a streak which started long before the girls had been alive.

Over a three-day span in 2015, it all came together in a championship performance.