Looking to improve

Thirteen isn’t typically considered a lucky number.

The Patriots are hoping it brings them some good fortune.

Jay County High School’s girls swim team will compete for the 13th straight season in the preliminary round of the IHSAA Girls Swimming and Diving State Finals on Friday at Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.

Of the seven events it will compete in, the highest seeds are 28th — Eliza Bader in the 100-yard butterfly and Ashlyn Dow in the 100 breaststroke.

Given that the top 16 — out of 32 — return to swim in Saturday’s championship and consolation finals, it will likely take career-best efforts and a bit of good luck to get there.

“I think we’ve got some room for improvement,” said JCHS coach Matt Slavik. “It’s exciting to see where we go when the pressure’s on and we’re fully tapered and just see what they can do. It’s going to be an exciting night Friday.”

The goal across the board for Mara Bader, Erica Hathaway, Rieley Brewster, Eliza Bader and Dow, is to improve on their seeds.

Based on sectional times, Eliza Bader has the best chance to overcome the odds and advance to Saturday’s competition as her No. 28 seed in the butterfly puts her 1.36 seconds behind No. 16 seed Sophia Stutsman of Concord. She finished 29th in the event last season.

“I would like to do a 57 in my 100 fly,” said Bader, who is also seeded 31st for the 50 freestyle. “Ideally top 16 would be great. It’s a long shot to get there, but I’ll go out and do the best I can.

“I have to finish my last 50 a lot harder. I take it out strong and then I tighten up real bad on my last lap. So I need to figure out how to strengthen my last lap so I can come back hard.”

Dow faces a larger gap in the 100 breaststroke after winning the sectional title in 1:08.06. Lake Central’s Michaela Spears is the No. 16 seed at 1:06.02.

The junior is also seeded 31st for the 100 freestyle.

Slavik agreed with Eliza Bader’s assessment of what she needs to do to improve Saturday and said the same is true for Dow.

“We just have to come home stronger,” he said. “They’re taking the races out where they need to be. They’ll take the races out a little bit faster on Friday, I would expect. … And just simply the excitement of the natatorium brings out a kind of energy they didn’t have (at sectional).”

Mara Bader is the No. 32 seed for the Patriots’ other individual event — the 200 individual medley — at the state finals.

Jay County will also compete in a pair of relays, including the opening heat of the medley relay. The team of Brewster, Dow and the Bader sisters goes into that race as the No. 29 seed at 1:51.36.

The Patriots are the No. 31 seed in the 200 freestyle relay after posting a winning time of 1:42.47 in the event at the sectional meet. The team’s top effort at last season’s state finals came in the 200 freestyle relay as Vivienne Kunkler, who now swims at Bethel College, Dow, Hathaway and Eliza Bader placed 24th.

Though they face long odds for returning to swim on Saturday, the JCHS contingent is excited about the opportunity to compete at the state finals.

“It’s the best thing ever,” said Eliza Bader. “It’s the fastest pool in the nation. It's so exciting just to go swim there, watch everybody. Some of the fastest teams in the nation go compete at this meet.”