Morrison wins two events at state

Editor’s note: With a void in sports, The Commercial Review will occasionally run past stories from key events in the area’s athletic history. This story, from Feb. 25, 1985, recaps Bob Morrison claiming two swimming state championships — he became the first Patriot to do so — while also receiving the mental attitude award.

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INDIANAPOLIS — Whoever said you can’t have your cake and eat it too never met Bob Morrison.

Morrison, Jay County’s senior freestyler, got his cake indeed Saturday at the Indiana High School Athletic Association Swimming Championships at the Indiana University Natatorium by winning both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events. Morrison won the 50 free in a time of 21.21, good enough for a new school record, and took first place in the 100 free in a new state record time of 49.95 set in 1983 by Southmont’s Kevin Hedrick.

But Morrison also got plenty of icing to go along with the double victory.

For his performance at the state meet and throughout the season, Morrison was awarded the Herman F. Keller award for mental attitude. Additionally, Morrison’s double victory avenged defeats in the 50 and 100 free in last year’s state competition.

“The only thing I really had on my mind was determination,” Morrison said. “Since I got second in the state last year, I was just determined to win.

“But getting the (mental attitude) award makes a nice third award. I really didn’t expect it, but it certainly was another big thrill for me. This was the best day swimming I ever had. I guess I picked a good day for it.”

Jay swimming coach Barry Weaver said that Morrison’s hard work through the season made the difference in the state meet.

“He’s just an exceptional young man,” Weaver said of Morrison. “He’s very goal-oriented and has everything in perspective. He just worked his tail off getting ready for this, and he put in the extra time to make it happen.”

In the 50 freestyle, things were a little easier than expected for Morrison. The top seed in the event, Andy McVey of Beech Grove, false started twice, disqualifying him from the race. With McVey suddenly out of the picture, the event seemed to be Morrison’s more than ever.

“The race felt a little easier after he (McVey) was gone, but I got that out of my head in a hurry because that’s how you lose,” Morrison said. “So I just got back into thinking about what race I had to do and swim my race.

“It was just tough luck for him (McVey). He’s a real nice guy and just before the 100 he came over and wished me luck.”

As it turned out, Morrison didn’t need any luck. McVey did manage to stay in the 100 free, but Morrison, who said he was fired up more after winning the 50 free, was not to be denied.

McVey led for the first 75 yards of the race, but Morrison, swimming in lane three, made up the margin in the third turn, and passed McVey in the final 25 yards to get his second title and the state record. McVey finished second with a time of 46.6.

“It was the exact opposite of the race I swam last year,” Morrison said of the 100 free. “I was ahead until the last 25 yards (last year) and then I got passed.

“It really wasn’t all that great of a turn,” he added. “I still screwed it up a bit, but I managed to get a good push off and he didn’t seem to make a real strong turn.”

Weaver said that Morrison’s strong turn didn’t seem all that bad from where he was watching.

“Bob just blasted right by him in the last 25 yards,” Weaver said. “It looked like he really nailed his turn and then just pulled away. As they say, it was all over but the shouting, and I did lots of that.”

Morrison had to wait about an hour from the time he won his second title to the time it was announced that he had won the mental attitude award. He said that he was more nervous waiting for that than he was for either of his races.

“I felt I had a chance to get it, but I couldn’t be sure,” he said. “I just wanted them to get it over with. I was more nervous for that than when I was swimming.”

Morrison, the son of Barbara Morrison, Oakwood Moble Home Park, Portland, and Thomas Morrison, RR 4, Portland, made All-American in his events in 1984. He was president of the National Honor Society at JCHS, senior class vice president and a National Merit Commended Student. He was a Hoosier Boys’ State delegate and is a member of Asbury United Methodist Church. He has a 3.6 grade point average and ranks 21st in his class.

He said he plans to take it easy for a while, savor the victory and then start looking for a college.

“Right now I just want to go home and take it easy, get my feet on the ground,” he said. “Then I’m going to figure out which college to go to. I’m supposed to go to IU Friday. I hope I get to see a lot more places.”

That probably won’t be much of a problem.

(As of 2020, the state record for the 100 freestyle is 43.2 seconds, set by Carmel’s Drew Kibler in 2017.)