January 26, 2021 at 6:31 p.m.
Patriot girls make it four in a row
Jay County High School girls swims team
Patriot girls make it four in a row
The Patriots have made winning conference an almost yearly routine.
This year’s seniors added another feather in their cap Saturday, and solidified themselves as the best class in the short history of the conference.
Jay County High School’s girls swim team won all but two events in claiming its fourth consecutive Allen County Athletic Conference championship.
“Four conference wins for an entire group of kids all the way through is a pretty outstanding benchmark for those guys,” said JCHS coach Matt Slavik. “In general, just had some great swims today all the way across the board. The kids that needed to do well did well and the kids that needed to improve improved. It makes it more difficult to decide who’s swimming (in the sectional meet) in a couple weeks, but I’d rather have to think about it a lot more instead of just knowing automatically.
“It was a great day. Fun to win the conference, especially with this group of kids and the amazing attitude and effort they put in.”
Jay County’s girls scored 432 points for first place, and Bluffton was a distant second with 368 points. Adams Central (211) placed third and South Adams (177) was fourth.
Bluffton’s boys set four new conference records on their way to 388.5 points and the team championship. Adams Central, which had a pair of meet records, scored 326.5 points for second. Jay County (319) was third and South Adams (193) took fourth.
Jay County’s Ashlyn Dow was one of two seniors and three Patriots to claim a pair of individual wins and assist in relay victories. Dow chased a four-year-old record in the 100-yard breaststroke — an event the Patriots have dominated in the conference, and have been well represented during the state meet as well.
Dow had a time of 1 minute, 8.75 seconds, just 0.71 off Alex Bader’s record from 2016.
“She had a really solid 100 freestyle and unfortunately she came up a little bit short of reaching her goal of setting the ACAC record (in the 100 breaststroke),” Slavik said, alluding to Dow’s time of 56.4 seconds to claim the 100 freestyle championship earlier in the morning. “I thought she was there in the way she took off and she came up just shy.
“But you know, the girl that holds that record is now a (NCAA Division I) 100 breaststroker, so looking at where she’s at and where she’s going hopefully it’s a little foreshadowing of what we have going on considering where Alex ended up her senior year.”
Bader, who now swims at Ball State University, was fifth in the state in 2018 and later went on to win the sport’s Mental Attitude Award.
Eliza Bader and Mara Bader — the youngest two of the four Bader sisters — had a pair of victories each as well. Eliza, a senior, won the 50 freestyle in a season-best 25.13 seconds, and took the top spot in the 100 backstroke in 1:02.03. Mara, a sophomore, won the 200 individual medley (2:24.09) and 100 butterfly (1:05.33).
Dow and the Baders joined Rieley Brewster for a 200 medley relay victory in 1:57.26, then teamed with Lilli Clemmons to win the 200 freestyle relay in 1:46.24.
The Patriots’ other victory came in the 400 freestyle relay on the efforts of Zion Beiswanger, Elayna Paro, Clemmons and Brewster, who ended in 4:09.04.
“I think with where we’re at and the magnitude of this meet and where we put it I think the girls did well,” Slavik said. “They’re well on point to extending the season, having a good sectional and beyond. We hit our benchmarks where we wanted to hit our benchmark times.
“We came out and won all but two events. It’s probably better than any other team we’ve had.”
Senior Griffin Mann picked up the only win for the JCHS boys, finishing with a time of 1:02.07 for first in the 100 backstroke.
Bluffton’s Caleb Geimer, Jack Ringger, Colin Magdich and Dylan King set a new conference record in the 200 medley relay in 1:44,91, besting the Tigers’ 2018 squad.
Geimer also set new conference marks in the 200 freestyle (1:52.55) and the 100 butterfly (52.23 seconds). Ringger’s time of 1:00.18 in the 100 breaststroke was also a new ACAC record.
Adams Central’s Jake Kaehr had times of 22.11 seconds and 49.7 seconds in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, respectively, and both were new ACAC records.
This year’s seniors added another feather in their cap Saturday, and solidified themselves as the best class in the short history of the conference.
Jay County High School’s girls swim team won all but two events in claiming its fourth consecutive Allen County Athletic Conference championship.
“Four conference wins for an entire group of kids all the way through is a pretty outstanding benchmark for those guys,” said JCHS coach Matt Slavik. “In general, just had some great swims today all the way across the board. The kids that needed to do well did well and the kids that needed to improve improved. It makes it more difficult to decide who’s swimming (in the sectional meet) in a couple weeks, but I’d rather have to think about it a lot more instead of just knowing automatically.
“It was a great day. Fun to win the conference, especially with this group of kids and the amazing attitude and effort they put in.”
Jay County’s girls scored 432 points for first place, and Bluffton was a distant second with 368 points. Adams Central (211) placed third and South Adams (177) was fourth.
Bluffton’s boys set four new conference records on their way to 388.5 points and the team championship. Adams Central, which had a pair of meet records, scored 326.5 points for second. Jay County (319) was third and South Adams (193) took fourth.
Jay County’s Ashlyn Dow was one of two seniors and three Patriots to claim a pair of individual wins and assist in relay victories. Dow chased a four-year-old record in the 100-yard breaststroke — an event the Patriots have dominated in the conference, and have been well represented during the state meet as well.
Dow had a time of 1 minute, 8.75 seconds, just 0.71 off Alex Bader’s record from 2016.
“She had a really solid 100 freestyle and unfortunately she came up a little bit short of reaching her goal of setting the ACAC record (in the 100 breaststroke),” Slavik said, alluding to Dow’s time of 56.4 seconds to claim the 100 freestyle championship earlier in the morning. “I thought she was there in the way she took off and she came up just shy.
“But you know, the girl that holds that record is now a (NCAA Division I) 100 breaststroker, so looking at where she’s at and where she’s going hopefully it’s a little foreshadowing of what we have going on considering where Alex ended up her senior year.”
Bader, who now swims at Ball State University, was fifth in the state in 2018 and later went on to win the sport’s Mental Attitude Award.
Eliza Bader and Mara Bader — the youngest two of the four Bader sisters — had a pair of victories each as well. Eliza, a senior, won the 50 freestyle in a season-best 25.13 seconds, and took the top spot in the 100 backstroke in 1:02.03. Mara, a sophomore, won the 200 individual medley (2:24.09) and 100 butterfly (1:05.33).
Dow and the Baders joined Rieley Brewster for a 200 medley relay victory in 1:57.26, then teamed with Lilli Clemmons to win the 200 freestyle relay in 1:46.24.
The Patriots’ other victory came in the 400 freestyle relay on the efforts of Zion Beiswanger, Elayna Paro, Clemmons and Brewster, who ended in 4:09.04.
“I think with where we’re at and the magnitude of this meet and where we put it I think the girls did well,” Slavik said. “They’re well on point to extending the season, having a good sectional and beyond. We hit our benchmarks where we wanted to hit our benchmark times.
“We came out and won all but two events. It’s probably better than any other team we’ve had.”
Senior Griffin Mann picked up the only win for the JCHS boys, finishing with a time of 1:02.07 for first in the 100 backstroke.
Bluffton’s Caleb Geimer, Jack Ringger, Colin Magdich and Dylan King set a new conference record in the 200 medley relay in 1:44,91, besting the Tigers’ 2018 squad.
Geimer also set new conference marks in the 200 freestyle (1:52.55) and the 100 butterfly (52.23 seconds). Ringger’s time of 1:00.18 in the 100 breaststroke was also a new ACAC record.
Adams Central’s Jake Kaehr had times of 22.11 seconds and 49.7 seconds in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, respectively, and both were new ACAC records.
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD