Jay County girls top Elwood to go to 2-0 (11/19/04)

ELWOOD — The Patriots are two for two.

Jay County’s girls swim team improved to 2-0 Thursday with a 116-67 victory over the Elwood Panthers. It won 10 out of 12 events, with only Elwood senior Farrin Gregg breaking through.

Julie Sours, Ashley Imel, Lindsey Vesperry and Amber Kelly, all of whom had individual wins in Tuesday’s opener against Muncie Southside, finished with one individual victory and a pair of relay triumphs against the Panthers.

Sours led a one-two finish in the 100-yard freestyle, reaching the wall in 1-minute, 13.46 seconds. Ashley Horn was second, less than two seconds behind Sours.

Kelly also powered a one-two finish as she dominated the 200-yard individual medley. She was first by 19 seconds as she finished in 2:53.89 with teammate Andrea Collins in second.

Imel picked up her victory in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:21.47, and Vesperry owned the 500-yard freestyle as she lapped the entire field to win by more than a minute in 7:01.52.

In addition to her second-place finish behind Sours, Horn picked up her first career victory against Elwood. The sophomore and first-year swimmer won the 200-yard freestyle in 2:41.93.

Sandy Adkins added a victory in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:23.63.

“It was very exciting to see Ashley Horn get a win under her belt,” said Jay County coach Bev Arnold, “especially so early in the season.”

Gregg, who won the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke for the Panthers, put the Patriots in deficit as she opened against Sours in the 200-yard freestyle relay. However, Imel closed the gap on the second leg for Jay County, and Kelly and Vesperry pulled away for a win in 2:02.45.

The Patriots again trailed early in the 400-yard freestyle relay with Horn battling Elizabeth Hartsock. But, Horn rallied in her second 50 yards and teammates Collins, Imel and Samantha DeWitt were never challenged again as they won in 5:07.49.

Gregg also rallied on the breaststroke leg of the 200-yard medley relay, but the Jay County team of Sours, Kelly, Vesperry and Adkins still won by more than 10 seconds in 2:18.67.

“That was exciting,” said Arnold of her team’s comeback wins. “(Gregg) was the key factor. ... she just went flying around us (in the medley relay), but our last two people persevered and got the job done. ... We didn’t give up.”

Jay County also had a comeback effort of sorts. After an opening meet in which none of its three divers scored more than 100 points, the Patriots had two divers snap the century mark against Elwood.

Lacey VanSkyock joined Horn in earning her first career win with a score of 112.72. Brittany Lewis was second with 104.40 points.

“The divers had a much improved night tonight,” said Arnold. “The first night there was probably a lot of nerves and jitters. Tonight they stepped up on the board with more confidence.”

Jay County has won 21-of-24 events in the first two meets in going 2-0. Last season it won 23-of-24 for a 2-0 record, but won just a single meet after that.

Arnold said one of her goals is for that third win to come much earlier this year. Monday against Adams Central would be nice.

“I want to get that win back,” said Arnold, whose team’s third win didn’t come until Jan. 13 against Hagerstown last year. “That was a first last year when (Adams Central) beat us. We want that one back.

“I’m really hoping that the final overall record will show more than three wins.”[[In-content Ad]]