Miller, Hudson, Klopp get No. 1s (02/20/2009)

Sam Miller and Aaron Hudson will have their shot at state.

The pair of Patriots each earned No. 1 seeds as the Jay County High School boys swim team hosted the preliminary round of sectional action Thursday.

It was a productive evening for the Patriots, who earned more overall championship and consolation qualifications than any other team in the field of 10. South Adams matched JCHS with two top seeds, both from senior Justin Klopp.

Based on Thursday's results, Muncie Central, which earned No. 1 seeds in eight events, is the favorite to repeat as sectional champion. Jay County has the edge for the runner-up slot ahead of Bluffton and the Starfires.

Bellmont and Delta will look to battle for fifth and sixth followed by Norwell, Adams Central, Blackford and Muncie Southside.

Miller leads the Patriots, who were runners-up last season and won their only title in 2002, with his top seed in the 200-yard freestyle. He finished more than three seconds ahead of the field in the event in 1-minute, 50.54 seconds.

The senior is the No. 2 seed in his other individual event, behind only Klopp, in a race loaded with Starfires and Patriots. Klopp finished the 100 butterfly in 53.48 with Miller second at 53.7. JCHS junior Aaron Hudson picked up the No. 4 seed in 57.9, and Alex Habegger of South Adams was fifth in 58.78.

Hudson claimed the other top seed for Jay County with his effort in the 100 breaststroke. He finished more than a second ahead of No. 2 seed Daniel Proctor of Muncie Central in 1:04.13.

Miller also led the Patriots to their best relay seed, teaming with fellow seniors Lance VanSkyock, Chance Milligan and Derik Lucas for second in the 200 freestyle in 1:35.09. Miller, Milligan, Neal Fennig and Nathan Cain were third in the 400 freestyle relay at 3:35.29.

Hudson joined VanSkyock, Lucas and Fennig for third in the 200 medley relay in 1:47.73.

Fennig gave Jay County a third swimmer in the finals of multiple events. He qualified fifth in the 100 backstroke in 1:02.83 and the 200 individual medley at 2:20.5.

VanSkyock was the only other Patriot to reach the championship race in an individual event. He turned in a time of 1:06.25 for fourth in the 100 breaststroke.

Klopp's second No. 1 seed was shared with Devon Hill of Muncie Central. Both swimmers finished the 50 freestyle in 21.96, which is two hundredths of a second under the automatic state qualifying time.

In addition to his pair of top seeds, Klopp anchored a pair of second-seeded relays. He joined Habegger, Eric Feeney and Caleb Wurster for second in the 400 freestyle in 3:33.52, and teamed with Wurster, Feeney and Derek Kirchhofer to take the No. 2 slot in 1:46.83 in the 200 medley.

Wurster earned the No. 3 seed in the 500 freestyle in 5:24.16 with Feeney fifth in 5:27.13. He was also the No. 4 seed in the 200 individual medley at 2:17.47.

Habegger also picked up a No. 3 seed with a time of 1:04.99 in the 100 breaststroke. Feeney was sixth in the 200 freestyle at 2:01.86.

Jay County had 21 qualifications in all, two more than favored Muncie Central, with four swimmers reaching the consolation finals in multiple events.

Milligan was seventh and ninth in the 100 and 50 freestyle respectively, and Cain earned the No. 7 and 9 seeds in the 500 and 200 freestyle respectively. Jared Valentine placed 10th in the 100 breaststroke and 11th in the 500 freestyle, and Wiley Young was 12th in both the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly.

Caleb Hummel added a 12th-place effort in the 500 freestyle.

The only consolation qualifiers for South Adams were Waugh (seventh - breaststroke), Cole Farlow (12th - 100 freestyle) and Johnny Everidge (12th - 200 freestyle). Farlow, Kirchhofer, Joel Schmidt and Jacob Werst were eighth in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:44.08.[[In-content Ad]]