Patriots to lean on Keen

Nine-hundredths of a second.
James Keen’s school-record time of 52.74 seconds in the 100-yard backstroke at the state finals last season was nine-hundredths away from earning a spot in the consolation finals.
The Jay County High School swimmer wants to make sure he doesn’t miss the top 16 his senior season.
“I’m definitely pushing for top eight,” said Keen, one of three returning Patriots to compete in the state finals last season. “I want to get a medal for my last year. That’s been my goal ever since my freshman year.”
Keen also set a school record at the state meet in the 200 individual medley, finishing 26th with a time of 1:56.17.
When the Jay County High School boys swim team opens its season Tuesday at Bluffton, Keen will be one of seven seniors longtime coach Barry Weaver said he will count on to have Jay County represented at the state meet in Indianapolis.
“Our seniors are stepping up and doing a good job,” Weaver said of Luke and Will Rowles, Ian Bentz, Jake Nichols, Cody White, Ryan Harris and Keen.
Bentz had a part in scoring 38 points for the Patriots last season at sectional as they placed third with 280 points behind Muncie Central (395.5) and Delta (380). Bentz swam the breaststroke leg of the third-place 200 medley relay team and was sixth in the 100 breaststroke.
Additionally, Weaver is expecting more of the successes he got out of junior Sok Vormohr and White. The duo swam with 2014 graduate Josh Lykins and Keen in the 400 freestyle at the state finals last season.
“They’re coming in and I think they’re excited,” Weaver said. “It will be good to have them back.”
He also said filling the void left by Lykins, who is now swimming for Lindsey Wilson College, won’t be an easy task.
“I don’t know that we can fill in for Josh, but we’re going to have someone in there and hopefully those guys will get a little faster,” he added. “Hopefully someone else can step up and do some good swimming.”
Conner Daniels, who was 11th in the 50 freestyle at the sectional meet last season, is the frontrunner to join Keen, Vormohr and White in the 400 freestyle relay team.
Weaver has four freshmen — Alex LeMaster, Christopher McDowell, Jason Minnich and Ian James — who have had success in middle school and he is hoping they can make an impact for the Patriots.
“We have a lot of young guys that have come out that have been through either the summer program or middle school program,” he said. The Patriots’ freshman class also includes Luke Nichols, Dominic Posocco and Cody Moser. “I’m real pleased with what we’re seeing so far.”
Christian Phillips and Ryan Harris both came on late last season as divers for Weaver. Phillips placed sixth and Harris was eighth respectively at sectional last season.
With Jay County joining the Allen County Athletic Conference this season, the ACAC finally has enough teams to hold a conference meet, which will be Jan. 23 and 24 at Jay County.
“The very first year, that means whoever is the conference champion means they’re going to be the conference record holder,” he said. “That’s going to be pretty interesting and see how that turns out.”
At last year’s sectional meet, Jay County finished higher than its new conference opponents — South Adams (fifth), Bluffton (sixth) and Adams Central (seventh).
“It will be good for us to have another place to shoot for good times and good places,” Weaver added. “I’m excited about it, the kids are excited about it.
“Let’s have some fun.”