New coach for JC, but same goals

For four decades, the name Barry Weaver has gone hand-in-hand with Jay County swimming.
When Weaver put down his clipboard for the final time, retiring as the first (and only) boys coach in school history, it paved the way for a new face.
But it’s a familiar one.
Cori Vormohr has been coaching the Jay County Summer Swim Team for a number of years, and the 2009 JCHS graduate takes over as Patriot boys coach this year.
And while she has a small squad — it shrunk from 21 members to just more than a dozen — the goals she has set for them remain the same.
“Individually I want them to improve on their times,” said Vormohr, whose teams kicks off its season at 6 p.m. Tuesday as it hosts Allen County Athletic Conference opponent Bluffton. “I think just based on the way they have been practicing these first two weeks that they’ll definitely do that.”
The Patriots lost state medalist James Keen to graduation, but return the only other state qualifier from last season in Sok Vormohr, Cori’s brother.
After winning the sectional championship in the 100-yard freestyle, he placed 30th at the state finals. For his senior season, Cori hopes Sok can do just as well in the same event, but also the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Sok placed sixth at sectional in the 200 individual medley last season.
“We’ll pull him more toward those events this year,” Cori said.
Christian Phillips finished second at sectional in diving, a mere 13 points behind Connor Ross of Bellmont.
Phillips was 20th at regional, and Vormohr said she has is optimistic he can improve on that place.
“Hopefully he qualifies for the regional again,” she said. “He’s been working with our diving coach Mandy Bruce (and) he’s already put in a lot of time and work. He’s been doing well.”
 Connor Daniels and Christopher McDowell placed 10th at sectional in the 50 and 500 freestyle events respectively. Daniels, who battled a shoulder injury for most of last season, returns as a senior as the second sprinter.
“He’s been doing a lot more the beginning of this season so hopefully he rested it a bit over the summer and he’s ready to come back strong this year,” Vormohr said.
McDowell was also 13th in the 200 freestyle, and he will be tasked with trying to fill the gap from Cody White graduating. White was fourth in the 200 freestyle and fifth in the 500 freestyle at the 2015 sectional meet.
Other returning swimmers who scored points at sectional include Ian Reynolds (12th – 100 backstroke), Travis Barton (13th – 200 IM, 15th – 100 butterfly), Thomas Boozier (14th – 100 breaststroke) and Luke Nichols (16th – 100 breaststroke).
Barton, a senior, has set a goal of breaking the 1-minute mark in the 100 butterfly.
“That is a very reasonable goal for him,” Vormohr said. “I think he is a really hard worker and he’ll get there. We’ve been focusing a lot on stroke drills and improving just little things in his stroke that will make a difference.”
Also looking to help the team are sophomores Garrett Campbell, Alex LeMaster and Jason Minnich.
 Vormohr and the Patriots welcome three newcomers to the program in freshmen Tayler Smetlzer, Skyler Myers and Rob Garringer. Smeltzer has been groomed through the summer and winter swim teams, and Vormohr likes the versatility he brings to the high school squad.
“He is strong in all strokes and I think getting into high school swimming is really going to help make him stronger by doing more difficult practices,” Vormohr said. “I think early on he’ll see a lot of improvement on his times, but I do expect him to be one of those younger boys that steps up and helps this team.
“He can swim in any event and do well so it’s nice to have a freshman that can do that.”
Jay County was second in the inaugural Allen County Athletic Conference meet last season, finishing 48 points behind Bluffton. Sok Vormohr is the lone returning individual conference champion, but he was also on the winning 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams with Daniels.
With a depleted squad this year, Cori Vormohr is hoping the Patriots don’t slip any further than second.
“We don’t have the depth they had last year, but again I’m focusing more on the individuals than the team place,” she said. “With our low numbers I don’t expect them to fall any lower than second, but I don’t think first is out of the picture.”
Jay County scored 244 points at sectional to finish third by a long shot — Delta won with 447 points and Muncie Central was runner up with 381.5 — and like conference, Vormohr expects the Patriots to stay in the same position.
“I’d like to stay in the top three at sectional,” she said. Jay County was able to finish ahead of Bluffton by six points last season, avenging the conference loss. “That will be a tough goal to reach. Again, I just want the boys to improve on their times. I want them to see individual growth, and as long as we’re sticking together as a team I think that is a good thing.”