Kunkler sets career-best in win

Matt Slavik knew Vivienne Kunkler had the potential.
She fulfilled his prophecy Monday night.
Kunkler, a Jay County High School sophomore, cut more than 30 seconds off her career-best time in the 200-yard individual medley.
She didn’t win, but she helped the Jay County girls swim team earn the top four spots in the race, and the Patriots went on to take the first two places in six events in a season-opening victory against the Adams Central Jets, 200-88.
“We knew this last year she as an up-and-coming swimmer, but man she’ s made a gigantic leap from where she was at,” said Slavik, whose team is coming off consecutive Allen County Athletic Conference and sectional championships. “She’s developed a lot more coordination and a lot more strength and she’s been able to drop a tremendous amount of time in the IM.”
Kunkler swam to a time of time of 2 minutes, 44.49 seconds, in knocking off 36 seconds from her best time as a freshman. She placed second behind teammate Alex Bader (2:28.96), and ahead of teammates Kaitlyn Dow and Jenna Dunfee.
“Oh my god,” Kunkler said of her reaction to taking off more than half a minute. “Thirty-six second drop is a lot.”
Slavik agreed.
“Across the board just an incredible improvement,” he said. “It is a testament to her hard work and dedication. It is paying off for her in the pool.
“I thinks he is probably the dark horse over the next couple of years to be one of the better girls in our sectional.”
Bader was one of two Patriots to win multiple events. She took first in the 100 backstroke in 1:06.91, as Jay County finished first through fourth in that event as well. Dow, Kaitlyn Hicks and Cydney Smith were second through fourth behind their junior teammate.
“Bader had a great 100 backstroke,” he said. “We went one, two, three, four in the 100 backstroke, which is an area of concern considering what we lost last year.”
Slavik was alluding to Bader’s cousin Anne Vormohr, a two-time state medalist in the event.
Freshman Erica Hathaway also picked up two victories, doing so in the 200 freestyle (2:16.7) and the 100 butterfly (1:12.09).
“It is easy for her to slip through the cracks,” Slavik said. “But if you look at what she’s done in the 200 freestyle … then coming back in the 100 butterfly … both of those are legit times and she’s going to make an impact.”
Hathaway finished ahead of senior Jamie Valentine and Kunkler to give the Patriots each of the top three places in the 100 butterfly.
Junior Elizabeth McDowell broke the 1-minute mark on a flat start in the 100 freestyle, setting a career-best time of 59.59 seconds to finish first in the event. Valentine also earned an individual victory in the 100 breaststroke in 1:18.55, finishing ahead of teammate Emma James.
Senior Samantha Link scored 156.1 points to win diving.
Jay County also won all three relays, kicking off the meet with a victory in the 200 medley relay behind the efforts of Hathaway, Valentine, Dow and Cassie Reno. They combined to finish with a time of 2:12.68.
McDowell, Valentine, Hathaway and Bader teamed to win the 200 freestyle relay in 1:53.4, and McDowell, Dow, Reno and Bader finished first in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 4:33.94.
“We’ve got a lot of positivity to take away from tonight,” Slavik said. “Adams Central … they gave us some good competition in a few races.”