Kokomo’s Aubrey Simmons is going back to the State Finals. The Wildkat junior earned two entries for the state meet by reaching the state cut time in two events at Saturday’s Noblesville Girls Swimming and Diving Sectional. She also made state as a freshman and sophomore.
Simmons took second in the 50-yard freestyle in :23.74 and was second in the 100 backstroke in :55.39. Both those times qualified her for the state meet and both were new KHS records in events where she already had the school mark.
Sectional winners and swimmers who reach the state cut time qualify for the state meet, which is Friday and Saturday at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis. Simmons is seeded fifth in backstroke at state and eighth in the 50 free.
The top eight swimmers in the sectional preliminaries swam in the championship finals. The Katfish qualified for the championship finals in two relays. Morgan Rakestraw, Milla Hawkins, Simmons and Madison Armstrong took fourth in the 200 medley relay (2:00.97) and the same quartet took third in the 200 free relay (1:45.96).
Hawkins reached the championship final in the 100 free, where she was eighth (:56.28).
“Aside from relays, swimming on sectional Saturday was a new experience for three of my athletes that competed,” Kokomo coach Zach Whiteman said. “Seeing these girls put in so much work at practice each day only makes their success all the more special. I’m incredibly proud of my girls team and how everyone pushed themselves both mentally and physically [Saturday].”
Whiteman noted the Katfish finished fourth, which was three spots better than last season.
Perennial state champion Carmel ruled the 10-team sectional again, putting up a score of 549. Kokomo led the local contingent in fourth (147), Maconaquah was fifth (135) Western sixth (130), Tipton seventh (125), Northwestern ninth (102) and Eastern 10th (74).
Eastern’s Ava Kantz reached the championship finals in the 200 free, taking eighth in 2:05.12. Additionally, Addie Conner, Haven Gunderson, Grace VanBibber and Kantz were sixth in the 200 free relay (1:53.64).
“We had a great end to the season and I’m proud of all the hard work all the girls put in,” Eastern coach Sarah Nibert said.
Western’s best showings came in the 200 medley relay and 200 free relays. Emily Scott, Autumn Harsh, Gracie Burns and Ellie Kretz teamed to take fifth in the medley relay (2:01.71) and Burns, Julia Watson, Kretz and Cami Maddox took fifth in the 200 free relay (1:49.54).
The Panthers did not have any individuals in championship finals. Burns led the squad with a 10th-place swim in the 50 free (:26.36) and an 11th-place in the 100 free (:58.74).
“It was a great weekend for the girls,” Western coach Brad Bennett said. “Thursday night, they had 21 season-best swims and they did the exact same thing again [Saturday] — they had 21 improvements from that. I’m just exceptionally happy with the girls. It’s an intimidating meet to go up against Carmel, Noblesville and Westfield with all their resources. But, our girls trained all season for this and they were ready for it.”
Bennett praised Burns, who capped her Panther career in the sectional, and several other swimmers for what they brought to the team.
Bennett noted Harsh’s perseverance. The Panther junior was 12th in both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke.
“She had two major surgeries on her legs after last season and for her to recover from that, come back and swim the way she did this season and to place as well as she did in this meet was just amazing,” he said.
Northwestern’s best showing came in diving, where Taylor Schmitt took fifth (342.95) to lead divers from local schools. Addison Sparling was eighth (266.2). Schmitt just missed advancing to the diving regional as the top four qualify.
“Our divers, both of them are in the top eight,” NW coach Donita Walters said. “They work incredibly hard. Of course we wanted Taylor to move on, but that didn’t happen. It was close. They’ll be seniors next year. Those girls were on point. They had a fantastic day on the boards.”
Northwestern’s team of Morgan Binnion, Boglarka Bodnar, Addison Bumgardner and Kelsie Heintz was eighth in the 200 medley relay (2:09.69), and the team of Heintz, Bumgardner, Jocelyn McKay and Binnion was seventh in the 400 free relay (4:07.02).
“I’m just really pleased the kids held their spots,” Walters said. “We saw a few nice time drops. Morgan Binnion has finished her season with phenomenal races. I was super pleased with Kelsie Heintz, and Addie Bumgardner, as a freshmen being down there, it can be pretty nerve-wracking, but she held her nerve and was pretty focused. I think it was her best 500 of the season.
“Jocelyn McKay was in our 400 freestyle relay and that kid has come out of nowhere. Her split in that race was a 102.4 and I’m not kidding you, she started the season in the 100 freestyle in over two minutes.”
Walters also noted Heintz and Burgandi Purvis overcame injuries to play key roles this season and in the sectional.
Maconaquah’s team of Lucy Loshnowsky, Delaney Duke, Kyndall Collins and Zoie Laber took sixth in the 200 medley relay (2:06.46). Laci Winegardner, Duke, Abby Jordan and Chloe Jordan were seventh in the 200 free relay (1:54.9). And the team of Zoie Laber, Loshnowsky, Shaylyn Schoettmer and Chloe Jordan posted Mac’s best result, taking fourth in the 400 free relay (4:01.22).
Tipton’s Ella Hare posted a couple strong swims in the championship finals, taking fifth in the 50 free (:24.35, tying her school record) and sixth in the 100 butterfly (:58.51). Tipton’s team of Lylli Tragesser, Lorelai Tragesser, Isabella Walker and Hare took fourth in the 200 free relay (:1:49.2) and the same four took fifth in the 400 free relay (4:04.25).
