By Todd Taylor and Kevin Leibrock
For the second consecutive season, Avon’s Emmie Ryan earned a trip to state, where she finished seventh in the 500 free and 11th in the 200 free.
Ryan returns as a junior in 2009-10 to lead an Oriole squad that features many key swimmers from a year ago.
“I think she’s shown leadership skills since her freshman year,” Avon coach Jon Karr said. “She’s really a leader by example, always working hard and doing things right.”
Sophomore Lindsey Hill figures to be one of Avon’s top sprinters. Last season, Hill won county titles in the 50 free and 100 fly events, and followed with a sectional title in the 100 fly. Hill placed 26th in the 100 fly at state.
“I expect her to do very well,” Karr said. “I really look forward to our returning swimmers being leaders this year.”
Hill and fellow returners Mikaela Wegerhoff and Megan Buis teamed up to finish 24th in the 200 medley relay at state. Allison Badgley and Sarah Lorenz were also part of two relay teams that swam at state.
Among the other returning swimmers for Avon are Kelsey Hill, Julie Swihart, and Taylor Smith.
Avon looks to improve on a stellar 2008-09 season, which saw them crown eight county and three sectional champions. As a team, the Orioles won the county meet and placed second at sectional behind Zionsville.
“We’ll be a little more competitive,” Karr said. “Zionsville is probably still the cream of the crop, and until someone beats them, they’re the team to beat.”
Avon will get an early look at the Eagles, traveling to Zionsville Nov. 19 to begin the season.
Brownsburg
The Brownsburg girls’ swim team had a very successful postseason last year, with four athletes competing at the state meet.
“Last year was a big step forward for the program,” Brownsburg coach Josh Saylor said. “Of the four girls that swam at state three are returning and several others came to the meet as alternates. I think it really helped open a lot of eyes. We’ve been talking about the state meet since day one.”
The Bulldogs graduated only two seniors – Katie Ancel and Julie Collins – and return the three athletes that swam individually at last year’s state meet. Those swimmers are junior Janet Watson (13th in 500 free), senior Claire Partlow (29th, 200 free), and sophomore Heather Partlow (25th, 200 IM).
The three also swam on the 400 relay team that finished 20th at state.
Junior Kristin Anderson, sophomore Elizabeth Ancel, and seniors Danielle Gaerke, Molly Birrer, and Brenda Woodings all picked up valuable sectional experience last season.
In diving, juniors Sara Story and Shelby Day both scored at sectional and senior Kim Carlyle will also contribute in the event.
Saylor says the Bulldogs’ incoming freshmen class – which includes Erin Miller and Madeline Ketchem – is very talented.
“We have a good freshmen class coming in,” Saylor said. “They had very successful middle school careers.”
The Bulldogs will have their work cut out for them, competing in a conference with five teams ranked in the top 11 – Hamilton Southeastern (No. 2), Noblesville (No. 3), Fishers (No. 6), Zionsville (No. 8), and Westfield (No. 11).
“For the girls, the goal since day one has been to advance more kids to state and increase our scoring,” Saylor said.
The Bulldogs begin their season Nov. 17 when they host Tri-West.
Plainfield
The Quakers only lost a handful of seniors to graduation, but will again field a small senior class led by Emma Jay, Kaylee Mickens, Courtney Erlenbaugh, and Melissa Haley.
“Our numbers are pretty small this year but we have four real solid seniors,” Plainfield coach Chris Cavanaugh said. “The core nucleus of the team is those four for sure.”
Haley, Mickens, and Erlenbaugh swam on the Quakers’ county runner up 200 free relay team and Haley was also runner up at county in the 100 fly.
Sophomore Kelsey Wickham will also be a key contributor for the Quakers. As a freshman she swam at the sectional meet in the 100 free and with the fifth-place 400 free relay team. Freshman Ana Taber also looks to be a factor for Plainfield .
“Kelsey has had a very good summer of training and Anna is a very talented incoming freshman,” Cavanaugh said.
Last season the Quakers finished third at the county meet and eighth at sectional.
Cavanaugh knows placing among the top finishers in the county meet will be no easy task this season.
“Our county is really tough,” he said. “Right now, we have to move some kids around from their normal events to fill some holes.”
More than anything, Cavanaugh just wants the season to be an enjoyable experience for all involved.
“The goal is always to have fun,” he said. “It’s an extracurricular activity that requires so much extra time out of them. Swimmers make a big sacrifice and it should be fun for them.”
Danville
The Warriors return most all of their key contributors from the 2008-09 season, but will miss the contributions of diver Franki Dawes, who finished eighth at state as a senior.
“The one thing we don’t have this year is diving,” Danville coach Sandy Beck-Willis said. “That will hurt us a little bit.”
In all other areas, the Warriors should be solid.
Leading the way will be senior Katie Griffith, who won the 200 and 500 free at the Sagamore Conference meet last season.
Aimee Bertalon, Kailan Chidester, and Hannah Huffman will round out the senior class.
“They all have experience and will be great leaders for us,” Beck-Willis said.
Sophomore Savannah Mitchell returns to the team after a standout freshman year in which she won the 100 backstroke at county. Mitchell is competing in a national tournament in Minneapolis this weekend.
Beck-Willis is encouraged by a strong junior class, headed by Kelsey Newcomer, Brittney Siller, and Sammi Baker, who is recovering well from an elbow injury she suffered over the summer.
Last season the Warriors finished second at the Sagamore Conference meet, fourth at county, and sixth at sectional.
Danville begins its season Nov. 19 with a home meet against Edgewood.
Tri-West
Only losing one senior, the Tri-West girls’ swim team returns nearly its entire roster from a year ago.
The Bruins graduated a key member of their relay teams — Abby Kahl — but coach Don Dorrell is confident his large group of juniors will be able to lead the team in the new season.
“All those girls are really planning on being my team leaders,” Dorrell said. “We have a lot of girls that swam really well last year, especially in the sprints.”
Forming the Bruins’ junior class Alisha Keck (200 free), Alex DeSutter (200 free), Ayla McCalley (50 free, 100 free), Alexa Dorrell (50 free, 100 fly), Hannah Stroup (100 fly), and Katie Groover (100 back).
The Bruins also return diver Carissa Rose, who advanced to regionals last season with a third-place showing at sectional. Rose missed the state cut by just two places. Rose will be joined on the diving board by freshman Lorin Dickerson.
Dorrell said plenty of returning experience should help the Bruins improve on last season’s 10th place sectional finish.
“Everybody’s back, so we look forward to trying to pick up the pace,” Dorrell said. “We have a lot more experience and should be improving quite a bit as we go.”
Tri-West begins its season at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Brownsburg.
Cascade
Cascade girls’ swim coach Jennifer Vail said the Cadets are eying one main team goal this season — win the West Central Conference.
“We got second place last year,” Vail said. “We’re hoping to work really hard this year, our No. 1 goal is to try to win our conference.”
Britni Marvel and Ashley Rembold will lead the Cadets as the team’s two seniors.
“This year, they’re stepping up more than they’ve ever had,” Vail said. “I have been pretty impressed and I can’t wait to see what more leadership they can show.”
Among the Cadets’ junior swimmers are Shalynn Eckols, Kayla Berling, and Kristen Burger. Berling and Eckols were on Cascade’s 400 free relay team that placed eight at last year’s sectional.
One of Cascade’s strong areas last season was diving, where as a freshman, Pascal Hansen recorded a team-best seventh place finish at sectional. Hansen returns as a sophomore, and is joined by Kailani Musson and Katrina Bell on the diving board.
“They’re a really great group, even though they’ve only been diving for one or two years,” Vail said. “They placed well at conference last year and we expect them to do the same this year.”
Vail said six incoming freshmen will provide additional depth.
The Cadets host Beech Grove Nov. 19 for their first meet.
