Area Swimmers Prepare To Get Their Feet Wet
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Many people jump into the swimming pool to relax and have fun, but although members of area girls swim teams have fun in the water, relaxing is the last thing on their minds.
Tippecanoe Valley and Warsaw are two of the area schools that have up and coming girls swim teams who have jumped into the pool and are ready to show their skills.
Last year, the Vikings won the sectional and sent their 400- meter freestyle relay team to the state competition. Along with those accomplishments, Valley's girls swim team broke 19 school records last year.
The Vikings only lost one senior, Eve Boggs, from last year's state-qualifying team. Boggs set school records on both the 200-meter and 500-meter freestyle last year.
This year, Valley has 16 girls who hope to build on last year's success and make another trip to the IU Natatorium.
Hilary Vanlandingham, Amber Drudge, and Kyleigh Gast are returning from last year's state-qualifying relay team, and coach Steve Doerscher has high expectations for this team.
"I'd like to see us finish in the top half of sectional with these girls," said Doerscher. "This year we have a few more swimmers so we hope to fare pretty well.
"We want to keep improving. This team believes in themselves and there's a lot of team spirit."
This year's Warsaw's girls swimming coach, Eric Mohler, would like to see his team do something that Valley did last year - win sectional and send swimmers to the state competition.
"First, we'd like to have a better overall record than last year," said Mohler. "I'd also like to see us place better in the conference. Last year, we tied for fifth, and I think we have the talent to place higher this year. I'd like to win sectional, too. It will be tough, but that's one of my goals.
"I'd also like to send a couple of swimmers to state. We definitely have a couple with that potential. Katie Beehler is aiming for a school record in the 100 meter backstroke. If she does that in sectional, she will make the cut and automatically go to the state competition."
Along with Beehler, Warsaw has four seniors returning to the team. Captains Sarah Noggle and Kathryn Masur, along with Juliane Eichler and Missy Flinn, will help lead a young Warsaw team to a successful season.
"We have a young team," said Mohler. "Down the road, we look to still have a very good team."
The Warsaw Tigers ended last season with a 7-5 overall record and a 2-4 record in the NLC. This year, Warsaw has 28 swimmers who want to improve their record and vie for a spot at the state competition.
"Last year, the NLC was even tougher competition than the sectional, and it will be tough again this year," said Mohler. "If you look at our overall record, four of our five losses came in conference."
Along with having lofty goals, these coaches# have something else in common. Both coaches attribute their high expectations to teams with good attitudes to go along with their talent.
"This team has a great attitude," said Doerscher. "I don't think I've had and overall group that enjoys swimming and working hard as much as this team does."
"Everyone is working hard to reach our goals," said Mohler. "We're looking forward to a good season."
Manchester High School
Head coach: Abby Zerkel
1997 record: 10-4-1
Key losses: Heidi Yoder, Sarah Gilbert, and Annie Spangle
Key returners: Monica Minnix, Kathanna Grau, Allison Ingold, Miriah King, Hailey Cassel.
Opening meet: Dec. 1, at Huntington North
Abby Zerkel: "Other than the students we lost to graduation and our foreign exchange students from last year, all our swimmers have come back. We do not have any seniors this year so we will still have a strong team as we continue unti next year's season. We also have every strong group of freshmen that will defintiely help our team this season."
NorthWood High School
Head coach: Mary Robertson
1997 record: 5-11
Key losses: none
Key returners: Jessica Warnken, Megan Cunningham
Opening meet: Nov. 17, at Tippecanoe Valley
Mary Robertson: "We were 5-11 last year so we'd like to improve that to 7-9 this year. We don't have a big team so we want to chip away at it and work hard this year."
Tippecanoe Valley
Head coach: Steve Doerscher
1997 record: 4-6
Key losses: Eve Boggs
Key returners: Hilary Vanlandingham, Amber Drudge, Kyleigh Gast
Opening meet: Nov. 17, at home against NorthWood
Steve Doerscher: "Last year, our numbers were low so we really had no depth. This year we have a few more swimmers so we hope to fare pretty well."
Warsaw High School
Head coach: Eric Mohler
1997 record: 7-5
Key returners: Katie Beehler, Kathryn Masur, Sarah Noggle
Opening meet: November 14, at home against Elkhart Memorial
Eric Mohler: "Everyone is working hard. We'd like to win sectional and send a couple of swimmers to state. We have a very young team. Down the road we still look to have a very good team."
Wawasee High School
Head coach: Roger Karns
1997 record: 8-4, Sectional Champions
Key losses: Jenny Marty, Carrie Grothaus, Kristi Martin, Vanessa Amburgy, Erin Griffith, Jaime Conn, Kassie Biddle, Karen Shipley, Jessica Christoffel, Sarah Shipley
Key returners: Steph Shivers, Alles, Tami Miller, Jane Wamsley, Gennie Brissette, Laura Lundin, Sandy Drake, Laura Karns, Jenny Butt, Jena Rantz
Opening meet: November 14 at home against DeKalb
Roger Karn: "We want to improve throughout the season as individuals and as a team. As always, competition in the NLC is fierce. If we can place in the top three in the NLC, then we will feel as if we have accomplished what we set out to do. At sectionals, we want to advance as many swimmers to the finals as possible and send a large, representative squad to the state finals. This year, our strength will be depth. We have 36 swimmers, and we have a number of good experienced swimmers who have been at it for a while. We have a number of quality experienced swimmers." [[In-content Ad]]
Many people jump into the swimming pool to relax and have fun, but although members of area girls swim teams have fun in the water, relaxing is the last thing on their minds.
Tippecanoe Valley and Warsaw are two of the area schools that have up and coming girls swim teams who have jumped into the pool and are ready to show their skills.
Last year, the Vikings won the sectional and sent their 400- meter freestyle relay team to the state competition. Along with those accomplishments, Valley's girls swim team broke 19 school records last year.
The Vikings only lost one senior, Eve Boggs, from last year's state-qualifying team. Boggs set school records on both the 200-meter and 500-meter freestyle last year.
This year, Valley has 16 girls who hope to build on last year's success and make another trip to the IU Natatorium.
Hilary Vanlandingham, Amber Drudge, and Kyleigh Gast are returning from last year's state-qualifying relay team, and coach Steve Doerscher has high expectations for this team.
"I'd like to see us finish in the top half of sectional with these girls," said Doerscher. "This year we have a few more swimmers so we hope to fare pretty well.
"We want to keep improving. This team believes in themselves and there's a lot of team spirit."
This year's Warsaw's girls swimming coach, Eric Mohler, would like to see his team do something that Valley did last year - win sectional and send swimmers to the state competition.
"First, we'd like to have a better overall record than last year," said Mohler. "I'd also like to see us place better in the conference. Last year, we tied for fifth, and I think we have the talent to place higher this year. I'd like to win sectional, too. It will be tough, but that's one of my goals.
"I'd also like to send a couple of swimmers to state. We definitely have a couple with that potential. Katie Beehler is aiming for a school record in the 100 meter backstroke. If she does that in sectional, she will make the cut and automatically go to the state competition."
Along with Beehler, Warsaw has four seniors returning to the team. Captains Sarah Noggle and Kathryn Masur, along with Juliane Eichler and Missy Flinn, will help lead a young Warsaw team to a successful season.
"We have a young team," said Mohler. "Down the road, we look to still have a very good team."
The Warsaw Tigers ended last season with a 7-5 overall record and a 2-4 record in the NLC. This year, Warsaw has 28 swimmers who want to improve their record and vie for a spot at the state competition.
"Last year, the NLC was even tougher competition than the sectional, and it will be tough again this year," said Mohler. "If you look at our overall record, four of our five losses came in conference."
Along with having lofty goals, these coaches# have something else in common. Both coaches attribute their high expectations to teams with good attitudes to go along with their talent.
"This team has a great attitude," said Doerscher. "I don't think I've had and overall group that enjoys swimming and working hard as much as this team does."
"Everyone is working hard to reach our goals," said Mohler. "We're looking forward to a good season."
Manchester High School
Head coach: Abby Zerkel
1997 record: 10-4-1
Key losses: Heidi Yoder, Sarah Gilbert, and Annie Spangle
Key returners: Monica Minnix, Kathanna Grau, Allison Ingold, Miriah King, Hailey Cassel.
Opening meet: Dec. 1, at Huntington North
Abby Zerkel: "Other than the students we lost to graduation and our foreign exchange students from last year, all our swimmers have come back. We do not have any seniors this year so we will still have a strong team as we continue unti next year's season. We also have every strong group of freshmen that will defintiely help our team this season."
NorthWood High School
Head coach: Mary Robertson
1997 record: 5-11
Key losses: none
Key returners: Jessica Warnken, Megan Cunningham
Opening meet: Nov. 17, at Tippecanoe Valley
Mary Robertson: "We were 5-11 last year so we'd like to improve that to 7-9 this year. We don't have a big team so we want to chip away at it and work hard this year."
Tippecanoe Valley
Head coach: Steve Doerscher
1997 record: 4-6
Key losses: Eve Boggs
Key returners: Hilary Vanlandingham, Amber Drudge, Kyleigh Gast
Opening meet: Nov. 17, at home against NorthWood
Steve Doerscher: "Last year, our numbers were low so we really had no depth. This year we have a few more swimmers so we hope to fare pretty well."
Warsaw High School
Head coach: Eric Mohler
1997 record: 7-5
Key returners: Katie Beehler, Kathryn Masur, Sarah Noggle
Opening meet: November 14, at home against Elkhart Memorial
Eric Mohler: "Everyone is working hard. We'd like to win sectional and send a couple of swimmers to state. We have a very young team. Down the road we still look to have a very good team."
Wawasee High School
Head coach: Roger Karns
1997 record: 8-4, Sectional Champions
Key losses: Jenny Marty, Carrie Grothaus, Kristi Martin, Vanessa Amburgy, Erin Griffith, Jaime Conn, Kassie Biddle, Karen Shipley, Jessica Christoffel, Sarah Shipley
Key returners: Steph Shivers, Alles, Tami Miller, Jane Wamsley, Gennie Brissette, Laura Lundin, Sandy Drake, Laura Karns, Jenny Butt, Jena Rantz
Opening meet: November 14 at home against DeKalb
Roger Karn: "We want to improve throughout the season as individuals and as a team. As always, competition in the NLC is fierce. If we can place in the top three in the NLC, then we will feel as if we have accomplished what we set out to do. At sectionals, we want to advance as many swimmers to the finals as possible and send a large, representative squad to the state finals. This year, our strength will be depth. We have 36 swimmers, and we have a number of good experienced swimmers who have been at it for a while. We have a number of quality experienced swimmers." [[In-content Ad]]