Does Domination Equal Dynasty For Wawasee?
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - Don't be upset if Roger Karns can't wipe that silly grin off his face.
Both his Warrior swim teams just won the Northern Lakes Conference.
Boys and girls for the first time in the same year, on the same day even.
"It was particularly gratifying," Karns said. "It shows something about how hard they work. It was a different situation, different than it's ever been."
Different in the fact that, for the first time in IHSAA history, the boys' and girls' teams competed simultaneously in the same season. Karns' time was spread pretty thin with both his squads practicing in different pools at different buildings. Karns was forced to rely on his assistants to do the job when he was forced to be at another pool. Obviously they have done an outstanding job.
One of the major problems that could have existed with the new arrangement would be the ability of the two teams to keep mental composure. Karns is pleased with how his squads responded.
"I really thought that would be our biggest challenge," he said. "I think it's a real testament to the type of kid that swims at Wawasee High School."
However, a kind of tale of two teams exists among the two Warrior swimming squads. On one hand the girls' team, as usual, was expected to be as powerful as they are. On the other hand, the boys were not expected to fare as well as they have.
A kind of dynasty has been shaped with the Wawasee girls' squad. They've won the NLC championship, and the way the future looks, it could continue for a long time.
"I hope it is," Karns said of whether this is the beginning of a dynasty. "Northridge will be very good next year, Goshen will be very good next year, and I think Wawasee will be very good next year. Terry Davis, who runs our club program, does a very nice job. I think that is important. I think, also, that it says something about the competitive level of the girls that swim. They come in here expecting to win."
There has been one blemish on the girls' record these last three years, just three losses.
Penn has gotten the Warriors each of the last three years. Karns sees his team closing in on that gap.
"I think it is going to take an even higher level of commitment to the hard level of training, especially in the off season, by our entire squad," he said. "It's not unattainable, it is not even that far away."
The Warrior girls dominated the NLC meet, winning five of the 12 events en route to 336 team points.
"We had real good focus, real good intensity, and I was really impressed with their mental approach to the meet," Karns said.
Laura Lundin set a personal best in winning the 200 freestyle, while Jenny Marty won the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly.
The boys' team has been a horse of a different color. They weren't expected to accomplish the things their female counterpart has. But they stand as the undefeated NLC champions and are ranked No. 10 in the state. After graduating nine seniors last year, Karns feared what might happen with this young squad. But as with the girls, the guys' high level of commitment has been their winning trademark.
"It's very gratifying," Karns said. "This hardly ever happens, but they keep going beyond my expectations of them. I don't think there's any limit to what they're capable of. The girls' team is so strong, and so deep, and so talented, that their success is not surprising. But the guys' team has really come from nowhere. They're just super."
The guys are led by three of the area's most talented swimmers, Marcelo Azenha, Ryan Moore and Ryan Harper. The trio is so talented it may overshadow what is really the winning portion of the team - the middle swimmers.
"We're getting those types of top notch swims from those guys, which we need to keep in focus," Karns said. "Are we overshadowing the performances of Andrew Thornburg, Dan Cone, Kyle Metcalf and Brock Manning? Yeah, without a doubt, that's where you win those meets. You cannot win those types of conference meets based on two or three kids. That's the quality of your team. That's what makes us a winning team."
Harper, Moore and Azenha combined to win seven races at the NLC meet.
Warsaw
The Tigers' best effort came from diver Stephanie Ellis. Ellis scored 422.4 points to win the diving title.
On the boys' side, Warsaw had high hopes for second place as a team, but those hopes were dashed by strong swims from Northridge, Goshen and Plymouth, pushing the Tigers back to fifth place.
"We swam really well," Warsaw coach Chris LaLonde said. "Some of the places we didn't finish what I wanted to, but the guys still swam good times."
Alex Wood came up big for the Tigers, winning the 500 freestyle and finishing second in the 200 freestyle. Kevin Cowan was also second, in the diving competition.
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SYRACUSE - Don't be upset if Roger Karns can't wipe that silly grin off his face.
Both his Warrior swim teams just won the Northern Lakes Conference.
Boys and girls for the first time in the same year, on the same day even.
"It was particularly gratifying," Karns said. "It shows something about how hard they work. It was a different situation, different than it's ever been."
Different in the fact that, for the first time in IHSAA history, the boys' and girls' teams competed simultaneously in the same season. Karns' time was spread pretty thin with both his squads practicing in different pools at different buildings. Karns was forced to rely on his assistants to do the job when he was forced to be at another pool. Obviously they have done an outstanding job.
One of the major problems that could have existed with the new arrangement would be the ability of the two teams to keep mental composure. Karns is pleased with how his squads responded.
"I really thought that would be our biggest challenge," he said. "I think it's a real testament to the type of kid that swims at Wawasee High School."
However, a kind of tale of two teams exists among the two Warrior swimming squads. On one hand the girls' team, as usual, was expected to be as powerful as they are. On the other hand, the boys were not expected to fare as well as they have.
A kind of dynasty has been shaped with the Wawasee girls' squad. They've won the NLC championship, and the way the future looks, it could continue for a long time.
"I hope it is," Karns said of whether this is the beginning of a dynasty. "Northridge will be very good next year, Goshen will be very good next year, and I think Wawasee will be very good next year. Terry Davis, who runs our club program, does a very nice job. I think that is important. I think, also, that it says something about the competitive level of the girls that swim. They come in here expecting to win."
There has been one blemish on the girls' record these last three years, just three losses.
Penn has gotten the Warriors each of the last three years. Karns sees his team closing in on that gap.
"I think it is going to take an even higher level of commitment to the hard level of training, especially in the off season, by our entire squad," he said. "It's not unattainable, it is not even that far away."
The Warrior girls dominated the NLC meet, winning five of the 12 events en route to 336 team points.
"We had real good focus, real good intensity, and I was really impressed with their mental approach to the meet," Karns said.
Laura Lundin set a personal best in winning the 200 freestyle, while Jenny Marty won the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly.
The boys' team has been a horse of a different color. They weren't expected to accomplish the things their female counterpart has. But they stand as the undefeated NLC champions and are ranked No. 10 in the state. After graduating nine seniors last year, Karns feared what might happen with this young squad. But as with the girls, the guys' high level of commitment has been their winning trademark.
"It's very gratifying," Karns said. "This hardly ever happens, but they keep going beyond my expectations of them. I don't think there's any limit to what they're capable of. The girls' team is so strong, and so deep, and so talented, that their success is not surprising. But the guys' team has really come from nowhere. They're just super."
The guys are led by three of the area's most talented swimmers, Marcelo Azenha, Ryan Moore and Ryan Harper. The trio is so talented it may overshadow what is really the winning portion of the team - the middle swimmers.
"We're getting those types of top notch swims from those guys, which we need to keep in focus," Karns said. "Are we overshadowing the performances of Andrew Thornburg, Dan Cone, Kyle Metcalf and Brock Manning? Yeah, without a doubt, that's where you win those meets. You cannot win those types of conference meets based on two or three kids. That's the quality of your team. That's what makes us a winning team."
Harper, Moore and Azenha combined to win seven races at the NLC meet.
Warsaw
The Tigers' best effort came from diver Stephanie Ellis. Ellis scored 422.4 points to win the diving title.
On the boys' side, Warsaw had high hopes for second place as a team, but those hopes were dashed by strong swims from Northridge, Goshen and Plymouth, pushing the Tigers back to fifth place.
"We swam really well," Warsaw coach Chris LaLonde said. "Some of the places we didn't finish what I wanted to, but the guys still swam good times."
Alex Wood came up big for the Tigers, winning the 500 freestyle and finishing second in the 200 freestyle. Kevin Cowan was also second, in the diving competition.
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