The Monkey Stays On Warsaw's Back
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
At Warsaw, swim teams hail monkeys and say team prayers.
They also do something else.
They win.
Warsaw's boys swim team improved to 5-0 with a 109-77 Wednesday home win over Huntington North (2-1). Going back to the start of last year, the Tigers have won 19 regular-season meets in a row.
Warsaw's girls swim team upped its record to 5-1 with its 110-75 win over Huntington North (3-4).
The boys, who wear T-shirts that say "Hail the monkey" in black letters in orange trim, hail this monkey to start their meet. The girls say the team prayer to start theirs.
Both ways are working.
"Really, I don't know," Warsaw boys coach Chris LaLonde said with a laugh when asked about the monkey. "Somebody made a porcelain monkey last year, and the seniors from last year passed it down to this team."
What she does know is diving, and she sees she has a one-two punch in senior Kevin Cowan and sophomore Sam Hood. Cowan finished first with a score of 255.20, and Hood took second with 247.70.
Cowan has finished first and Hood second in all five meets this year. Hood was strong in the middle dives at Wednesday's meet, while Cowan closed out strong. The talented duo by far drew the most applause and cheers.
"Sam's last dive was two sommersaults and a half-twist," LaLonde said. "When he gets that down, it will be all over.
"They push each other in practice. One wants to beat the other, but the other doesn't want to let the one beat him."
In the swim meet, both Warsaw teams swam off - both Warsaw teams put swimmers in different events than they normally compete in, because the Tigers had more margin of error facing Huntington North.
Junior Katie Beehler and sophomore Jaci Thallemer helped Warsaw's girls team in five of its eight first-place finishes.
Thallemer won the 100 freestyle with a time of 1:00.10 and the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:10.77. Her 200 freestyle time obliterated the competition by 16 seconds.
Beehler won the 50 freestyle with a time of 26.73 seconds, nearly three seconds ahead of second place.
Thallemer and Beehler were also on winning relay teams. Beehler helped the 200 medley relay team to a first-place time of 2:05.51. Beehler and Thallemer helped Warsaw finish the meet with a win in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 4:11.69.
"They are where it starts," Warsaw coach Eric Mohler said of Beehler and Thallemer. "They are our fastest two swimmers overall. We mixed things up tonight. Jaci is usually in distance events, but she didn't swim the 500 tonight."
Sophomore Hillary Barlow, senior Juliane Eicher and junior Sarah Noggle turned in Warsaw's three other first places. Barlow nipped Huntington North's second-place swimmer by .15 seconds to win the 100 butterfly. Eicher won the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:10.28. Noggle won the 500 freestyle in 6:15.33.
"Sarah dropped 15 seconds in the 500 freestyle from the last time she swam it," Mohler said.
The Warsaw boys won five swimming events.
Freshman Keil Beehler won the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:01.78. Senior captain Evan Mock won the 200 individual medley in 2:16.82. Junior Adam Helfrich won the 500 freestyle in 5:39.61.
"Kiel, he can do well in any event we put him in," LaLonde said. "He's awesome."
The Tigers also won the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.
Again, five first places may be a bit skewed as LaLonde, like Mohler, changed her lineup.
"We put one strong swimmer in each event," LaLonde said, "but maybe it was their second- or third-best event."
Hailing the monkey has helped the Warsaw boys win 19 in a row. And as the saying goes, since it ain't broken, Chris LaLonde ain't about to try to fix it.
"I have never understood it," she said, "but it works."
GIRLS: WARSAW 110, HUNTINGTON NORTH 75
Thursday at Warsaw
200 medley relay - 1. Warsaw (Katie Beehler, Meaghan McCammon, Hillary Barlow, Kathryn Masur) 2:05.51, 2. Warsaw 2:16.32, 3. Warsaw 2:30.16
200 freestyle - 1. Jaci Thallemer (W) 2:10.77, 2. Cryderman (HN) 2:26.70, 3. Margaret Tidmore (W) 2:26.83
200 individual medley - 1. Robbins (HN) 2:27.39, 2. Meaghan Neill (W) 2:32.24, 3. McCammon (W) 2:36.72
50 freestyle - 1. Beehler (W) :26.73, 2. Brown (HN) :29.09, 3. Allison (HN) :29.14
diving - 1. Howe (HN) 154.10, 2. Jennifer Keirn (W) 153.40, 3. Jacque Vogt (W) 148.20
100 butterfly - 1. Barlow (W) 1:07.17, 2. Best (HN) 1:07.32, 3. Brie Shaffer (W) 1:23.15
100 freestyle - 1. Thallemer (W) 1:00.10, 2. Masur (W) 1:03.17, 3. Hunnicutt (HN) 1:03.93
500 freestyle - 1. Sarah Noggle (W) 6:15.33, 2. Abbie Youse (w) 6:15.53, 3. Cryderman (HN) 6:36.88
200 freestyle relay - 1. Huntington North (La Pan, Best, Cryderman, Howe) 1:57.70, 2. Warsaw 2:11.8, 3. Huntington North 2:11.90
100 backstroke - 1. Juliane Eicher (W) 1:10.28, 2. Hake (HN) 1:10.70, 3. Sarah Wandland (W) 1:14.70
100 breaststroke - 1. La Pan (HN) 1:14.62, 2. McCammon (W) 1:20.40, 3. Molitor (HN) 1:22.73
400 freestyle relay - 1. Warsaw (Thallemer, Noggle, Becky Cook, Beehler) 4:11.69, 2. Huntington North 4:28.26, 3. Warsaw 4:37.59
BOYS: WARSAW 109, HUNTINGTON NORTH 77
Thursday at Warsaw
200 medley relay - 1. Warsaw (John Sincroft, Adam Helfrich, Justin Lowrance, B. Moore) 1:56.90, 2. Warsaw 2:02.17, 3. Huntington North 2:07.36
200 freestyle - 1. Kiel Beehler (W) 2:01.78, 2. Michael Jenks (W) 2:10.96, 3. Heaslet (HN) 2:23.32
200 individual medley - 1. Evan Mock (W) 2:16.82, 2. Moritz (HN) 2:19.06, 3. Corban Quance (W) 2:28.60
50 freestyle - 1. Rocha (HN) :23.18, 2. Greg Winn (W) :24.81, 3. Veatch (HN) :25.9
diving - 1. Kevin Cowan (W) 255.20, 2. Sam Hood (W) 247.70, 3. Gard (HN) 138.60
100 butterfly - 1. Scheer (HN) 1:02.45, 2. B. Moore (W) 1:05.11, 3. Hunter (HN) 1:09.79
100 freestyle - 1. Moritz (HN) :54.24, 2. Carlos Proano (W) :55.94, 3. Winn (W) :56.22
500 freestyle - 1. Helfrich (W) 5:39.61, 2. Jenks (W) 5:53.98, 3. Mark Howard (W) 6:19.67
200 freestyle relay - 1. Huntington North (Scheer, Moritz, Veach, Rocha) 1:37.19, 2. Warsaw 1:37.42, 3. Huntington North 1:51.51
100 backstroke - 1. Rocha (HN) 1:02.09, 2. B. Moore (W) 1:03.32, 3. Troy Seyfert (W) 1:11.65
100 breaststroke - 1. Veatch (HN) 1:09.86, 2. Zach Scheetz (W) 1:10.67, 3. Greg Scalet (W) 1:14.76
400 freestyle relay - 1. Warsaw (Mike Crowl, Quance, Helfrich, Lowrance) 3:48.48, 2. Huntington North 3:39.40, 3. Warsaw (Beehler, Jesse Ritter, Cory Gackenheimer, Jason Sibray) 4:05.31 [[In-content Ad]]
At Warsaw, swim teams hail monkeys and say team prayers.
They also do something else.
They win.
Warsaw's boys swim team improved to 5-0 with a 109-77 Wednesday home win over Huntington North (2-1). Going back to the start of last year, the Tigers have won 19 regular-season meets in a row.
Warsaw's girls swim team upped its record to 5-1 with its 110-75 win over Huntington North (3-4).
The boys, who wear T-shirts that say "Hail the monkey" in black letters in orange trim, hail this monkey to start their meet. The girls say the team prayer to start theirs.
Both ways are working.
"Really, I don't know," Warsaw boys coach Chris LaLonde said with a laugh when asked about the monkey. "Somebody made a porcelain monkey last year, and the seniors from last year passed it down to this team."
What she does know is diving, and she sees she has a one-two punch in senior Kevin Cowan and sophomore Sam Hood. Cowan finished first with a score of 255.20, and Hood took second with 247.70.
Cowan has finished first and Hood second in all five meets this year. Hood was strong in the middle dives at Wednesday's meet, while Cowan closed out strong. The talented duo by far drew the most applause and cheers.
"Sam's last dive was two sommersaults and a half-twist," LaLonde said. "When he gets that down, it will be all over.
"They push each other in practice. One wants to beat the other, but the other doesn't want to let the one beat him."
In the swim meet, both Warsaw teams swam off - both Warsaw teams put swimmers in different events than they normally compete in, because the Tigers had more margin of error facing Huntington North.
Junior Katie Beehler and sophomore Jaci Thallemer helped Warsaw's girls team in five of its eight first-place finishes.
Thallemer won the 100 freestyle with a time of 1:00.10 and the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:10.77. Her 200 freestyle time obliterated the competition by 16 seconds.
Beehler won the 50 freestyle with a time of 26.73 seconds, nearly three seconds ahead of second place.
Thallemer and Beehler were also on winning relay teams. Beehler helped the 200 medley relay team to a first-place time of 2:05.51. Beehler and Thallemer helped Warsaw finish the meet with a win in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 4:11.69.
"They are where it starts," Warsaw coach Eric Mohler said of Beehler and Thallemer. "They are our fastest two swimmers overall. We mixed things up tonight. Jaci is usually in distance events, but she didn't swim the 500 tonight."
Sophomore Hillary Barlow, senior Juliane Eicher and junior Sarah Noggle turned in Warsaw's three other first places. Barlow nipped Huntington North's second-place swimmer by .15 seconds to win the 100 butterfly. Eicher won the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:10.28. Noggle won the 500 freestyle in 6:15.33.
"Sarah dropped 15 seconds in the 500 freestyle from the last time she swam it," Mohler said.
The Warsaw boys won five swimming events.
Freshman Keil Beehler won the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:01.78. Senior captain Evan Mock won the 200 individual medley in 2:16.82. Junior Adam Helfrich won the 500 freestyle in 5:39.61.
"Kiel, he can do well in any event we put him in," LaLonde said. "He's awesome."
The Tigers also won the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.
Again, five first places may be a bit skewed as LaLonde, like Mohler, changed her lineup.
"We put one strong swimmer in each event," LaLonde said, "but maybe it was their second- or third-best event."
Hailing the monkey has helped the Warsaw boys win 19 in a row. And as the saying goes, since it ain't broken, Chris LaLonde ain't about to try to fix it.
"I have never understood it," she said, "but it works."
GIRLS: WARSAW 110, HUNTINGTON NORTH 75
Thursday at Warsaw
200 medley relay - 1. Warsaw (Katie Beehler, Meaghan McCammon, Hillary Barlow, Kathryn Masur) 2:05.51, 2. Warsaw 2:16.32, 3. Warsaw 2:30.16
200 freestyle - 1. Jaci Thallemer (W) 2:10.77, 2. Cryderman (HN) 2:26.70, 3. Margaret Tidmore (W) 2:26.83
200 individual medley - 1. Robbins (HN) 2:27.39, 2. Meaghan Neill (W) 2:32.24, 3. McCammon (W) 2:36.72
50 freestyle - 1. Beehler (W) :26.73, 2. Brown (HN) :29.09, 3. Allison (HN) :29.14
diving - 1. Howe (HN) 154.10, 2. Jennifer Keirn (W) 153.40, 3. Jacque Vogt (W) 148.20
100 butterfly - 1. Barlow (W) 1:07.17, 2. Best (HN) 1:07.32, 3. Brie Shaffer (W) 1:23.15
100 freestyle - 1. Thallemer (W) 1:00.10, 2. Masur (W) 1:03.17, 3. Hunnicutt (HN) 1:03.93
500 freestyle - 1. Sarah Noggle (W) 6:15.33, 2. Abbie Youse (w) 6:15.53, 3. Cryderman (HN) 6:36.88
200 freestyle relay - 1. Huntington North (La Pan, Best, Cryderman, Howe) 1:57.70, 2. Warsaw 2:11.8, 3. Huntington North 2:11.90
100 backstroke - 1. Juliane Eicher (W) 1:10.28, 2. Hake (HN) 1:10.70, 3. Sarah Wandland (W) 1:14.70
100 breaststroke - 1. La Pan (HN) 1:14.62, 2. McCammon (W) 1:20.40, 3. Molitor (HN) 1:22.73
400 freestyle relay - 1. Warsaw (Thallemer, Noggle, Becky Cook, Beehler) 4:11.69, 2. Huntington North 4:28.26, 3. Warsaw 4:37.59
BOYS: WARSAW 109, HUNTINGTON NORTH 77
Thursday at Warsaw
200 medley relay - 1. Warsaw (John Sincroft, Adam Helfrich, Justin Lowrance, B. Moore) 1:56.90, 2. Warsaw 2:02.17, 3. Huntington North 2:07.36
200 freestyle - 1. Kiel Beehler (W) 2:01.78, 2. Michael Jenks (W) 2:10.96, 3. Heaslet (HN) 2:23.32
200 individual medley - 1. Evan Mock (W) 2:16.82, 2. Moritz (HN) 2:19.06, 3. Corban Quance (W) 2:28.60
50 freestyle - 1. Rocha (HN) :23.18, 2. Greg Winn (W) :24.81, 3. Veatch (HN) :25.9
diving - 1. Kevin Cowan (W) 255.20, 2. Sam Hood (W) 247.70, 3. Gard (HN) 138.60
100 butterfly - 1. Scheer (HN) 1:02.45, 2. B. Moore (W) 1:05.11, 3. Hunter (HN) 1:09.79
100 freestyle - 1. Moritz (HN) :54.24, 2. Carlos Proano (W) :55.94, 3. Winn (W) :56.22
500 freestyle - 1. Helfrich (W) 5:39.61, 2. Jenks (W) 5:53.98, 3. Mark Howard (W) 6:19.67
200 freestyle relay - 1. Huntington North (Scheer, Moritz, Veach, Rocha) 1:37.19, 2. Warsaw 1:37.42, 3. Huntington North 1:51.51
100 backstroke - 1. Rocha (HN) 1:02.09, 2. B. Moore (W) 1:03.32, 3. Troy Seyfert (W) 1:11.65
100 breaststroke - 1. Veatch (HN) 1:09.86, 2. Zach Scheetz (W) 1:10.67, 3. Greg Scalet (W) 1:14.76
400 freestyle relay - 1. Warsaw (Mike Crowl, Quance, Helfrich, Lowrance) 3:48.48, 2. Huntington North 3:39.40, 3. Warsaw (Beehler, Jesse Ritter, Cory Gackenheimer, Jason Sibray) 4:05.31 [[In-content Ad]]