Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - When Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls won the NBA championship in 1996, their fourth world title, there were slogans like "drive for five" and "one for the thumb", talk of a fifth championship.
With a win in the sectional Saturday, this theory now applies to Wawasee's boys swim team.
Roger Karns' Warriors won the sectional title for the fourth consecutive year Saturday, and did so with a 65-point cushion between them and runner-up Warsaw.
"It's a testament to the kids we've had swim at Wawasee," Karns said of the fourth straight title. "We replaced everybody but two seniors. We've been real fortunate to have kids that are willing to do what they need to be successful."
Wawasee won the team championship with 353 points, while Warsaw was second with 288 points and Culver Military Academy third with 190 points.
Bremen (116), Plymouth (116), Rochester (90), Columbia City (68), Huntington North (60), Manchester (51) and Tippecanoe Valley (11) rounded out the rest of the field.
The winning individual or team in each swimming event advanced to Friday's state finals preliminary round at the IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis. The top four divers from Saturday's sectional advanced to Tuesday's Kokomo Regional. The top eight divers from the regional will then compete in the state finals this weekend.
In winning their fourth straight sectional championship, the Warriors put truth in the saying about there being strength in numbers.
Wawasee won just four events Saturday, yet put 65 points between itself and rival Warsaw, which won seven of the 12 events.
Both Karns and Warsaw coach Terry Aukeman agreed depth won the sectional championship for Wawasee.
"I think that was an issue," Karns said of his team's depth. "Warsaw is such a good team and has outstanding swimmers. They won seven events, but we won because of our depth. There were four events where we had three individuals scored in the top six."
Teams were allowed to enter three participants into the nine individual swimming events. Of the 27 he entered, Wawasee placed in the top six with 21.
"Wawasee was just deeper overall," Aukeman said. "From top to bottom they had more in the top six. I'm pretty happy we won seven events. We were seeded first in six events and I was hoping we could win an eighth event."
Including alternates and the 400 freestyle relay team of Nate Long, Thad Wallin, Steven Lowrance and Nate Taylor that finished second but was invited to the state finals, the Tigers are sending 12 people to the state finals.
Taylor advanced to state by winning the 100 breastroke and 200 individual medley, while Long advanced in the 100 and 200 freestyle, and Wallin the 100 backstroke.
The foursome of Kyle Marose, Lowrance, Wallin and Taylor won the 200 medley relay, while Will Kretsch won the diving competition and will compete Tuesday in the Kokomo Regional.
Joe Michelini, Chris Schenkel, Matt Burkhart, Jake Revere and Jason McClintock are all alternates for Tigers.
For Wawasee, Brook Singrey won the 50 freestyle and Aaron Phillippe the 500 freestyle.
The 200 freestyle relay team of Jordan Rantz, Steve Dingeldein, Brock Doty and Singrey took first, as did the 400 freestyle relay team of Doty, Zac Conley, Dingeldein and Phillippe.
Rantz' winning 100 breaststroke time of :59.85 seconds is a new school record, eclipsing his own mark of 1:00.46 at last year's state finals.
WAWASEE BOYS SWIMMING
SECTIONAL
Team Scores - Wawasee 353, Warsaw 288, Culver Military Academy 190, Bremen 116, Plymouth 116, Rochester 90, Columbia City 68, Huntington North 60, Manchester 51, Tippecanoe Valley 11
200 medley relay - 1. Warsaw (Wallin, Taylor, Marose, Lowrance) 1:41.07, 2. Wawasee, 3. CMA, 4. Bremen, 5. Col. City, 6. Plymouth
200 freestyle - 1. Long (War) 1:47.85, 2. Phillippe (Wawa), 3. Conley (Wawa), 4. Gunderson (Wawa), 5. Bostock (CMA), 6. McClintock (War)
200 individual medley - 1. Taylor (War) 1:57.25, 2. Rantz (Wawa), 3. McLaughlin (CMA), 4. Dingeldein (Wawa), 5. Wallin (War), 6. Sahloff (Bre)
50 freestyle - 1. Singrey (Wawa) :22.8, 2. Vervynckt (Ply), 3. Stealy (CMA), 4. Lowrance (War), 5. Szynal (Wawa), 6. Doty (Wawa)
Diving - 1. Kretsch (War) 426.15, 2. Secrist (Roch), 3. Beer (Wawa), 4. Newsome (TV), 5. Wilson (Ply), 6. Cavell (Wawa)
100 butterfly - 1. Vervynckt (Ply) :53.85, 2. Sahloff (Bre), 3. Dingeldein (Wawa), 4. Szynal (Wawa), 5. Hall (Roch), 6. Meinika (CC)
100 freestyle - 1. Long (War) :49.10, 2. Stealy (CMA), 3. Lowrance (War), 4. Doty (Wawa), 5. Singrey (Wawa), 6. McLiver (Ply)
500 freestyle - 1. Phillippe (Wawa) 5:00.62, 2. Larkin (CMA), 3. Conley (Wawa), 4. Munsch (War), 5. Hoffman (Wawa), 6. McClintock (War)
200 freestyle relay - 1. Wawasee (Rantz, Dingeldein, Doty, Singrey) 1:30.62, 2. CMA, 3. Warsaw, 4. Rochester, 5. Hunt. North, 6. Manchester
100 backstroke - 1. Wallin (War) :56.06, 2. McLiver (Ply), 3. Meinika (CC), 4. MacOwan (Wawa), 5. Hall (Roch), 6. Wickens (Ply)
100 breaststroke - 1. Taylor (War) :59.85, 2. McLaughlin (CMA), 3. Rantz (Wawa), 4. Gunderson (Wawa), 5. Smith (Wawa), 6. Harrison (Bre)
400 freestyle relay - 1. Wawasee (Doty, Conley, Dingeldein, Phillippe) 3:19.58, 2. Warsaw, 3. Bremen, 4. CMA, 5. Hunt. North, 6. Rochester
Sectional Coach of the Year - Roger Karns (Wawasee)
