Wawasee’s Harper Wins Sectional 100 Backstroke In School-Record Time
Wawasee’s Harper Wins Sectional 100 Backstroke In School-Record Time
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Steve Krah-
Wawasee’s Harper Wins Sectional 100 Backstroke In School-Record TimeMIDDLEBURY — Wawasee sophomore Nathan Harper set a school record helped the Warriors place fourth out of 10 teams Saturday, Feb. 19 in the IHSAA Northridge Sectional for boys swimming and diving.
Harper was clocked in 51.75 seconds in winning the 100-yard backstroke and punched his ticket to the State Finals Feb. 25-26 at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis. He also came in sixth in the 200 individual medley and anchored third-place finishes in both the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays — the first with senior Ezekiel Keim, junior Keegan Hurst and junior Nathan Kryder in 1:42.28 and the second with Kryder, sophomore Cade Garden and Keim in 3:17.19.
“We were hoping to get (the school record) before he graduated,” said third-year Warriors head coach Jason Scott of Harper’s record-setter. “He’s had a pretty good year and he’s worked pretty hard so it’s good to see him go fast here.
“When I first met him he was more of a breaststroker then he turned into a backstroker.”
Kryder finished second in the 50 freestyle in 22.19, Keim fifth in the 100 backstroke in 55.12 and senior Devon Kuhn fifth in diving with 333.45 points for 11 dives.
Scott, who has also coach the sport at Northeast Dubois, Southridge and Bedford North Lawrence, talked about his Wawasee team’s 2021-22 season.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” said Scott. “It’s a good, cohesive group. They get along well. They work hard. They have fun. When it’s time to get serious they get serious and do what they need to do.
“We were really looking forward to that 400 free relay all year long because last year we missed getting in (the state meet) by 3 or 4/100ths of a second. The pickup time last year was 3:19-high. We’re hoping that a 3:17-low will be picked up this year.
“We’re pretty pleased.”
Sectional event champions in each swimming event quality for the state meet plus any equalling or besting the state time standard (200-yard medley relay, 1:37; 200-yard freestyle, 1:43; 200-yard individual medley 1:54.79; 50-yard freestyle, 21.20 seconds; 100-yard butterfly, 51.02 seconds; 100-yard freestyle, 46.80 seconds; 500-yard freestyle, 4:41.59; 200-yard freestyle relay, 1:27.82; 100-yard backstroke, 51.52 seconds; 100-yard breastroke, 58.17 seconds; 400-yard freestyle relay, 3:13.47).
The top four sectional divers qualified for the Valparaiso Regional on Tuesday, Feb. 22.
The top four teams Saturday at the Northridge Natatorium were identical to the Northern Lakes Conference meet in Elkhart — Concord, Northridge, Goshen and Wawasee.
100 breaststroke — Lucas Byrd (E) 55.24 (sectional and pool record). Also — 8th, Keegan Hurst (W) 1:07.56; 12th, Stone Shipley (W) 1:08.22; 14th, Landon Smith (W) 1:11.60.
