Indiana High School Athletic Association

9150 North Meridian Street, Box 40650, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240-0650

Phone: 317-846-6601    Fax: 317-575-4244    Website: www.ihsaa.org

Blake Ress, Commissioner

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MEDIA ADVISORY                                                           February 14, 2004

 

 

CARMEL GIRLS REEL IN 18TH CONSECUTIVE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Carmel High School wrote its latest chapter in the girls swimming and diving history book capturing another IHSAA state championship, its 18th consecutive in the sport at the Indiana University Natatorium at IUPUI in Indianapolis.

 

Led by first-year coach Tom Burchill, the Greyhounds were buoyed by six victories in the 12 events, including three of the first four. All together, four individuals and two Carmel relays won titles. The amazing string of state championships for the school is the longest in any sport in IHSAA history.

 

Carmel scored 316.5 points for first place and outdistanced runner-up North Central (Indpls.) with 194 points. It was the fifth consecutive year, the two schools finished one-two. Munster finished third with 177, followed by Yorktown and Lake Central with 174 and 150.5 points, respectively.

 

To start the meet, Carmel won its third straight opening relay event and 14th in the last 15 years as Megan Sparks, Erin Sparks, Alyssa Rosinko and Taylor Baughman teamed to clock a 1:46.05 in the 200 Medley Relay.

 

Sparks, a senior, had a banner day for the Greyhounds winning four medals. In addition to that relay, she also anchored the winning 400 Freestyle Relay, won the 200 Individual Medley and repeated as champion in the 100 Breaststroke. She topped her day receiving the coveted Mental Attitude Award in Girls Swimming and Diving (More on that below).

 

Junior Taylor Baughman won both freestyle sprints winning the 50 freestyle in :23.15 and the 100 free in :50.33 to account for the other Carmel victories. She also swam the third leg on the 400 Freestyle Relay team.

 

Junior Aubrette Biegel of Lake Central took home honors in the 200 Freestyle touching in 1:50.95 and was also the anchor leg of the Indians’ 200 Freestyle Relay team that won the blue ribbon medal in 1:36.84.

 

Chesterton frosh Christy Grcevich outkicked the competition to win the 100 Butterfly in :56.57.

 

Senior Jenae Gill became the first swimmer from Southridge High School – boys or girls – to win a state championship medal. Gill covered the course for the 100 Backstroke in :56.52.

 

Indianapolis Broad Ripple sophomore Brittany Feldman became the first girl from an Indianapolis Public School to win the one meter diving competition accumulating 431 points over her 11 dives. Interestingly, that gives IPS the last two diving state champions as senior Cory Cole of Indianapolis Arsenal Technical captured the boys competition nearly a year ago.

 

Junior Christine Shehorn of North Central (Indpls.) proved to be the best distance swimmer this year winning the 500 Freestyle in 4:54.90.

 

Top 10 Teams

1. Carmel                                             316.50

2. North Central (Indpls.)                           194

3. Munster                                                 177

4. Yorktown                                               174

5. Lake Central                                       150.5

6. Hamilton Southeastern                         123

7. Chesterton                                            120

8. Fort Wayne Snider                                118

9. Homestead                                             84

10. Southridge                                             70

 

State Champions

200 Medley Relay – Carmel (Megan Sparks, Erin Sparks, Alyssa Rosinko and Taylor Baughman) 1:46.05.

200 Freestyle – Aubrette Biegel, Lake Central, 1:50.95. 

200 Individual Medley – Erin Sparks, Carmel, 2:02.41. 

50 Freestyle – Taylor Baughman, Carmel, :23.15.

One Meter Diving – Brittany Feldman, Indianapolis Broad Ripple, 431.00 points.

100 Butterfly – Christy Grcevich, Chesterton, :56.57. 

100 Freestyle – Taylor Baughman, Carmel, :50.33.

500 Freestyle – Christine Shehorn, North Central (Indpls.), 4:54.90.

200 Freestyle Relay – Lake Central (Stephanie Moon, Liz Nagdeman, Jen Wright, Aubrette Biegel), 1:36.84.

100 Backstroke – Jenae Gill, Southridge, :56.52.

100 Breaststroke – Erin Sparks, Carmel, 1:03.85.

400 Freestyle Relay – Carmel (Alexandra Young, Meredith Moore, Taylor Baughman, Erin Sparks), 3:28.63.

 

Carmel’s Erin Sparks Named Mental Attitude Award Winner

Following the meet, Erin Sparks of Carmel High School was selected winner of the Mental Attitude Award in Girls Swimming & Diving by the IHSAA’s Executive Committee.

 

Sparks becomes the third Carmel female to win the award following Ginger Faerber in 1989 and Emily Ayers in 1996.

 

In the pool, Sparks won seven state championship medals during her career, including four this year, and helped the Greyhounds to the team title all four years. She was part of four champion relay teams (200 Medley Relay in 2003 and 2004; 400 Freestyle Relay in 2002 and 2004) and three individual events (100 Breaststroke in 2003 and 2004; 200 IM in 2004).

 

She is a three-time High School All-American, an Academic All-Conference selection and a Carmel High School Scholar-Athlete with a 3.5 GPA. She will attend the University of Alabama on an athletic scholarship and plans to major in History.

 

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eric Sparks of Carmel.

 

Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s proud corporate partner, presented Carmel High School with a $1,000 scholarship in the name of Sparks that goes to the school’s general scholarship fund.

 

New IHSAA Book, Play On, Recaps 100 Years Of High School Sports in Indiana

The exciting new book, Play On, celebrating 100 years of high school sports in Indiana, is perfect for that sports fan or the history buff you know. Filled with 150 pages of engaging photographs, captivating stories and a walk down memory lane, it’s now on sale through the Indiana High School Athletic Association. It’s not available in book stores, so contact the IHSAA at 317-846-6601 or click on the link above to learn more about this special tribute to 100 years of Indiana high school athletics.

 

Team Posters And Individual Action Photographs Available

Visit 20-20 Photographic, the IHSAA’s photographer and the Midwest’s Leader in Sports Action Photography, for images captured during Saturday’s state championship meet! Action photos, individual medalist photos as well as 20-20’s Ultimate Sports Poster will be available for purchase later in the week following the state finals.

 

IHSAA State Championship Merchandise

For t-shirts and other merchandise commemorating this year’s tournament or for any of our events, visit our friends at Morris, Inc.

 

State Finals Programs Available

Couldn’t be there for the state championship meet? To commemorate the event, you can still purchase a copy of the official state finals program while supplies last! Programs are $3.00 if you purchase in person at the IHSAA Office (9150 N. Meridian Street in Indianapolis) or $5.00 by mail (postage included). To order, send a check for $5.00 made payable to the IHSAA, a note including your return address and brief description of your request and mail to: IHSAA Programs, PO Box 40650, Indianapolis, IN 46240-0650. Sorry, no credit cards.