February 28, 2015
Carmel Claims Boys Swim Title, Two Event Records Fall
The opening event of the afternoon was their only victory but depth in other events was the difference as Carmel captured the 2015 IHSAA Boys Swimming & Diving state championship at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis.
Carmel's 200 medley relay team of Gabriel Whitaker, Charles Vaughan, Nathaniel Bledsoe and Troy Liwon set the pace with a winning time of 1:32.30 in the day's opening event. From there, Carmel ran away from the pack accumulating 253.5 points for its state-leading 15th state championship and their fourth in seven years having won three straight from 2010-12. Chris Plumb is the Carmel coach who also heads the girls program which tied a national high school record with its 29th straight title two weeks ago.
Zionsville finished as the state runner-up with 176 points followed by third place Avon with 167, Brownsburg in fourth with 129 and Carroll (Fort Wayne) rounded out the top five with 126.5. Zionsville, Brownsburg and Carroll (Fort Wayne) each enjoyed their school's best finish ever in the state meet.
Seniors Kyle DeCoursey of Zionsville and Bloomington South's Ian Finnerty were responsible for three record performances over the last two days.
Finnerty set the state record in the 100 breaststroke on Friday night finishing in 53.23 bettering the old record of 54.24 set by Cody Taylor of Columbus North just last year. But he went faster in the championship final finishing in 53.19 to win the crown.
DeCoursey swept the freestyle sprints winning the 50 in 20.30 and the 100 in 44.70. It was his second straight in the 50 after setting the new record with a 20.08. The previous best mark of 20.11 had been held by Brebeuf Jesuit's Harrison Wagner since 2011.
Avon's Parks Jones repeated as the 200 freestyle state champion with his time of 1:37.81.
The 78th Annual IHSAA Boys Swimming & Diving State Finals
Indiana University Natatorium, IUPUI, Indianapolis
February 27-28, 2015
| Top 10 Teams |
| 1. |
Carmel |
253.5 |
| 2. |
Zionsville |
176 |
| 3. |
Avon |
167 |
| 4. |
Brownsburg |
129 |
| 5. |
Carroll (Fort Wayne) |
126.5 |
| 6. |
Penn |
122 |
| 7. |
Hamilton Southeastern |
121 |
| 8. |
Munster |
112 |
| 9. |
Bloomington South |
108 |
| 10. |
North Central (Indianapolis) |
85 |
State Champions
200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Gabriel Whitaker 12, Charles Vaughan 10, Nathaniel Bledsoe 12, Troy Li 11) 1:32.30.
200 Freestyle: Parks Jones, 12, Avon, 1:37.81.
200 Individual Medley: Ian Finnerty, 12, Bloomington South, 1:45.71.
50 Freestyle: Kyle DeCoursey, 12, Zionsville, 20.30.
One Meter Diving: Kevin Frebel, 11, Homestead 568.65 points.
100 Butterfly: Gabriel Swardson, 11, Fort Wayne Snider, 49.14.
100 Freestyle: Kyle DeCoursey, 12, Zionsville, 44.70.
500 Freestyle: Michael Brinegar, 9, Columbus North, 4:24.92.
200 Freestyle Relay: Brownsburg (Jack Franzman 9, Cameron Howard 12, Kyle Baney 12, Vince Partlow 11) 1:24.20.
100 Backstroke: Wilson Beckman, 12, Munster 49.21.
100 Breaststroke: Ian Finnerty, 12, Bloomington South, 53.19. State Record
400 Freestyle Relay: Zionsville (Andrew Schuler 9, Cameron Gelwicks 12, Tyler Harmon 10, Kyle DeCoursey 12) 3:03.55.
State Records Set During Friday's Preliminaries
50 Freestyle: Kyle DeCoursey, 12, Zionsville, 20.08.
100 Breaststroke: Ian Finnerty, 12, Bloomington South, 53.23.
Hamilton Southeastern's Joe Young named Herman F. Keller Mental Attitude Award Winner
Joe Young of Hamilton Southeastern High School was recognized following the state championship meet by the IHSAA Executive Committee as this year’s winner of the Herman F. Keller Mental Attitude Award.
Young finished second in both the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke, swam on the Royals' relay teams and has also qualified for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 200 backstroke.
Besides swimming, Young has been an active member of the Principal's Advisory Council, National Honor Society, and Student Council to name just a few. He has volunteered at church, with community swim lessons and academic tutoring. Academically, Young ranks fifth in his senior class with a 4.5 GPA.
He is the son of Tony and Chris Young of Fishers and will attend Purdue University to study Engineering and swim for the Boilermakers.
Each year the IHSAA Executive Committee selects a senior who was nominated by his principal and coach and was determined to have best demonstrated mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. The award, renamed in 1974, honors the former IHSAA assistant commissioner who served the Association from 1961 to 1973.
The Committee presented $1,000 to Hamilton Southeastern High School's general scholarship fund in the name of Joe Young.