February 15, 2014

Nine State Records Fall at Girls Swimming & Diving Finals
Nine state records were set on Saturday and 15 for the weekend with Carmel accounting for seven of them as the Greyhounds captured the team title in one of the most remarkable state championship events in IHSAA history.

In all, 10 of the 12 events saw new records established.

Carmel outscored the field for the 28th straight year taking the team title with 399 points to outdistance runner-up Crown Point's 209 points. It was Crown Point's best finish in school history. Fishers placed third with 203, Penn was fourth at 166 and Zionsville fifth with 137.

Carmel took all three relay races setting state records in each, the last one in dramatic fashion in rallying to win the 400 freestyle relay in 3:21.20. That turned out to be the ninth state mark to fall during the day equaling the record set in 1978.

Sophomore Claire Adams set state records in two individual events - 200 freestyle (1:46.95) and 100 backstroke (52.97) - and was on two winning relays.

Teammate Amy Bilquist won the 50 and 100 free setting a new state mark in the latter in 48.93. She set the new state standard in Friday's prelims in 22.15. She also was on two winning relays.

Penn senior Bethany Galat set a state record in winning her second straight 100 breaststroke in 59.66 and also took the 200 individual medley for the third consecutive year in 1:57.52.

Crown Point was led by a pair of underclassmen as junior Aly Tetzloff won the 100 butterfly in record-setting fashion in 52.70 while freshman Hannah Kukurugya scored the 500 freestyle victory in 4:47.83.

The one meter diving competition was won for the second year in a row by Sarah Bacon of Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter. Her record-setting score of 546.45 points allowed her to become the first back-to-back diving state champion since 1990.

During Friday's prelims alone, four state records were set and another tied. The lone mark to survive Saturday's onslaught was Bilquist's 50 free performance.

The 40th Annual IHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals
Indiana University Natatorium, IUPUI, Indianapolis
February 14-15, 2014

Top 10 Teams
1. Carmel 399
2. Crown Point
209
3. Fishers
203
4. Penn
166
5. Zionsville
137
6. Chesterton
133.5
7. Center Grove
106
8. Hamilton Southeastern 101
9. Munster
99
10. Homestead
91


State Champions

200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Hanna House 12, Alex Clarke 11, Veronica Burchill 10, Amy Bilquist 11) 1:40.83. State Record
200 Freestyle: Claire Adams, 10, Carmel, 1:46.95. State Record
200 Individual Medley: Bethany Galat, 12, Penn, 1:57.52.
50 Freestyle: Amy Bilquist, 11, Carmel, 22.17.
One Meter Diving: Sarah Bacon, 11, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, 546.45 points. State Record
100 Butterfly: Aly Tetzloff, 11, Crown Point, 52.70. State Record
100 Freestyle: Amy Bilquist, 11, Carmel, 48.93. State Record
500 Freestyle: Hannah Kukurugya, 9, Crown Point, 4:47.83.
200 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Amy Bilquist 11, Claire Adams 10, Hanna House 12, Veronica Burchill 10), 1:31.37. State Record
100 Backstroke: Claire Adams, 10, Carmel, 52.97. State Record
100 Breaststroke: Bethany Galat, 12, Penn, 59.66. State Record
400 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Veronica Burchill 10, Katie Lemen 12, Kendall Smith 10, Claire Adams 10), 3:21.20. State Record

State Records Set During Friday's Preliminaries
200 Medley Relay: Carmel, 1:41.17 (Tied).
200 Freestyle: Claire Adams, 10, Carmel, 1:46.96.
50 Freestyle: Alex Cleveland, 12, Zionsville, 22.69; then broken in next heat by Amy Bilquist, 11, Carmel, 22.15.
100 Freestyle: Alex Cleveland, 12, Zionsville, 49.69; then broken in next heat by Amy Bilquist, 11, Carmel, 49.06.
100 Backstroke: Claire Adams, 10, Carmel, 53.38.

State Championship Record Streaks 
Longest streaks of consecutive state championships, all sports, all states
29: Honolulu Punahou, Hawaii, boys swimming, 1958-86.
28: Carmel, Ind., girls swimming, 1986-2013.*
27: Pickford, Mich., boys track and field, 1952-78.
26: Bolles, Jacksonville, Fla. boys swimming, 1988-2013.*
26: Woonsocket Mt. St. Charles Academy, R.I., boys hockey, 1978-2003.
25: Paulsboro, NJ, wrestling, 1983-2007.
25: St. Xavier, Louisville, Ky., boys swimming, 1989-2013.*
24: Bishop Hendricken, Warwick RI, boys swimming, 1990-2013.*
24: Tacoma Wilson, Wash., boys swimming, 1960-83. 
*Active streak.
(Source: National Federation of State High School Associations)

Zionsville's Alex Cleveland wins Mental Attitude Award
Zionsville High School’s Alex Cleveland was recognized following the state championship meet by the IHSAA Executive Committee as this year’s winner of the Mental Attitude Award.

Cleveland was the 2013 50 freestyle state champion, runner-up in the 50 and 100 this year, and also was part of Zionsville's championship 200 free relay team in 2012.

Academically, Cleveland ranks among the top students in her senior class of 448. She is a member of the National Honor Society, teaches swimming lessons through the Zionsville Aquatic Center and raises and trains service dogs with her family for Canine Companions for Independence.

She is the daughter of Bill and Linda Cleveland of Zionsville and will attend the University of Tennessee where she will continue her swimming career and study biology.

Each year the IHSAA Executive Committee selects a senior who was nominated by her principal and coach and was determined to have best demonstrated mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. The Committee presented $1,000 to Zionsville High School's general scholarship fund in the name of Alex Cleveland.