February 14, 2015
Carmel Girls Tie National High School Record with 29th Consecutive State Championship
It was as complete domination as ever has been seen in the IHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals. And as many records as we've ever seen before.
Fifteen records were set for the weekend, seven during the championship finals including three national high school records in relays.
And Carmel was responsible for 13 of those 15. The Greyhounds won nine of the 12 events, six of them individuals for a record total 455 points for the meet.
Oh, and it was their 29th consecutive state title in the sport tying the mark set by Punahou High School's (Honolulu, HI) boys swimming and diving team from 1958-86. It was the 30th state championship for the program and the ninth under coach Chris Plumb which equals the state record set by former Carmel coach Tony Young.
Fishers secured its best finish ever claiming the runner-up spot with 179 points, followed by Chesterton in third with 164. Last year's runner-up Crown Point, and Zionsville tied for fourth with 163 points.
Brooke Schultz of Hamilton Heights won the first title in her school's history scoring a record 563.65 points in the one meter diving competition.
Lillia King of Evansville Reitz captured the first state championships in school history collecting both the 200 individual medley in 1:59.24 and the 100 breaststroke in 59.70, narrowly missing the state record of 59.63 she set in the prelims on Friday.
Other double winners for the day were Carmel senior Amy Bilquist and junior teammate Claire Adams.
Bilquist repeated in both the 50 and 100 freestyles bettering her own state record from Friday with a 48.36 in the 100. She tied her own state mark in the 50 set in last year's prelims in 22.15.
Adams carried home both 200 free and the 100 backstroke, each for the third consecutive year. She was also on two of the relay teams to give her four for the day and 12 for her career through her first years. The record for most state championship by an individual is 14 set by Carmel's Emily Ayers from 1992-95.
Junior Veronica Burchill claimed the 100 butterfly setting record times in both performances these two days. Her 52.26 in the final topped her 52.59 from Friday night. And sophomore Emma Nordin won the 500 freestyle in 4:45.87, just off her record time of 4:45.15 from Friday.
Lillia King of Evansville Reitz wins Mental Attitude Award
Evansville Reitz senior Lillia King was recognized following the state championship meet by the IHSAA Executive Committee as this year’s winner of the Mental Attitude Award.
In winning the 200 Individual Medley, she became the first girls swimming state champion in her school's history.
Besides being a member of her school's swimming and diving team and maintaining a 4.0 GPA, she has been actively involved as a four-year member of the student council where she serves her high school community and the Evansville community throughservice learning projects, blood drives, clothing drives and Riley Hospital fund-raisers.
She is the daughter of Mark and Ginny King of Evansville and will attend Indiana University to study Education.
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 Evansville F.J. Reitz High School's general scholarship fund in the name of Lillia King.
The 41st Annual IHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals
Indiana University Natatorium, IUPUI, Indianapolis
February 13-14, 2015
| Top 10 Teams |
| 1. |
Carmel |
445 |
| 2. |
Fishers |
179 |
| 3. |
Chesterton |
164 |
| T4. |
Zionsville |
163 |
| T4. |
Crown Point |
163 |
| 6. |
Columbus North |
114 |
| 7. |
Hamilton Southeastern |
106 |
| 8. |
Penn |
97 |
| 9. |
Center Grove |
95 |
| 10. |
Castle |
94 |
State Champions
200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Sammie Burchill 10, Alex Clarke 12, Veronica Burchill 11, Amy Bilquist 12) 1:39.25. National Record, State Record
200 Freestyle: Claire Adams, 11, Carmel, 1:45.78.
200 Individual Medley: Lillia King, 12, Evansville Reitz, 1:59.24.
50 Freestyle: Amy Bilquist, 12, Carmel, 22.15. Tied Own State Record
One Meter Diving: Brooke Schultz, 10, Hamilton Heights, 563.65. State Record
100 Butterfly: Veronica Burchill, 11, Carmel, 52.26. State Record
100 Freestyle: Amy Bilquist, 12, Carmel, 48.36. State Record
500 Freestyle: Emma Nordin, 10, Carmel, 4:45.87.
200 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Veronica Burchill 11, Claire Adams 11, Kendall Smith 11, Trude Rothrock 9) 1:30.72. National Record, State Record
100 Backstroke: Claire Adams, 11, Carmel, 52.14.
100 Breaststroke: Lillia King, 12, Evansville Reitz, 59.70.
400 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Veronica Burchill 11, Claire Adams 11, Kendall Smith 11, Amy Bilquist 12) 3:15.38. National Record, State Record
State Championship Record Streaks
Longest streaks of consecutive state championships, all sports, all states
29: Carmel, Ind., girls swimming, 1986‐2015.*
29: Honolulu Punahou, Hawaii, boys swimming, 1958‐86.
27: Bolles, Jacksonville, Fla. boys swimming, 1988‐2014.*
27: Pickford, Mich., boys track and field, 1952‐78.
26: St. Xavier, Louisville, Ky., boys swimming, 1989‐2014.*
26: Woonsocket Mt. St. Charles Academy, R.I., boys hockey, 1978‐2003.
25: Paulsboro, NJ, wrestling, 1983‐2007.
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)
State Records During Saturday's Championship Finals
200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Sammie Burchill 10, Alex Clarke 12, Veronica Burchill 11, Amy Bilquist 12) 1:39.25. National Record
50 Freestyle: Amy Bilquist, 12, Carmel, 22.15. Tied Own State Record
One Meter Diving: Brooke Schultz, 10, Hamilton Heights, 563.65.
100 Butterfly: Veronica Burchill, 11, Carmel, 52.26.
100 Freestyle: Amy Bilquist, 12, Carmel, 48.36.
200 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Veronica Burchill 11, Claire Adams 11, Kendall Smith 11, Trude Rothrock 9) 1:30.72. National Record
400 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Veronica Burchill 11, Claire Adams 11, Kendall Smith 11, Amy Bilquist 12) 3:15.38. National Record
State Records During Friday's Preliminaries
200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Sammie Burchill 10, Alex Clarke 12, Veronica Burchill 11, Amy Bilquist 12) 1:40.33.
200 Freestyle: Emma Nordin, 10, Carmel, 1:46.78, then broken in next heat by Claire Adams, 11, Carmel, 1:45.09.
100 Butterfly: Veronica Burchill, 11, Carmel 52.59.
100 Freestyle: Amy Bilquist, 12, Carmel, 48.67.
500 Freestyle: Emma Nordin, 10, Carmel, 4:45.15.
100 Backstroke: Claire Adams, 11, Carmel,
51.99.
100 Breaststroke: Lillia King, 12, Evansville Reitz, 59.63.