Bloomington North girls' swimming gets historic win, area top performers honored
Turns out Saturday's win was twice as nice.
The Bloomington North girls swim team pulled off a major feat at the Vigo County Aquatics Center when it won the Conference Indiana meet, outscoring South 439-401.
That was cause enough for celebration. Then Monday, the Cougars learned it was a first for the program since the league was formed in 1997. It should add some spice to their battle for a sectional title in two weeks.
"We were excited," North coach Taylor McGregor said. "I thought it was the first time, but I didn't get confirmation of that until (Monday). So we got to celebrate again today."
It kind of snuck up to her at the meet as well.
"I'm not very good about keeping track of the score," McGregor said. "The girls are always keyed in though. I heard one of them telling someone to not tell me it was close."
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It started off in strong fashion for North, with a runner-up in the medley relay and a 1-2-5 finish in the 200 individual medley, led by sophomores Ashley Freel and Hope Westphal. Freel is now the first Cougar girl to win more than two individual CI titles.
"I knew that would be a good event because all three are so clutch," McGregor said. "And they were right on their bests this season with a lot of potential to be faster."
Karen Tabbal won the 50 freestyle, then Freel, with her third swim over the first five events (she had a meet best 25.25 butterfly leg) won the 100 fly. Tabbal and Annie Murer were 3-5 in the 100 free, Westphal led a 1-7-8 finish in the 500 free.
Then North put some space between it and South with Lucy Mitchell and Bella Buehler leading a 2-3-7 finish worth 45 points in the 100 breaststroke.
"Our top performers had a great meet again," McGregor said. "Ashley and Hope had awesome meets. Bella Buehler, who was out for the South meet, it was nice to have her back in the lineup.
"It was definitely key that a lot of points came in the touches from kids fighting for fifths and sixths. When you have three on the podium (top eight), it makes such a huge difference. Greta Kollbaum had a great 500 and Delani (Fisher's) back was better than I had predicted."
The Cougars also won the 200 free relay (by .59 over South) and 400 free relay to cap their first win over South in a conference, sectional or Counsilman Classic since 2006.
That was also the last year North finished as high as second in the CI meet.
Great 8 for Paegle
South senior Kristina Paegle became the first Bloomington swimmer to win eight individual Conference Indiana titles.
Paegle took the 50 and 100 frees as a freshman and has swept the 100 and 200 frees since, taking her races on Saturday in 51.72 and 1:52.50, respectively. Add in four relay wins and that makes 12 overall.
It tops the seven individual crowns Mackenzie Looze took from 2015-18.
Paegle is also the first swimmer to sweep a CI event all four years since Columbus North's Olivia Morlock took the 500 free from 2017-20. South's Casey Papp also swept the 100 fly from 2009-12 as did Chelsea McKeen diving from 2008-11.
The Panthers posted three runner-up finishes on Saturday in the 200 and 400 free relays and another from freshman Anna Asplund in the 100 backstroke.
It's Miller's time
Junior Max Miller became the first Cougar to win a boys' CI diving title, scoring a career best 426.40 to top the field by 31 points. South's Michael Tierney was fourth (313.10).
On the girls' side, South's Carina Jacobson was third (384.15), 30 points from the top. North got a 5-7 finish led by sophomore Lily Sledd.
Cougars triple up
The North boys won their third CI title in a row, scoring 494 points, the most the meet had seen since 2016. Columbus North had 442 and South, minus the Kovacs brothers, was third at 355.
"Winning conference for a third year in a row is pretty neat," coach Max Irwin said. "And it was so nice to be back in person after being virtual last year. It gives me hope for a more normal championship season."
The Bull Dogs were up 20 points early on before North made it's move. Over the last seven races, the Cougars put all three of its swimmers in the top nine, going 2-3-4 in the 100 free, 2-4-5 in the 50 and 2-4-5 in the breast. A sweep of the relays also provided a nice 120 points.
And all three wins came from freshmen, including two by Jay Stewart, whose victories in the fly and back made him just the third Cougar to double up at the CI meet, joining Jakob Mumper (2019) and Irwin (2013). Ty Mayer had the third North win, taking care of the 500 with a nine-second PR.
Stewart also anchored the 400 free relay in 47.47 holding off a hard-charging Daniel Utterback from Columbus North for a win by one tenth of a second.
"That's why I had him anchor," Irwin said. "He had that racing mindset. He wants to win and he showed that. Utterback was coming on strong."
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North's sprinters did their jobs impressively. Ben Dixon, Quincy Slaper and Ben Buehler were all 50.59 or faster in the 100 free. Every split of the 200 free relay was between 22.04-22.71. North's slowest leg of the 400 relay was 50.00 and Slaper finished the medley relay in 21.83 to top South by .63.
South's other top finishes came from Judah Thompson, runner-up in the 200 free and 100 back, and Lukas Paegle (who missed the North meet) was second in the fly and third in the 50 free.
TOP PERFORMERS
For the week of Jan. 17-22
GYMNASTICS
Maddie Kawanishi, South
Led the Panthers to a 101.175 and a win over Noblesville by winning the all-around with a 34.025. Won beam (9.2) and bars (8.25) and tied for third on floor (8.475).
Amelie Parrish, South
Finished second in the all-around in the win over Noblesville with a 32.9. Won floor with an 8.675 and was second on beam, (8.85) and vault (8.475).
WRESTLING
All meets canceled last week.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Bloomington North gymnastics
Came within a hair of the school scoring record (107.45), posting a 107.425 in a meet at Roncalli on Saturday.
Contact Jim Gordillo at jgordillo@heraldt.com and follow on Twitter @JimGordillo.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington North girls swimming gets historic win
