News

To conclude the 2010-11 season, Carmel repeated as the team champion and Brebeuf Jesuit’s Harrison Wagner won a pair of titles during the 74th Annual IHSAA Boys Swimming and Diving State Finals in Indianapolis.

It was Carmel’s state-leading 13th title in the sport and its second under coach Chris Plumb. Two weeks ago, Plumb guided the Carmel girls team to its 25th consecutive state championship, his fifth straight with that squad.

Greyhound senior Matt Gerth won his second consecutive championship in the 200 freestyle in 1:39.08, the team’s only individual winner and later anchored the school’s 400 freestyle relay, the last event of the day, to put an exclamation point on the victory.

Carmel scored 227 points for the meet followed by Bloomington South with 171. It was Bloomington South’s highest finish at the state meet since 1996. Westfield placed third with 146, Chesterton was fourth with 141.5 and Northridge rounded out the top five with 138.5.

Wagner swept both freestyle sprints after setting a state meet record on Friday. The senior won the 50 freestyle in 20.25 edging defending champion Tyler Fozkos of Chesterton who touched in 20.87. Wagner’s record-setting performance of 20.11 on Friday broke the 20.40 set by Yorktown’s Eric Mattingly in 2004. Wagner went on to capture the 100 freestyle in 44.76 beating out Gerth (45.81).

In the 100 butterfly, senior Blake Johnson of Homestead (49.80) edged out Chesterton freshman Aaron Whitaker and defending champion Kevin Behrens of Munster, who tied for second place at 49.83.

Senior Justin Rossillo of Hamilton Southeastern captured the 100 backstroke in 50.04 just ahead of Behrens, the defending champ, who finished second in 50.24.

Andrew Cato of Floyd Central and Keanu Stevenson of Castle capped their senior years with wins in the 200 individual medley (1:50.46) and 100 breaststroke (54.92), respectively. Westfield junior Nathan Hopkins won the 500 freestyle in 4:32.98 and Harrison’s Layne Rogers, another junior, picked up the one meter diving medal scoring 547.95 points in 11 dives.

Munster won the 200 medley relay (1:33.79) and Bloomington South took the 200 freestyle relay (1:24.85).

The 74th Annual IHSAA Boys Swimming & Diving State Finals
Indiana University Natatorium, IUPUI, Indianapolis
February 25-26, 2011

Top 10 Teams
1.    Carmel: 227
2.    Bloomington South: 171
3.    Westfield: 146
4.    Chesterton: 141.5
5.    Northridge: 138.5
6.    Hamilton Southeastern: 117
7.    Munster: 116.5
8.    Homestead: 112
9.    Zionsville: 93.5
10.  North Central (Indianapolis): 93

State Champions
200 Medley Relay – Munster (Dillon Thompson 12, Frank Rapin 12, Kevin Behrens 12, Max Kilibarda 12), 1:33.79.
200 Freestyle – Matt Gerth 12, Carmel, 1:39.08.
200 Individual Medley – Andrew Cato, 12, Floyd Central, 1:50.46.
50 Freestyle – Harrison Wagner, 12, Brebeuf Jesuit, 20.25. Wagner set a state meet record of 20.11 during Friday’s preliminaries.
One Meter Diving – Layne Rogers, 11, Harrison (West Lafayette), 547.95.
100 Butterfly – Blake Johnson, 12, Homestead, 49.80.
100 Freestyle – Harrison Wagner, 12, Brebeuf Jesuit, 44.76.
500 Freestyle – Nathan Hopkins, 11, Westfield, 4:32.98.
200 Freestyle Relay – Bloomington South (Jake Kelzer 11, Logan Jastremski 11, Scott Haeberle 11, Brendan Michaelsen 11), 1:24.85.
100 Backstroke – Justin Rossillo, 12, Hamilton Southeastern, 50.04.
100 Breaststroke – Keanu Stevenson, 12, Castle, 54.92.
400 Freestyle Relay – Carmel (Kiernan McGeehan 12, Jon Astashinsky 10, Max McKay 10, Matt Gerth 12), 3:06.90.

HARRISON WAGNER WINS HERMAN F. KELLER MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD
Following the meet, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee selected Harrison Wagner of Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School as this year’s winner of the Herman F. Keller Mental Attitude Award in boys swimming and diving.

The award, named in honor of the former IHSAA assistant commissioner, is presented annually to a senior, nominated by his principal and coach, who demonstrates excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability.

Wagner won both the 50 and 100 freestyle events on Saturday after setting the state meet record in the 50 during Friday’s competition. His 20.11 broke a record that was set in 2004. He also has participated in hockey and boys lacrosse while at Brebeuf Jesuit, and will be a member of the school’s inaugural men’s volleyball team upon the completion of his swimming season.

He has achieved Class Honors each year at his school, is a three-time recipient of the Brebeuf Hockey Academic Excellence Award, is a two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and is an AP Scholar with honors. Upon graduation, he plans to further his swimming career at Princeton University.

He is the son of Jay and Crystal Wagner of Carmel.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, IHSAA corporate partner, presented Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School with a $1,000 scholarship in the name of Harrison Wagner.

VSN MEANS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY
Visit our friends at Visual Sports Network, the IHSAA’s official photographer for all state championship events and one of the leading action photographers in the Midwest. VSN, which was on site on Saturday, has captured hundreds of images from this year’s State Finals and will have them ready for viewing and purchase beginning Monday.