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Emotions from swimmers and coaches alike were raw at times during the 86th annual boys swimming and diving championships at the Indiana University Natatorium.
 
Carmel won its ninth straight state championship, winning five of the 11 swim events. The Greyhounds finished with 363 points and Zionsville finished as the runner up for the second straight year, tallying 257. Senior Aaron Shackell was the Greyhounds’ standout, with individual wins in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle races and as part of the victorious 200 medley and 400 free relay teams.
 
Carmel’s 200 medley relay team of Sean Sullivan, Brandon Malicki, Shackell and Michael Gorey kicked off the meet with the program’s sixth straight championship in the event, winning in 1:27.83. Shackell made up more than two seconds as the third leg to help Carmel overtake Zionsville’s early lead.
 
Shackell followed by winning the 200 freestyle in convincing fashion, finishing in 1:33.68. That was just off his record 1:32.85 set in Friday’s preliminaries when he bested the national mark of 1:32.99 and beat the 1:33.30 state mark set by former Greyhound Drew Kibler.
 
“It was really special, especially with Drew being (at the race),” Shackell said. “He and I have worked together for the last six months or so and we’ve talked about it a little bit.”
 
Shackell added a win in the 500 free, finishing in 4:15.38 ahead of runner-up teammate Gregg Enoch (4:20.40). Shackell anchored Carmel’s 400 free relay to close the meet, with the Greyhounds winning in 2:59.52.
 
Sean Sullivan was the other Carmel winner, becoming the first Greyhound to repeat as champion of the 100 free.
 
“Last year, when I was swimming that race, I felt really confident going in,” Sullivan said. “My strokes were hitting and everything was perfect. This year, I came in and the first day I didn’t have a great meet. Coming into today, I wasn’t feeling sure. I just did the right things in warmup and got myself prepared and it turned out my favor in the end.”
 
Zionsville’s Will Modglin left with three state titles. He set a national record of 45.08 seconds in the 100 backstroke in the prelims and won in the finals in 45.69. Modglin added his third straight championship in the 200 individual medley and in the process broke his own state record of 1:44.10 set last year with a time of 1:43.74. Modglin trailed Carmel’s Enoch early, but showed why he’s a record backstroker, making up ground in that portion of the race to take a commanding lead. He then helped Zionsville’s 200 free relay team break the state record with a time of 1:20.53.
 
“It means a lot,” Modglin said. “Four years, it’s lot swimming, a lot of dual meets, a lot of state and sectional meets, so I was really happy I was able to end it the way I did and end it with the team I had.”
 
Harrison (West Lafayette) junior Matt Klinge repeated as champion in the 50 freestyle, becoming the school’s first two-time state champion, winning in 19.95 seconds. He added a win in the 100 butterfly in 47.90 seconds
 
“I was not expecting going into the season to be in this spot in that race,” Klinge said. “I’m excited. That definitely felt good.”
 
After failing to make it out of sectionals last year, Hamilton Heights junior Ethan Swart won the 1-meter diving competition with 512.15 points, with his teammate Nathan Cox (503.65) second.
 
“Last summer I worked on my dives a lot more,” Swart said. “I’ve just been doing what I can to be better and do the best I possibly could.” 
 
Carroll’s Adam McCurdy let his emotions flow after winning the 100 breaststroke as the third seed in 54.69 seconds. McCurdy said he was swimming for his late mother and friend Owen Scheele, a quarterback on the Carroll football team who died in June from a sudden illness. 
 
“I really just did this race for Owen Scheele and my mom,” McCurdy said. “They both mean a lot to me. Owen was a great friend. My mom, obviously… It’s just a really unreal moment for me. Just all the hard work I put in for them. Owen was known for his hard work. My mom always taught me to work hard and I would get what I want. It just paid off and it’s really cool to see it happen.”
 
An emotional Carmel coach Chris Plumb noted his team’s resiliency this season after the death of junior teammate Michael Jent in a January car accident.
 
Carroll (150) finished third in the team scoring followed by Fishers (148) and Indianapolis North Central (130).
 

Senior Will Modglin named Mental Attitude Award recipient
Will Modglin of Zionsville High School was named the recipient of the Herman F. Keller Mental Attitude Award following the meet by the IHSAA Executive Committee.

Will is the Zionsville Swim Team Captain and is a seven-time State Champion and won both the 200 Individual Medley and 100 Backstroke in each of his Sophomore, Junior, and Senior seasons. He is the National High School record holder in the 100 Backstroke, 45.08, and the State Meet record holder in the 200 Individual Medley, 1:43.74. Will is also a part of the Zionsville's State Meet record 200 Freestyle Relay team, 1:20.53. He has won four Junior National Titles and was a 2021 U.S. Olympic Qualifier.

Outside the pool, Will volunteers at this local church, leads swim lessons to youth in his community, and packages meals for people in need. In the classroom, Will has earned a 3.78 weighted GPA

Will is the son of Chris and Michelle Modglin of Zionsville. He will be attending Texas in the fall but is still undecided on his major. 

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. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s proud corporate partner, presented $1,000 to Zionsville High School's general scholarship fund in the name of Will Modglin.

The award, renamed in 1974, honors Herman F. Keller, former IHSAA assistant commissioner who served the Association from 1961-73.

The 86th Annual IHSAA Boys Swimming & Diving State Finals
Indiana University Natatorium, IUPUI, Indianapolis
February 24-25, 2023

State Champions
200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Sean Sullivan 12, Brandon Malicki 11, Aaron Shackell 12, Michael Gorey 10)  1:27.83
200 Freestyle: Aaron Shackell (12) Carmel  1:33.68
200 Individual Medley: Will Modglin (12) Zionsville  1:43.74  State Record
50 Freestyle: Matthew Klinge (11) Harrison (West Lafayette)  19.95
One Meter Diving: Ethan Swart (11) Hamilton Heights  512.15
100 Butterfly: Matthew Klinge (11) Harrison (West Lafayette)  47.90
100 Freestyle: Sean Sullivan (12) Carmel  44.09
500 Freestyle: Aaron Shackell (12) Carmel  4:15.35
200 Freestyle Relay: Zionsville (Will Modglin 12, Walker Mattice 11, Gabe Berry 12, Will Raches 12)  1:20.53 State Record
100 Backstroke: Will Modglin (12) Zionsville  45.69
100 Breaststroke: Adam McCurdy (12) Carroll (Fort Wayne)  54.69
400 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Andrew Shackell 10, Gregg Enoch 11, AJ Robertson 12, Aaron Shackell 12)  2:59.52

State Records set during Saturday's Championship Finals
200 Individual Medley: Will Modglin (12) Zionsville  1:43.74  
200 Freestyle Relay: Zionsville (Will Modglin 12, Walker Mattice 11, Gabe Berry 12, Will Raches 12)  1:20.53

National Records set during Friday's Preliminaries
200 Freestyle: Aaron Shackell (12) Carmel 1:32.85  
100 Backstroke: Will Modglin (12) Zionsville 45.08