FISHERS — Madison County swimmers came to Fishers High School's pool Thursday night and positioned themselves for fast races and in one instance, a possible state-meet berth in Saturday's sectional finals.
Pendleton Heights senior Tyler Parrish led the county's contingent with a second-place preliminary swim in the 100-meter freestyle. Parrish, who went in as the top seed, was clocked in 49.43 seconds.
A win Saturday or either meeting the state qualifying standard (47.43) or being among the next fastest (up to 32 statewide) gets Parrish into the state meet next weekend.
Parrish was also fifth in the in the 50-meter freestyle (22.74; he was seeded second), and he swam in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, in which the Arabians qualified fourth in both events.
“We didn't necessarily hold most of our seeds, but that was partially known coming in,” PH coach Jeff Maydak said. “We were not too worried about it. We just wanted to make sure that the kids who had opportunities to qualify for finals (top eight) and consolations did so.”
Also for the Arabians, Tyler Brand was fifth quick in the 200 free and sixth in the 500 free. Landis Hollingsworth swam fifth in the 100 butterfly and sixth in the 200 individual medley. Luke Wihebrink got seventh in the 100 backstroke and 10th in the 100 free, and Ethan Blake qualified 10th in the 100 breaststroke.
Parrish, Hollingsworth, Brand and Wihebrink swam the 400 free relay, and it was Hollingsworth, Brand and Elliott Claxon joining Parrish in the 200 free relay. Claxon, Blake, Connor Williamson and Nick Dawson got fifth for the Arabians in the 200 medley relay.
“We weren’t particularly fast in the relays (Thursday), given the fact there were only eight teams, but I think we'll be faster Saturday,” Maydak said. “Overall, I think we swam pretty well (Thursday).”
Anderson's highest individual results were eighths by Hamilton Smith in the butterfly and Noah Bozell in the breaststroke.
Smith was ninth in the IM, as was Cody Gray in the breaststroke. Three Indians swam 10th in their events — Bozell in the IM, Austin Ventura in the backstroke and Will Lashbrook in the 200 free.
In the relays, Smith, Bozell, Shane Smith and Christian Poole were fifth in the medley; Bozell, Poole, Lashbrook and Hamilton Smith were also fifth in the 200 free; and Ventura, Shane Smith, James Brandon and Peyton Harrington were sixth in the 400 free.
“It was a mixed bag, really,” Anderson coach Jeff Eddy said. “We had some very good times and some significant drops, and in some of the events the guys were ready to race (Thursday). Hopefully, they'll be ready to race Saturday.”
Eddy added there were “a lot" of personal bests and that his swimmers will shoot to better those in the consolations and finals.
Liberty Christian will have two relay teams swimming Saturday. The Lions’ 200 free quartet of Benjamin Gray, Jacob Byers, Isaac Goar and Griffin Davidson qualified sixth, and Gray, Goar, Davidson and Matthew Billing were seventh in the medley.
The swimming portion of Saturday's card begins at 1 p.m. The first round of diving (eight dives per competitor) begins at 9 a.m., with the finals (three dives) the fifth event of the afternoon program.
