For The Daily Journal
INDIANAPOLIS
Franklin coach Zach DeWitt and senior Adam Destrampe took a huge gamble in the IHSAA Boys Swimming and Diving State Finals prelims, and they hope it leads to a better performance in today’s finals.
Unlike most of the swimmers Friday night at Indiana University Natatorium at IUPUI, Destrampe came in unshaved for his 200- and 500-yard freestyle events. The IU recruit narrowly made the cut to the finals in both, swimming the seventh-fastest qualifying times in both.
The top eight in each event made the finals, while the next eight made the consolation heat.
“My coach and I definitely rolled the dice with not shaving for prelims, so I’m really expecting my times to drop a lot after I shave for (today),” Destrampe said.
Destrampe swam 1 minute, 40.17 seconds in the 200 freestyle and 4:32.79 in the 500 freestyle.
“Today, I swam really poorly,” Destrampe said. “I don’t know if it was the fact that I didn’t shave, or if everybody’s just being better. I put the blame on myself.
“I can’t control the people next to me; I can only control myself,” Destrampe said. “If I were lucky enough to win state, of course, I’d be happy, but how I place isn’t my biggest concern. My biggest concern is my own personal times.”
Center Grove senior Chase Bettner also qualified for the finals in two events. The Miami (Ohio) recruit qualified seventh in the 50 freestyle (21.35) and eighth in the 100 freestyle (46.25).
“I liked the way I swam,” Bettner said. “I’m pretty pleased with my times, but I think there’s a lot I can do (today) to go even faster. I’m just glad to make it on the podium.”
Bettner swam faster in both races than in last week’s sectional.
Franklin senior Clayton Culp qualified for the consolation heat in both the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. He is seeded 11th in the 50 freestyle (21.57) and 15th in the 100 freestyle.
Culp, Destrampe, senior Josh Barrett and sophomore A.J. Rice qualified for consolation heats with the ninth-fastest time in the 200 freestyle relay (1:26.93) and the 14th-fastest in the 400 freestyle relay (3:11.45). Senior James Pryor finished 28th in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.35).
Center Grove freshman Grant Wasserman, junior Alex Krasutsky, Bettner and senior Dan Godfrey finished 22nd in the 200 medley relay (1:39.68).
Indian Creek’s Wyeth Brock took 19th in the 100 backstroke (53.13) and 30th in the 100 butterfly (52.39).