INDIANAPOLIS
This season has thrown a curveball or two at the Franklin girls swimming and diving team, and Friday night was no different.
Still, the Grizzly Cubs left themselves in a strong enough position overall after Friday night’s state preliminaries to give themselves a shot at a second straight top-five finish after this afternoon’s final.
"A majority of the things that we really wanted to happen happened," Franklin coach Zach DeWitt said. "Of course, every ball’s not going to bounce your way and every facet of the meet’s not going to break your way, but all in all, our effort was incredible and the energy was unbelievable."
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Senior Carla Gildersleeve set herself up to challenge for titles in both of her individual events, finishing the evening second in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:00.73 and third in the 100 butterfly (54.04 seconds).
Gildersleeve will be up against eight-time state champion Kelly Pash of Carmel in both of her events, as well as Yorktown senior and future Indiana University teammate Emily Weiss in the IM. She’s looking forward to the challenge.
"I’m really looking forward to it," Gildersleeve said. "We’ve been swimming together for years, so it’s kind of fun that it all comes down to this before we all go our separate ways."
Also securing a place in a championship final was sophomore Gracey Payne, who was fifth in the 50 freestyle (23.38). The sophomore was also 11th in the 100 free (51.56), good enough to make the consolation final.
Payne’s classmate, Kabria Chapman, came into Friday in a tough position, swimming the 100 breaststroke out of the slowest heat as the 27th seed — but she rallied in a big way, swimming a 1:03.85 to end the night in fifth place.
"I just know that I’m prepared for it," Chapman said. "I’ve trained this whole season for it. … I knew I could swim fast and I knew I was up with those (top) girls. I was just ready for it."
The Grizzly Cubs had the night’s second-best time in the 200 medley relay, getting a time of 1:44.13 from the quartet of Friend, Chapman, Ali Terrell and Payne. Franklin was also fourth in the 200 freestyle relay behind Payne, Gildersleeve, Lucy Ho and Hoffman.
In the last event of the night, Gildersleeve, Ho, Hoffman and Alea Hensley narrowly missed the championship final in the 400 free relay, placing ninth (3:31.19).
Senior Scarlet Friend made two consolation finals for Franklin, finishing 12th in both the 100 backstroke (56.35) and the 50 freestyle (23.70). Junior Sarah Hoffman was 10th in the 200 free (1:52.72) and 15th in the 500 free (5:04.78).
Greenwood’s young swimmers, all of whom were making their state debut, got their experience off to a bumpy start by getting disqualified in the 200 medley relay. The Woodmen later placed 18th in the 400 freestyle relay after Grace Nuhfer, Ava Leininger, Rachel Knight and Alayna Kenworthy posted a time of 3:37.52, and Nuhfer wound up 18th in her lone individual event, the 100 butterfly (56.39).
Though the Woodmen won’t be swimming today, Nuhfer was happy with how her first state meet went.
"It was a good learning experience," the sophomore said. "It really sets the stage and now I’m able to know what I’m looking for, and I’m able to adjust my goals accordingly because I know what I really want."
Center Grove finished 22nd in its lone event of the night, the 400 free relay, hitting the wall in 3:39.59. Indian Creek senior Lexi Wilhoit was 21st in the 100 backstroke, finishing in 57.38 seconds.
