Franklin’s Lili Ratzlaff swims the 200-yard freestyle during Saturday’s state finals at the IU Natatorium.
Chris Williams | For the Daily Journal
INDIANAPOLIS
Franklin coach Zach DeWitt saw his girls swimming and diving team’s string of top-five finishes in the state high school meet end at four Saturday.
Yet DeWitt was pleased how his girls battled to an eighth-place finish with 98 points in the state finals at the IU Natatorium. Carmel won its 36th consecutive girls state title with 461 points and Fishers was second with 283.
“I’m pleased with the fight we had, not necessarily today but the entire season,” DeWitt said. “We’ve been undermanned and understaffed this year, just like everyone else coming out of the pandemic. We’ve been swimming with 13 girls on our roster. To only have five girls here and the least amount of swims we’ve had in quite a while, to be able to place top 10 and get eighth in an admirable accomplishment. It’s a wonderful day all in all.
“Franklin is not going anywhere.”
Grizzly Cubs junior Allie Lacy placed sixth in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:02.62.
“My time was about the same as (prelims),” Lacy said. “I felt a little more pressure just being in the final. It was nothing new to me. I experienced this last year and I’ve been to meets like the that are really high pressure. I’m happy with how it went; sixth place is okay. I was hoping to go a little higher, but I’m glad I could contribute to the team’s points. I went slower last year and got fifth.”
Lacy followed that up by finishing seventh in the 100 backstroke in 56.82. She also was seventh in the state in that event in 2021.
In addition, Lacy joined freshman Lili Ratzlaff, junior Jenna Miller and senior Paige Lawrence on a 400 freestyle relay that placed sixth in 3:28.55.
Allie and sister Kathleen Lacy, a freshman, joined Ratzlaff and Miller on the 200 medley relay team that placed 10th in 1:46.58.
Ratzlaff placed fifth in the 200 freestyle in 1:49.10. She was 12th in the 100 free in 52.34.
Lawrence finished 14th in 1:55.03 in the 200 free before placing eighth in the 500 freestyle in 5:05.87.
“I think to have just five girls swimming here, three in individuals, and still get a top-10 finish was pretty awesome,” Lawrence said. “The (400 free) was our best relay of the season. We expected top eight (going into prelims); getting up on the podium one last time was great just to be with everyone. I’m pretty happy with how it went.”
Although Lawrence is graduating, she sees a bright future for the Grizzly Cubs.
“We have a lot eighth-grade girls coming up,” Lawrence said. “It takes a while for them to get used to training with all of us. Once they settle in, I’m sure they are going to be great next year. I’m pretty excited to watch them.”
DeWitt said he also is optimistic about the Grizzly Cubs’ future with the crop of young swimmers headed into the program.
“Normally we have 25 girls or high 20s,” he said of the roster. “For us to battle on and forge through, it was really impressive for all of them. This year was about turning the page and continuing on what we started many years, which is a legacy of great swimming.”
Helped by sophomore Mia Prusiecki winning the 1-meter state diving title (see page A1), Center Grove finished 13th in the team scoring with 66 points.
Trojan sophomore Lara Phipps was seventh in the 100 butterfly in 56.77.
“It was my goal for all of my high school season to get up on the podium,” Phipps said. “I really wanted to do it. When I got seeded fourth (in prelims), I was thrilled I got to get a medal today. I’m excited to see what I can do next year and how much I can improve.”
Phipps also placed 15th in the 200 free in 1:55.47.
Center Grove’s 200 freestyle relay team of Phipps, sophomores Lexi Stuart and Grace Clarkston and senior Kiersten Smith took eighth place in 1:36.71. Clarkston, Smith, senior Kylie Treat and Phipps placed 12th in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:34.76.
Greenwood’s 200 medley relay team of Chloe Vitatoe, Madison Peckinpaugh, Naomi Weaver and Reagan Graves placed 13th with a time of 1:48.03. Graves, a freshman, took 11th place in the 500 free in 5:06.79. The Woodmen finished in a tie with Franklin Central for 22nd place with 14 points.
In diving, Franklin sophomore Camy Quiggins placed 17th and Indian Creek sophomore Ella Taylor finished 26th.
