For those of you who are new to high school swimming here in Indiana, let's go over how a meet is scored.
There are 12 events in a meet--eight individual swimming events, three swimming relays, and diving. The individual events are scored on the following basis: 1st place-6 points, 2nd place-4 points, 3rd place-3 points, 4th place-2 points, and 5th place-1 point. That's why a seemingly insignificant race for 5th and 6th place at the end of an event can be CRITICAL to the outcome of a meet. A two-point swing is on the line every time that happens. Cheer hard for those kids!
The relays are worth more. They are scored on the following basis: 1st place-8 points, 2nd place-4 points, and 3rd place-2 points. Keep in mind that a school may only score with TWO of its relay teams in an event. That means if Yorktown finishes 1-2-3 in the 200 Medley Relay, we only get credit for 12 points. Our opponent's best finishing relay team would get the two 3rd place points; our opponent wouldn't score if they didn't have a team entered in that event.
There are a maximum number of 186 points scored in a dual meet. That makes 94 the magic number. Once the Tigers reach 94 points, they have clinched victory. And yes, there are meets that end tied 93-93!
Let's hope YHS gets a LOT more than 94 tomorrow night at Lawrence North.
GO TIGERS!
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
MEET PREVIEW: YORKTOWN AT LAWRENCE NORTH
It's time to dust off that cushioned seat back and hit the interstate, the start of the 2011-12 Yorktown High School swimming (and diving) season has arrived. The #15 Lady Tigers travel to unranked (but dangerous) Lawrence North on Thursday to tangle with the Lady Wildcats in the lidlifter for both squads.
Don't let the Wildcats' lack of a pre-season ranking fool you, LN is still plenty good heading into action tomorrow. True, they graduated studs Julie Ogden and Meghan Anderson from last year's team that finished 15th at the IHSAA State Meet. Ogden was the biggest loss--she parlayed a state championship in the 100 Fly into a college career at West Virginia. But this year's LN group packs lots of firepower.
Senior Peyton Cunningham, juniors Taryn Anderson and Laura Weiss, and sophomore Laura Apple all competed on the Wildcats' state team a year ago. It's worth remembering that they scored at the Nat, and they form a talented nucleus for Mike Parratto's team. Look for Anderson to be a force again in the 100 backstroke; Weiss is one of the strongest breaststrokers in this part of the state; and both Cunningham and Apple can bring it in the freestyle events.
Yorktown will counter with proven, state caliber firepower of its own. Senior Larah Beaver, juniors Jessica Extine, Kersea Gable, Caroline Grasso and Ashley Sexton, and freshman Lauren Elston are all capable of dominating races and scoring a LOT of points, both individually and on relays. Throw in the scoring depth of seniors Kirsten Nickoli, Chelsea Watters and freshmen Katie Keller and Katelyn Grasso, and it should be a VERY competitive meet. If both schools stack their 200 Medley Relay teams, you won't want to miss the first race of the night--it'll be FAST!
Diving will also play a role in Yorktown's chances to win tomorrow. Senior Sam Mahon and junior Ellie Smith will be counted on to score valuable points in the diving well, both against LN, and for the rest of the season. Diving is only eight percent of a swimming meet in Indiana, but it can make--or BREAK--a team's chances for overall success.
It will be very interesting to see how first-year coach Laura Slight lines up her Yorktown athletes on Thursday. Will she go with a power lineup that groups the studs on the 'A' relays to chase the extra points awarded in those events? Or will she spread out her most talented swimmers, hoping that they can pull weaker relay squads to victory while keeping them in their best individual events? Only time will tell. I can't wait to find out.
Thursday's meet begins at 5:30 p.m. in the beautiful Lawrence North pool on the north side of the LN campus.
GO TIGERS!
Don't let the Wildcats' lack of a pre-season ranking fool you, LN is still plenty good heading into action tomorrow. True, they graduated studs Julie Ogden and Meghan Anderson from last year's team that finished 15th at the IHSAA State Meet. Ogden was the biggest loss--she parlayed a state championship in the 100 Fly into a college career at West Virginia. But this year's LN group packs lots of firepower.
Senior Peyton Cunningham, juniors Taryn Anderson and Laura Weiss, and sophomore Laura Apple all competed on the Wildcats' state team a year ago. It's worth remembering that they scored at the Nat, and they form a talented nucleus for Mike Parratto's team. Look for Anderson to be a force again in the 100 backstroke; Weiss is one of the strongest breaststrokers in this part of the state; and both Cunningham and Apple can bring it in the freestyle events.
Yorktown will counter with proven, state caliber firepower of its own. Senior Larah Beaver, juniors Jessica Extine, Kersea Gable, Caroline Grasso and Ashley Sexton, and freshman Lauren Elston are all capable of dominating races and scoring a LOT of points, both individually and on relays. Throw in the scoring depth of seniors Kirsten Nickoli, Chelsea Watters and freshmen Katie Keller and Katelyn Grasso, and it should be a VERY competitive meet. If both schools stack their 200 Medley Relay teams, you won't want to miss the first race of the night--it'll be FAST!
Diving will also play a role in Yorktown's chances to win tomorrow. Senior Sam Mahon and junior Ellie Smith will be counted on to score valuable points in the diving well, both against LN, and for the rest of the season. Diving is only eight percent of a swimming meet in Indiana, but it can make--or BREAK--a team's chances for overall success.
It will be very interesting to see how first-year coach Laura Slight lines up her Yorktown athletes on Thursday. Will she go with a power lineup that groups the studs on the 'A' relays to chase the extra points awarded in those events? Or will she spread out her most talented swimmers, hoping that they can pull weaker relay squads to victory while keeping them in their best individual events? Only time will tell. I can't wait to find out.
Thursday's meet begins at 5:30 p.m. in the beautiful Lawrence North pool on the north side of the LN campus.
GO TIGERS!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
BEAVER BECOMES A CARDINAL!
Larah Beaver signs with Ball State on November 15thYorktown swimmer Larah Beaver will be trading her Tiger stripes for Cardinal claws next year. The YHS and YSC star has accepted a full athletic scholarship offer from Ball State University, and will compete for the Cardinals beginning in August of 2012.
Beaver carries on the Yorktown tradition, following a long line of former Tigers into NCAA swimming. She is a multiple National and Junior National qualifier, a three-time National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA) All-American, a two-time Indiana Swimming state champion, and an IHSAA All-State performer.
Join us in congratulating Larah for her outstanding achievement as she and the rest of the Lady Tigers open their IHSAA season this Thursday at Lawrence North.
GO TIGERS!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
TIGERS POISED FOR STRONG SEASON
The muscles are aching, the joints are sore, and they're going to bed before 9:00 p.m. And that can only mean that the start of the 2011-12 Yorktown High School swimming and diving season is RIGHT around the corner.
The #15 Lady Tigers return their strongest team since the IHSAA State Runner-up squad of 2005-06 (those were the halcyon days of Maggie Bird, Jill Lockhart, Kelsi Hall, et al). This year's team includes one returning
All-American (Larah Beaver), two returning sectional champions (Beaver and Jessica Extine), and five returning State Meet team members (Beaver, Extine, Kersea Gable, Caroline Grasso and Ashley Sexton).
Beaver will be the favorite to repeat her sectional titles--and make strong runs at possible state titles this season--in the 100 back and 100 free. The senior enters her final YHS campaign with times in the those two events (and the 50 free) that already surpass the IHSAA state cuts for the '11-12 season. Look for Larah to take aim at the YHS school records in the 100 back, 100 free and 200 IM before her days are done.
Extine is the Tigers' other stud. The junior is the defending sectional champ in the 50 free, and Jess' career best time in the 50 is already under the IHSAA state cut. Extine will also be the favorite to double-up at the sectional in February by winning her first title in the 100 fly. My prediction? Jess will shatter the qualifying standard in the fly, and compete in those two individual events at the State Meet at the IU Natatorium. I predict Extine will score in both events at State, and nail down a Top 8 finish in the 50.
The Lady Tigers are hardly a two-girl team this season, though. Juniors Kersea Gable and Caroline Grasso teamed with Beaver and Extine to tie the YHS school record (1:49.91) in the 200 medley relay last February. If those four stay healthy (and continue to comprise the relay quartet), look for them to SMASH the record by as much as two seconds before this season is over! A time that fast would put them in contention to win a sectional relay championship, and perhaps post a Top 8 performance at State.
Grasso is coming off her best season as a Tiger, finishing as the sectional runner-up to Beaver in the 100 back. Caroline is capable of surpassing the state cut in the back (58.81) again, and being a strong contributor in the sprint relays, too. Gable is the Tigers' top returning breaststroker--look for her to score a lot of points in that event and in the medley relay. And Sexton provides YHS with quality depth, especially in the sprints and short relays.
Depth--SCORING depth--is critical in the sport of swimming, and that's where some departures could hurt the Tigers. Replacing the points scored last year by Brooke Sigler and Chappell Railey (who both chose not to compete this season) will be difficult, especially in the 200 free and 500 free. But that's where people like seniors Kirsten Nickoli and Chelsea Watters come in. The co-captains will have to step it up this season and score more points to compensate for the loss of Sigler and Railey, especially in the "BIG" meets of the season.
Finally, you'll be seeing valuable contributions from the group of freshmen girls this season. Lauren Elston is destined to be the next of Yorktown's "IT" girls--a future stud to be sure in the 100 fly, following in the Uggs footsteps of stars like Mitsch, Bird, Lockhart, Hall, Kowalski, Bevans, Long, Beaver and Extine. Fellow freshmen Kaitlyn Grasso and Katie Keller are also good enough right now to pile up the points, especially in dual meets. You'll be hearing and seeing their names a lot between now and February.
Coach Laura Slight's girls open their season on November 17th at Lawrence North, and then tangle with a loaded field that includes #9 Brebeuf, #18 Fishers, and #31 Westfield (along with Lafayette Jeff and Roncalli) at the Westfield Invitational on November 19th.
Good luck, ladies.
GO TIGERS!
The #15 Lady Tigers return their strongest team since the IHSAA State Runner-up squad of 2005-06 (those were the halcyon days of Maggie Bird, Jill Lockhart, Kelsi Hall, et al). This year's team includes one returning
All-American (Larah Beaver), two returning sectional champions (Beaver and Jessica Extine), and five returning State Meet team members (Beaver, Extine, Kersea Gable, Caroline Grasso and Ashley Sexton).
Beaver will be the favorite to repeat her sectional titles--and make strong runs at possible state titles this season--in the 100 back and 100 free. The senior enters her final YHS campaign with times in the those two events (and the 50 free) that already surpass the IHSAA state cuts for the '11-12 season. Look for Larah to take aim at the YHS school records in the 100 back, 100 free and 200 IM before her days are done.
Extine is the Tigers' other stud. The junior is the defending sectional champ in the 50 free, and Jess' career best time in the 50 is already under the IHSAA state cut. Extine will also be the favorite to double-up at the sectional in February by winning her first title in the 100 fly. My prediction? Jess will shatter the qualifying standard in the fly, and compete in those two individual events at the State Meet at the IU Natatorium. I predict Extine will score in both events at State, and nail down a Top 8 finish in the 50.
The Lady Tigers are hardly a two-girl team this season, though. Juniors Kersea Gable and Caroline Grasso teamed with Beaver and Extine to tie the YHS school record (1:49.91) in the 200 medley relay last February. If those four stay healthy (and continue to comprise the relay quartet), look for them to SMASH the record by as much as two seconds before this season is over! A time that fast would put them in contention to win a sectional relay championship, and perhaps post a Top 8 performance at State.
Grasso is coming off her best season as a Tiger, finishing as the sectional runner-up to Beaver in the 100 back. Caroline is capable of surpassing the state cut in the back (58.81) again, and being a strong contributor in the sprint relays, too. Gable is the Tigers' top returning breaststroker--look for her to score a lot of points in that event and in the medley relay. And Sexton provides YHS with quality depth, especially in the sprints and short relays.
Depth--SCORING depth--is critical in the sport of swimming, and that's where some departures could hurt the Tigers. Replacing the points scored last year by Brooke Sigler and Chappell Railey (who both chose not to compete this season) will be difficult, especially in the 200 free and 500 free. But that's where people like seniors Kirsten Nickoli and Chelsea Watters come in. The co-captains will have to step it up this season and score more points to compensate for the loss of Sigler and Railey, especially in the "BIG" meets of the season.
Finally, you'll be seeing valuable contributions from the group of freshmen girls this season. Lauren Elston is destined to be the next of Yorktown's "IT" girls--a future stud to be sure in the 100 fly, following in the Uggs footsteps of stars like Mitsch, Bird, Lockhart, Hall, Kowalski, Bevans, Long, Beaver and Extine. Fellow freshmen Kaitlyn Grasso and Katie Keller are also good enough right now to pile up the points, especially in dual meets. You'll be hearing and seeing their names a lot between now and February.
Coach Laura Slight's girls open their season on November 17th at Lawrence North, and then tangle with a loaded field that includes #9 Brebeuf, #18 Fishers, and #31 Westfield (along with Lafayette Jeff and Roncalli) at the Westfield Invitational on November 19th.
Good luck, ladies.
GO TIGERS!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
DOUBLE CHECK YOUR SCHEDULE
The 2011-12 winter sports schedule on the YHS website contains an error. So does the schedule on the team site at yhsswimteam.org.
The girls sectional this season is at FISHERS, not Hamilton Southeastern. The boys sectional is at HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN, not Fishers.
Please keep those changes in mind once we get to tournament time in February.
GO TIGERS!
The girls sectional this season is at FISHERS, not Hamilton Southeastern. The boys sectional is at HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN, not Fishers.
Please keep those changes in mind once we get to tournament time in February.
GO TIGERS!
Friday, October 7, 2011
THERE'S MORE THAN SWIMMING AT YORKTOWN!
Sharin' the love for the #1 YHS volleyball team. Click on the video clip to watch match point from Wednesday night's 3-0 victory over Delta. GO TIGERS!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
YORKTOWN GIRLS 15TH IN PRE-SEASON POLL!
2010-11 State Meet teamThe Yorktown High School girls will carry a bulls eye on their collective back to start the upcoming IHSAA swimming and diving season. The Lady Tigers (Tige-HERS?) have been ranked #15 in the state in the pre-season poll compiled by the members of the Indiana High School Swim Coaches Association. The poll is based on a mythical State Meet, scored from 1st to 16th, based on the best times of athletes returning for the 2011-12 season.
This year's edition of the Tigers is the most powerful since the Maggie Bird-Jill Lockhart-Kelsi Hall State Runner-up squad of 2005-06 that beat everyone except Carmel at the IU Natatorium that year. First-year YHS coach Laura Slight and her staff will begin practice in less than a month with THREE ranked individual swimmers, and at least two relays that are likely to dent the rankings later in the season.
Senior Larah Beaver, junior Jessica Extine, and junior Caroline Grasso all begin the season in the state's Top 16 in their respective specialties. Beaver is 6th in the 100-yard backstroke and 11th in the 100-yard freestyle; Extine is 8th in the 50-yard freestyle and 16th in the 100-yard butterfly; and Grasso is 16th in the 100-yard backstroke.
YHS made statewide noise in both the 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay last season. Gabby LaVoie is the only member of last season's State Meet team who graduated from those quartets--the Tigers' proverbial gun will be LOADED if everyone else who swam then competes again in 2011-12!
Time to strap it on, train each day like a CHAMPION, and focus on Conference, Sectional and STATE when the first practice of the high school season begins on October 24th.
Only 27 days to go, girls.
GO TIGERS!
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