HISTORIC NIGHT FOR NEW PAL

The word "depth" comes into play twice in the sport of swimming--in the measurement of how much water lies below the surface, and how much talent is found beneath a team's top-level athletes. Last night's meet at New Palestine exposed Yorktown's lack of depth as its fatal flaw, as the Tiger girls lost 99-84 and the boys dropped a 99-87 decision to the Dragons. New Pal's victories were believed to be the school's first ever over Yorktown in swimming, according to several ecstatic Dragon swimmers and their parents.

Yorktown's girls won six events (half of the meet), including two each by their "Dynamic Duo"--freshman Jessica Extine and sophomore Larah Beaver. Extine captured the 50-yard freestyle (25.91) and the 100-yard butterfly (1:06.79), while Beaver topped the competition in the 100-yard freestyle (56.21) and 100-yard backstroke (1:01.31). Sophomore Sam Mahon took top honors again in diving (190.30), and the team of freshman Caitlyn Grasso, junior Chelsea Watters, freshman Kersea Gable, and junior Gabby LaVoie won the blue ribbon in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:53.17).

But the Dragon girls used superior depth to win critical points with 2nd and 3rd place finishes all night long. That built a mountain the Tigers could never quite climb, although gritty YHS got to within three points on three different occasions--the first at 39-36 following a 1-2-3 diving sweep by Mahon, sophomore Alexa Voss and junior Mary Hazen, the final time at 78-75 with two events left. The Tigers were still within striking distance heading into the final event (a 1-2 finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay would have given Yorktown a one-point victory). But the best the quartet of Extine, sophomore Kirsten Nickoli, senior Heather Elston, and Beaver could muster was a runner-up finish, despite cuting seven-and-a-half second off the previous YHS season best to finish in 4:02.77.

The Yorktown boys suffered a similar fate, even with another spectacular night from their "Big 4." Junior Adam Voss, junior Michael Heavilon, senior Cameron Watters, and sophomore Austin Dunn were all multiple winners. Both Voss and Watters took four firsts; Heavilon brought home three wins and Dunn two. Watters was first in the 500-yard freestyle (5:17.34) and the 100-yard backstroke (59.20), while Voss bested the field in the 200-yard freestyle (1:51.84) and the 100-yard butterfly (54.21). Heavilon picked up the blue in the 200-yard IM (2:09.38), and Dunn teamed with the other three for victories in the 200-yard medley relay (1:46.17) and 400-yard freestyle relay (3:24.33). In fact, YHS won seven of the boys events compared to five for New Pal.

The Dragons followed their girls' lead by grabbing numerous 2nd's and 3rd's, a recipe for success under the dual meet scoring system (1st-6 points, 2nd-4 points, 3rd-3 points, 4th-2 points, and 5th-1 point in individual events; 1st-8 points, 2nd-4 points and 3rd-2 points in relays). A team can finish 1st and 5th in an individual event, yet be outscored 9-7 by a deep opponent capable of finishing 2-3-4. That was a familiar scenario last night.

Head Coach Brad Grieshop's squads are at a critical early season crossroads right now. EVERYONE from top to bottom has to go "all in" on the "buy in" and work harder to develop more scoring threats in the middle of the lineup. If they do, Yorktown can still stand behind its tradition of excellence and salvage the dual meet portion of its season. If they don't, this will be a season full of individual successes for a few, but a disappointing effort that tarnishes the reputation of a once mighty program.

It's up to you, kids--how much Tiger Pride do you REALLY have?

We'll begin answering that question next Tuesday night, when Yorktown returns to action in a Hoosier Heritage Conference showdown at arch-rival Pendleton Heights.