MILLERS SWEEP TIGERS

The powerful Noblesville Millers showed why they're among the state's highest ranked teams Thursday night at Yorktown. The #5 Noblesville girls won 9 out of 12 events to top the Tigers 111-72, and the #8 Miller boys held off a late challenge from the Tigers to beat Yorktown 103-81. Noblesville pulled off the sweep despite not performing at full strength (some of head coach Rich Wolfred's top athletes didn't compete, including stud divers Meghan Potee and Katie Bittner).

On the boys side, the "Cardiac Kid" Tigers built an early lead, then fought back from a mid-meet deficit to take their best shot at an upset of the Millers. A 1-2 finish from senior Cameron Watters (5:11.76) and junior Michael Heavilon (5:12.94) in the 500-yard freestyle put Yorktown back in front 63-62 with just four more events left.

But Yorktown couldn't sustain the rally--the deep Millers put the pedal down in the next event, finishing 1-2 in the 200-yard freestyle relay to turn a one-point deficit into an insurmountable 74-65 lead. Noblesville rode that depth to expand their lead the rest of the evening to put away the Tigers.

Head coach Brad Grieshop's boys actually won half of the meet's 12 events. Watters was a double winner, adding the 100-yard backstroke (58.93) to his victory in the 500 free; junior Adam Voss captured two individual wins, taking the 200-yard freestyle (1:48.40) and the 100-yard butterfly (53.61). And sophomore Austin Dunn had the second-most exciting performance of the night to bring home the blue ribbon in the 100-yard freestyle. Dunn and Noblesville's Tommy Verbrugge (pronounced vur-BROOG-ee) were seeded just .02 of a second apart going to the blocks. They waged a heavyweight boxing-style race, Dunn edging Verbrugge 50.95 to 50.96!

Yorktown's other first place finish came from the 200-yard medley relay team of Watters, Dunn, Voss and Heavilon. They held off a tough Millers squad to best the field in 1:47.03.

The Tiger girls never seriously threatened Noblesville. The Millers had already doubled up on YHS following the first four events, taking a 42-20 lead into the diving break. Yorktown's girls outscored NHS 13-0 in the diving competition (without the Millers' Potee or Bittner) to pull the Tigers within 42-33. But it took Noblesville just two more events to expand the lead to 19 points (63-44).

Three Yorktown girls managed to post wins on Thursday night. Sophomore Sam Mahon continued her dual meet win streak in diving, taking top honors with a score of 188.70. Sophomore Larah Beaver was victorious in the 100-yard backstroke (1:01.22). But freshman Jessica Extine had the MOST exciting highlight of the night.

Extine battled state-ranked NHS senior Audrey Welklin stroke for stroke in the 50-yard freestyle, bringing the frenzied crowd to its feet. Extine and Welklin settled for a first place tie, each touching in 25.60. In all my years attending swim meets, last night was the first time I've ever seen one event end in a dead heat and ANOTHER be settled by .01 of a second.

Last night's meet marks the end of the so-called "first half" of the season (the girls have already passed the halfway mark in the number of meets on the schedule). Yorktown's Tigers won't race again until they resume their season with a dual meet at New Castle on January 7th.

The Tigers, who appear to be both mentally and physically exhausted, now face an even TOUGHER test. They'll spend the Christmas break doubling up on practices, enduring the high-intensity training regimen that will push them to their limits.

It is no exaggeration to say that some Tigers will be pushed to their breaking points over the next two weeks. We don't want to lose anyone to injury or burnout--our rosters are too small to absorb any reductions in personnel. So this is a CRITICAL time to make sure your athlete stays hydrated, well fed, getting as much rest as possible between workouts, and focused on the BENEFITS of this gruelling time instead of focusing on the demands themselves.

Stay strong, Tigers!