TIGERS FINISH 4TH AT WESTFIELD

The Yorktown Tigers failed to win an event Saturday as they finished 4th in the six-team Westfield Invitational.

Sectional rival Fishers captured the team championship, scoring 632 points to easily outdistance runner-up Westfield. The host Shamrocks tallied 515 points, with Brebeuf third at 383 and Yorktown right behind the Braves with 317. Lafayette Jeff finished the day 5th with 237 points, with Roncalli trailing the field with a final score of 180.

Head coach Matt Routh and assistant Frank Mattingly shook up the lineup at Westfield, re-arranging the order and composition on relays, and entering several Tigers in individual events they don't usually compete in. The results were mixed.

Junior Larah Beaver posted the meet's best finishes for Yorktown, taking runner-up honors in both the 200-yard IM (2:15.82) and the 100-yard freestyle (54.81). Beaver cut nearly four seconds off her previous lifetime best in the IM while competing in the 'B' heat--it might have been an even more interesting day if she had gone
head-to-head with Brebeuf junior standout Hope Hourigan, who swam in the 'A' heat and won the blue ribbon in 2:13.31.

Sophomore Jessica Extine also made a strong individual showing, placing 3rd in the 100-yard butterfly (swimming in the 'B' heat) and 5th in the 50-yard freestyle (again from the 'B' heat). Jess also threw down an impressive 24.96 anchor split for the medley relay squad. Nice job, Jess!

The Tigers 200-yard medley relay team of Caroline Grasso, Kersea Gable, Beaver and Extine swam to a third place finish in 1:56.72; the 400-yard freestyle relay combo of Beaver, Gable, Extine and senior Gabby LaVoie brought home a 4th place finish with a time of 4:03.01. The medley result was about a half-second faster than Thursday night's time; the 400 time was slightly slower than two days ago against Lawrence North.

Several other Yorktown swimmers had nice showings--sophomore Caroline Grasso made a statement about her sprinting ability; her 26.23 anchor split in the 200-yard freestyle relay was the best of the eight Tigers to compete in that event today. Grasso also bested her seed time in the 100-yard backstroke by almost four seconds, finishing in 1:05.65. Keep up the good work, Caroline!

Anderson Highland junior transfer Brooke Sigler had a nice 2:14.46 in the 200-yard freestyle. That's the best time any Tiger has swum so far this young season by five-and-a-half seconds. Way to go, Brooke!

The Tigers have a ten-day break from competition now before they hit the water again (with the boys for the first time this season) for a Hoosier Heritage Conference meet at Delta on November 30th.

GO TIGERS!