STATE MEET PREVIEW--BIG THINGS AHEAD!

It's hard to believe that the end of another girls season is already here. But in a little over 72 hours from now, Carmel will have won another state championship (the Greyhounds' 25TH in-a-row!), and our Yorktown Tigers will be leaving the IU Natatorium a tired (and hopefully happy) bunch of young women. In fact, I'm going to start calling them SWOMEN, because that's really what they are.

This is the largest contingent of Lady Tigers to make the trip to the State Meet since the YHS glory days of the
mid-2000's. Senior Gabby LaVoie, junior Larah Beaver, and sophomores Jessica Extine, Kersea Gable and Caroline Grasso have worked their tails off this season. They put on a fantastic display of talent, guts and determination last weekend at the Hamilton Southeastern Sectional. If there was any question about whether Yorktown swimming is back, it was put to rest then and there.

Now, the Lady Tigers put it all on the line again, against the very best competition the Hoosier state has to offer. And in a state where high school swimming is this strong, that talent is FORMIDABLE.

Even so, Yorktown is positioned to have its best team finish since 2008, when the team led by three-time state champion Kelsi Hall scored 30 points to finish 16th. If all the girls do this weekend is hold onto their seeded positions, they'll score 39 points, which will probably ensure a TOP 20 finish. Last year, 39 points would have been enough for a TOP 15 finish.

But I don't think our girls are satisfied with the status quo--they're confident, prepared, and HUNGRY for more. They WANT to move up in the seedings, and they'll get a chance to prove it in the prelims on Friday evening.

Junior Larah Beaver and sophomore Jessica Extine lead the way--both are qualified for two individual events, and both are more than capable of scoring very high IF they can get through the prelims in good shape. Beaver enters the State Meet as a Top 10 seed in the 100 back for the third-straight year. She's seeded 5th in a loaded field that may be the most talented backstroke group in State Meet history. Don't be surprised if every girl in Saturday's championship final comes in with an All-American cut, or swims one in that race. Jenny Connolly's state record of 53.53 could be in jeopardy.

Beaver is also seeded 11th in the 100 free, another slugfest of an event. Eleven of the top 14 seeds in that event are separated by just 88/100 of a second based on their sectional performances. This could be the weekend that Kelsi Hall's school record of 51.49 finally comes down, and someone in the field just might threaten to become only the second girl in State Meet history to break 50 flat.

Extine has had a breakout season. She enters the State Meet seeded 9th in the 50 free, and she's in a strong position to make the championship final and head for the medal stand on Saturday. Jess has defeated Auburn recruit Autumn Brown of Pendleton Heights THREE times in head-to-head meetings this season. And they're in the same prelim heat on Friday evening. That has to be a good omen for Jess. Go get 'em, kid!

Extine also got a call down in the 100 fly, where she's the 25th seed. She'll probably need to drop a second from her seed time to make it back on Saturday, but she can absolutely do it.

The other Tiger swimming in an individual event is Caroline Grasso. She has paid her dues all season long, and has continued to improve so much in the 100 back that she earned her way into the State Meet field as the 18th seed. The top 16 athletes in each event move on from the Friday prelims to Saturday's consolation and championship finals. How cool would it be for Caroline to score points at the State Meet this weekend? The answer is VERY COOL!

Gable and LaVoie round out the State team, and both are looking good. Gable swam a season and lifetime best breaststroke leg in the 200 medley relay at last weekend's sectional. She'll join Beaver, Extine and Grasso in the pursuit of their OWN school record in that event after tying it at Hamilton Southeastern. The girls are seeded 14th in that race on Friday, and don't be shocked if they manage to drop even more time. They're just off the NISCA All-American consideration cut of 1:49.04, and if they can get into Saturday's races, they might have a shot at the AUTOMATIC All-American cut of 1:47.16. Anyone who bets against these girls has a FOOL for a bookie. ;)

LaVoie is also rounding into form at just the right time. She was added to the 200 free relay squad between the sectional prelims and finals, a tough situation for an athlete. She handled it very well, swam a solid leg, and teamed with Beaver, Extine and Grasso to come within 1.13 seconds of the All-American consideration cut of 1:38.69. The Lady Tigers are the 15th seed in the prelims, and they want to make a serious run at the YHS record of 1:36.36. That's an incredible average of 24.09!--I think it's the most impressive record on the board. All four girls will have to have the swims of their lives to get there, but it'll be a helluva lotta fun watching them go for it.

Predictions? The surest one is the Carmel team victory. It's only slightly less safe than betting on the sunrise. But as far as Yorktown is concerned, here you go--Beaver makes the championship final and medal stand in both 100's; Extine does the same in the 50 free (I believe in under 24 flat for the first time in her career); Grasso makes the consolation final in the back with a 58 and scores the first State Meet points of her career; and both relays swim their way into Saturday's consolation finals, with a good shot at Top 10 finishes in both, especially the medley.

Ladies, you are tough, strong, talented, MOTIVATED, and READY to put on a show for the fans in green and white this weekend. LET'S ROLL!

GO TIGERS!