GIRLS RACE TO VICTORY, BOYS FALL SHORT

Racing tired is a measuring stick for courage and desire. And the Yorktown Tigers proved they have a lot of both Thursday night in New Castle.

The #21 YHS girls rode some impressive, HIT weeks performances to knock off the Trojans 105-81, while the boys won far fewer events, but used depth and determination to keep it close in a 102-84 loss to NC.

The Yorktown girls won nine events Thursday night, showcasing superior top-level talent. The quartet of Larah Beaver, Jessica Extine, Caroline Grasso and Lauren Elston captured both the 200 Medley Relay (1:57.38) and the 400 Free Relay (3:54.87). Beaver and Extine were also double winners in their individual swims, with Beaver tops in the 200 IM (2:19.03) and 100 Free (55.75), and Extine the pacesetter in the 50 Free (26.02) and 100 Breast (1:14.38).

Caroline Grasso brought home another blue ribbon in the 100 Back (1:02.85), and Elston added to her freshman year bag full of blue ribbons in the 100 Fly (1:03.44).

But the most impressive win of the night may have been Kirsten Nickoli's performance in the 500 Free. Nickoli looked strong and smooth from the start, swam to a large lead, and held off the pack to finish in 1st place in a season best 5:54.86! That's nearly ten seconds faster than her previous season best in the event, and it's the best she has looked since her 5:49.16 at the 2011 Sectional. Way to go, Kirsten!

Not to be lost in the shuffle is freshman Bailey Windell's inspired finish in the 500 Free. She raced stroke-for-stroke with New Castle's Caitlin Becraft over the final 25 yards, and outtouched Becraft for 2nd place in a lifetime best of 5:57.76! It's the first time Bailey has ever broken the six-minute barrier, and she did it swimming dog tired at the height of training. Watch out after a good taper later in the season!

The YHS boys had a much tougher night, winning only twice. Freshman Luke Ledbetter posted the lone individual victory, using a strong finish to take top honors in the 100 Free (55.22). Luke managed to edge New Castle's Nik Davis by .28 at the wall. That's why you work on those finishes all the time.

The other blue ribbon effort for the boys came in the 200 Free Relay, with the squad of Ledbetter, Seth Fuller, Kyle Rees and Jordan Fox hitting the wall first in 1:45.08.

Now the FUN part of the season beckons--the quickly approaching CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON. The Tigers will squeeze in a tuneup dual meet with Muncie South on Tuesday evening. But the focus is already turning toward the Hoosier Heritage Conference meet next weekend. The divers will have their prelims on Thursday night, with the championship portion of the meet on Saturday at New Palestine. The girls will be looking to defend their 2011 title and repeat as HHC champs, while the boys will be trying to stand atop the podium for the first time since the 2009 HHC.

This is gonna be a LOT of fun.

GO TIGERS!
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Girls--Yorktown 105, New Castle 81
Boys--New Castle 102, Yorktown 84
Meet Results, Courtesy of Jennifer Kelsik

Girls 200 Yard Medley Relay--1. Yorktown 'A' (Caroline Grasso, Jessica Extine, Lauren Elston, Larah Beaver) 1:57.38, 2. Yorktown 'B' (Katie Keller, Kersea Gable, Bailey Windell, Jill Swan) 2:10.55, 3. New Castle 'A' (Caitlin Becraft, Courtney Barr, Maky Myers, Taylor Kelsik) 2:12.22

Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay--1. New Castle 'A' (Kyler Durham, Matt DeHart, William Kelsik, Tyler Ratcliffe) 1:47.27, 2. Yorktown 'A' (Scott Heavilon, Isiah Huisman, Thommy Brown, Luke Ledbetter) 1:51.62, 3. New Castle 'B' (Kenton Durham, Zach Millikan, Robert Lamb, Sam Willis 2:09.19

Girls 200 Yard Freestyle--1. Aimee Haddix (NC) 2:06.96, 2. Katelyn Grasso (Y) 2:14.32, 3. Kirsten Nickoli (Y) 2:16.29, 4. Katie Larson (NC) 2:20.99, 5. Taylor Kelsik (NC) 2:24.71

Boys 200 Yard Freestyle--1. Kyler Durham (NC) 1:51.76, 2. Isiah Huisman (Y) 1:56.68, 3. Kyle Rees (Y) 2:11.27, 4. Kenton Durham (NC) 2:14.87, 5. Seth Fuller (Y) 2:15.14

Girls 200 Yard IM--1. Larah Beaver (Y) 2:19.03, 2. Lauren Elston (Y) 2:21.17, 3. Hannah Hawrot (NC) 2:29.06, 4. Kersea Gable (Y) 2:42.71, 5. Chloe Duvall (NC) 2:54.21

Boys 200 Yard IM--1. William Kelsik (NC) 2:07.89, 2. Alec Durant (Y) 2:23.25, 3. Alex Nickoli (Y) 2:26.40, 4. James Kemp (Y) 2:34.16, 5. Zach Millikan (NC) 2:40.67

Girls 50 Yard Freestyle--1. Jessica Extine (Y) 26.02, 2. Becca Foster (NC) 28.15, 3. Courtney Barr (NC) 28.52, 4 Katie Alcorn (NC) 29.17, 5. Jill Swan (Y) 29.99 1

Boys 50 Yard Freestyle--1. Matt DeHart (NC) 23.47, 2. Isiah Huisman (Y) 24.53, 3. Scott Heavilon (Y) 24.96, 4. Nik Davis (NC) 25.21, 5. Brock Rees (Y) 28.22

Girls 1-Meter Diving--1. Megan Millikan (NC) 191.40, 2. Sam Mahon (Y) 188.00, 3. Madyson Cook (NC) 166.10, 4. Ellie Smith (Y) 157.10, 5. Nadia Thurman (NC) 149.60

Boys 1-Meter Diving--1. Jose Dimas (NC) 190.70, Brandon Young (Y) 178.55, 3. Robert Webster (NC) 125.95, 4. Jordan Darvis (NC) 113.30, 5. Quinn Hurley(Y) 108.25

Girls 100 Yard Butterfly--1. Lauren Elston (Y) 1:03.44, 2. Maky Myers (NC) 1:15.06, 3. Laura Hamilton (NC) 1:20.76, 4. Katelyn Grasso (Y) 1:24.27, 5. Felicity New (NC) 1:35.98

Boys 100 Yard Butterfly--1. William Kelsik (NC) 58.11, 2. Thommy Brown (Y) 1:00.28, 3. Scott Heavilon (Y) 1:02.96, 4. Blake Rains (NC) 1:13.68, 5. Kyle Rees (Y) 1:15.02

Girls 100 Yard Freestyle--1. Larah Beaver (Y) 55.75, 2. Aimee Haddix (NC) 57.43, 3. Caroline Grasso (Y) 57.53, 4. Becca Foster (NC) 1:02.38, 5. Chelsea Watters (Y) 1:05.65

Boys 100 Yard Freestyle--1. Luke Ledbetter (Y) 55.22, 2. Nik Davis (NC) 55.50, 3. Tyler Ratcliffe (NC) 58.48, 4. Jordan Fox (Y) 59.59, 5. Sam Willis (NC) 1:03.45

Girls 500 Yard Freestyle--1. Kirsten Nickoli (Y) 5:54.86, 2. Bailey Windell (Y) 5:57.76, 3. Caitlin Becraft (NC) 5:58.10, 4. Katie Larson (NC) 6:21.83, 5. Felicity New (NC) 6:45.20

Boys 500 Yard Freestyle--1. Kyler Durham (NC) 5:03.91, 2. Alex Nickoli (Y) 5:42.30, 3. James Kemp (Y) 5:57.11, 4. Blake Rains (NC) 5:59.75, 5. Kyle Miller (Y) 6:05.04

Girls 200 Yard Freestyle Relay--1. New Castle 'A' (Hannah Hawrot, Courtney Barr, Becca Foster, Aimee Haddix) 1:51.68, 2. Yorktown 'A' (Kersea Gable, Katelyn Grasso, Katie Keller, Bailey Windell) 1:53.33, 3. New Castle 'B' (Megan Larson, Chloe Duvall, Katie Alcorn, Katie Larson) 2:02.96

Boys 200 Yard Freestyle Relay--1. Yorktown 'A' (Luke Ledbetter, Seth Fuller, Kyle Rees, Jordan Fox) 1:45.08, 2. New Castle 'A' (Tyler Ratcliffe, Nik Davis, Kenton Durham, Blake Rains) 1:45.88, 3. Yorktown 'B' (Brock Rees, Alec Durant, James Kemp, Alex Nickoli) 1:46.02

Girls 100 Yard Backstroke--1. Caroline Grasso (Y) 1:02.85, 2. Hannah Hawrot (NC) 1:07.62, 3. Katie Keller (Y) 1:09.76, 4. Caitlin Becraft (NC) 1:10.75, 5. Chloe Duvall (NC) 1:22.84

Boys 100 Yard Backstroke--1. Kenton Durham (NC) 1:07.60, 2. Tyler Ratcliffe (NC) 1:08.57, 3. Sam Willis (NC) 1:08.75, 4. Brock Rees (Y) 1:08.96, 5. Seth Fuller (Y) 1:15.91

Girls 100 Yard Breaststroke--1. Jessica Extine (Y) 1:14.38, 2. Maky Myers (NC) 1:19.05, 3. Chelsea Watters (Y) 1:21.42, 4. Courtney Barr (NC) 1:25.17, 5. Bailey Windell (Y) 1:27.92

Boys 100 Yard Breaststroke--1. Matt DeHart (NC) 1:05.15, 2. Alec Durant (Y) 1:12.40, 3. Zach Millikan (NC) 1:13.99, 4. Thommy Brown (Y) 1:14.08, 5. Jordan Fox (Y) 1:20.42

Girls 400 Yard Freestyle Relay--1. Yorktown 'A' (Larah Beaver, Caroline Grasso, Lauren Elston, Jessica Extine) 3:54.87, 2. New Castle 'A' (Aimee Haddix, Hannah Hawrot, Becca Foster, Caitlin Becraft) 4:10.43, 3. Yorktown 'B' (Kersea Gable, Katie Keller, Chelsea Watters, Katelyn Grasso) 4:20.52

Boys 400 Yard Freestyle Relay--1. New Castle 'A' (William Kelsik, Nik Davis, Matt DeHart, Kyler Durham) 3:30.38, 2. Yorktown 'A' (Isiah Huisman, Thommy Brown,. Luke Ledbetter, Scott Heavilon) 3:37.34, 3. Yorktown 'B' (James Kemp, Alex Nickoli, Alec Durant, Jordan Fox) 4:01.10