IHS Swimming & Diving had an incredible performance at the AA WPIAL Swimming & Diving Championships. The girls team took the championship title for the second year in a row – their second WPIAL win in program history. With a meet full of personal bests, the boys team was runner-up.
Notable finishes on the girls’ side included senior Sydney Anderson taking fourth in the 200-yard freestyle and third in the 100-yard freestyle. Also in the 100-yard freestyle, freshman Jordyn Grove finished seventh. Breaking the school record in the 50-yard freestyle, sophomore Gracie Reed snatched fifth. In the 100-yard butterfly, G. Reed also took fifth, with senior Morgan Grove and junior Veronica Major close behind in places seventh and eighth, respectively. Senior Maddy Bauer delivered an impressive eighth place finish in the 500-yard freestyle. Indiana’s only female WPIAL diver, sophomore Morgan Blystone, took tenth place at the diving meet.
The Indiana girls’ relays secured their win, with several incredible swims. The 200-yard medley relay of Anderson, Bauer, M. Grove, and junior Lily Vello took second place. The 200-yard freestyle relay achieved second also, with M. Grove, Bauer, G. Reed, and J. Grove breaking a school record in the process. The final relay that secured the girls’ win was the 400-yard freestyle relay of Anderson, J. Grove, G. Reed, and sophomore Makenzie Brown, which broke a school record and took third.
The boys’ accomplishments included two first place swims by junior Joshua Reed. J. Reed broke the school record in the 50-yard freestyle and achieved an impressive time in the 100-yard freestyle. Junior Kody Griffith also podiumed in the 100-yard freestyle, taking seventh. Griffith was fifth in the 100-yard butterfly. In the 100-yard backstroke, freshman Ali Ali scored sixth. Two of the boys’ relays took second. The 200-yard freestyle relay was compiled by J. Reed, Ali, and seniors Micah Weigner and Eli Aiken. J. Reed, Griffith, Aiken, and Ali made up the 400-yard freestyle relay. The boys’ divers, junior Connor Fleming and freshman Elias Herman, took second and fifth, respectively.
The Indiana Swimming & Diving teams continue to prove their abilities and impressive work ethic. Their next meet is the PIAA Swimming & Diving Championships on March 12.
Gabi Isenberg is a senior and fourth-year reporter for the High Arrow. She also is the public relations intern for Indiana Area School District, writes press releases for the Indiana County District Attorney, and regularly provides The Indiana Gazette with articles. Gabi enjoys being involved with the IHS and YMCA swim teams, being the Vice President of Athena Club, and being a member of FBLA. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano, reading, and spending time with her friends and family. She hopes to report accurate information for the IHS community.
