Area girls swimming teams return to action this week

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Greenfield-Central’s Mary Ellen Stratman swimming the backstroke part of the 200-yard IM preliminary relay race at the IHSAA Girls State Swimming Finals at the IU Natatorium on the IUPUI campus in Indianapolis.(Rob Baker/Daily Reporter) By: Rich Torres | Daily Reporter

HANCOCK COUNTY — Area girls’ swimming teams are getting a head start on the boys with the beginning of competitions this week.

New Palestine opened Tuesday hosting Shelbyville and Lawrence Central. Eastern Hancock welcomes both New Castle and Batesville on Thursday. Greenfield-Central has its annual Turkey Breast Women’s Invitational on Saturday.

Mt. Vernon will begin competing next week, with its boys team, in a Nov. 24 home date with Richmond.

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Greenfield-Central leads the county contingent again in 2020-21.

The Cougars are coming off a seventh straight sectional title and a second straight Hoosier Heritage Conference championship.

Coach Emily Logan lost some talented seniors — six total — including Megan Coffin, who reached the consolation finals in last year’s state meet in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard breaststroke.

With their many years of success, the Cougars reload rather than rebuild.

“(The returnees) are eager, too,” Logan said. “They want to continue to build on the tradition that was set before them and want to keep building on that. They want their shot.”

Sophomore Mary Ellen Stratman was a state-qualifier as a freshman in the 200-yard IM, along with the 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay. Sophomore Norah Johnson gained state prelim experience in those same two relay races and the 100-yard breaststroke. Junior Ariel Niemeier, who also won the 200-freestyle at the HHC meet, and senior Audrey Brinkruff were both state qualifiers in 2020 for the 400-yard freestyle.

Logan includes seniors Kayleigh Hite and Abigail Royster, juniors Ellei Coleman, Riley Grandstaff, Faith Zornes, sophomore Sydnie Wherry in that group of many key returnees along with sophomore diver Reagan Crouch.

Frosh newcomer Cecelia Duffy-Johnson is another swimmer Logan expects to fit right in and score points.

Alex Kelly and Madison Scott are two sophomores Logan said have been waiting in the wings and will get their chance this season.

“We still have a lot returning from our sectional team last year that only swam one event just because we had so many seniors,” the coach said. “They got experience, but just got their toes wet a little bit.”

Eastern Hancock

The Royals have doubled their roster total from four swimmers to eight for the 2020-21 season.

Mike Dolence, who has been with the program for a number of years, begins his first campaign as the head coach.

Last year, Eastern Hancock had four freshmen. This year’s group has six sophomores and two freshmen.

They’re young, but Dolence believes they are both young and talented.

Sophomore Cora McDaniel was last year’s top sectional performer, finishing fifth in the 100-yard freestyle. She returns to the team along with sophomores Hannah Dolence and Mandy Myers.

“Last year they were a pretty tight-knit group and podiumed (top 8) at the sectional in our relays and some individuals. We’re looking to build upon that this year,” coach Dolence said. “They came together, did well and dropped time when they needed to drop time.”

Coach Dolence said of the remaining roster he has a mix of club swimmers that haven’t swam at the high school level and freshmen newcomers.

All, he said, are enthusiastic in the growth of the school’s swim program.

“Everyone’s got their hand up and wants to know what they can do to make us better and that’s nice to have,” the coach said.

Mt. Vernon

The Marauders finished third in last year’s sectional, behind the victorious Cougars and Shelbyville.

Returning to lead that crew this season are a trio of seniors in Maddie Moore, Abby Crouch and Fiona Wray. All were part of a pair of third-place relay teams in both the medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay at the New Palestine Sectional.

Moore, twice, and Crouch have also been a part of relay teams that have advanced to the state meet.

“We have a really strong senior class that has always scored a lot of our points at sectional for us,” Mt. Vernon coach Brad Grieshop said. “They’re just a real strong class.”

Grieshop thinks this group could lead the Marauders to a higher finish at this year’s sectional.

Along with Moore, Crouch and Wray, Abby Corbly and divers Crystal Sifuentes and Alexis Voss add to a strong senior class.

Junior Ila Boston, sophomore Ava Crouch were also big contributors last year.

Grieshop also likes a group of incoming freshmen that could help make up for seniors that graduated last year.

“They’re fun to be around and they make practicing and coaching fun,” Grieshop said. “Regardless of the outcomes, it’s going to be a great season for them.”

New Palestine

“They really have that hunger inside of them this year. I’m really excited for this year’s girls team,” head coach Jason Tillage said. “I don’t know about expectations, because you don’t know what other teams are going to do. I just want them to be better than what they have done the previous year.”

Tillage, in his second year as head coach, has a good mix of veterans and youngsters, even some of the youngster have solid experience.

Among the returnees are seven seniors and eight sophomores.

Bailey Young and Kayleigh Wright are two four-year veterans who Tillage will expect to see as team leaders along with senior Kendall Mann, who was a standout on the school’s cross country team.

Another multi-sport senior returning to the squad is Sam Booe, who signed to play softball at Louisville. Booe may move to the pool after diving in the past.

Sophomore Alayna Walker and freshmen Izzy Napier and Emma Porter will be handling diving to help replace the graduated Karen Shriver, who placed fifth in last year’s sectional.

Tillage has a strong sophomore class that had strong rookie seasons, including, Katlynn Trimpe and Kyleigh Turner.

“Both had a great season last year,” Tillage said.

Young and Trimpe were both part of a 400-yard freestyle relay team that finished runner-up in last year’s sectional.

Freshmen expected to come in and contribute are Adrianna Huston, Sullie Leavell and Anne Bauer.

“I think you’re going to see some other new names pop up that have worked hard since they’ve been back in the pool.”