INDIANAPOLIS — Even after consecutive trips to the IHSAA State Swim and Dive Finals, growing accustomed to the big stage is easier said than done, according to Mt. Vernon head coach Dixon Tierney.
He would know.
An accomplished swimmer in his own right while at Mt. Vernon, Tierney watched his younger sister, junior Lydia Tierney, make her third consecutive trip the state finals on Friday at the IUPUI Natatorium.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryTierney, who swam on Saturday last year as well, finished 16th overall in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:06.85 to make to consolation finals today at 1 p.m. Diving will begin earlier at 9 a.m.
Later in the meet, Tierney tied with Carmel’s Morgan Grout in the 100-yard butterfly to finish 12th overall. Tierney and Grout finished the race in 56.66 and missed a top-eight finish by half of a second.
Tierney entered the meet seeded higher than 23rd in each event and surpassed those marks easily Friday.
“(Lydia) swam well in both events,” Dixon Tierney said, who is in his first season coaching the team. “I thought the 100 butterfly looked a little better than her 200 IM. She is excited, but we are never satisfied.
“The back half of both events (could improve). She just needs to focus on her technique when she gets tired.”
Although Greenfield-Central had no swimmers advance to today’s finals, the Cougars ended their season as Hoosier Heritage Conference and sectional champions in one of the program’s best overall seasons.
Greenfield-Central sophomore Carley Logan finished right on her seed time in the 200-yard freestyle at IUPUI, placing 30th overall in 2:00.51. In the 500-yard freestyle, after shaking off some nerves from her previous race, the young speedster was first in her heat and wound up 23rd overall in 5:11.98, which broke the school’s record.
Logan entered the meet seeded 28th in the 500-yard freestyle.
“Carley had some nerves a little bit in the 200 free,” Cougars’ head coach Emily Logan said. “Her 500 free was much more like Carley. She went out and attacked it. We were very pleased with that, like OK good, nice comeback from the 200 free.”
Logan’s teammate, freshman Megan Coffin, swam in the 100-yard breaststroke and finished 29th overall in her first time at state. She finished the race in 1:10.41.
Shortly after, Greenfield-Central’s 400-yard freestyle relay team, consisting of Logan, Ashley Finney, Braedy Laymon and Anne Marie DeKeyser, finished 28th overall in 3:44.43.
“Megan (Coffin) was very consistent,” Logan said. “That time is pretty fast for her and to hold it past the sectional to now is encouraging to see.
“We actually dropped time and moved up places in the 400 free, so that was good. Usually you don’t drop a lot of time coming into this meet. It was a rough start, but pretty good end to the night.”
New Palestine was busy on Friday, too, especially senior Courtnee Coffman. In her heat in the 50-yard freestyle, Coffman came in eighth in 24.49 and wound up 25th overall. She also swam the 100-yard freestyle as an individual and placed 30th overall in 54.26.
With Maria Virt, Hailee Holberton and Jessica Rogers, Coffman and the Dragons were disqualified in their heat of the 200-yard medley relay.
New Palestine would bounce back, however, and finish the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:44.17. Coffman, Rogers and Virt teamed with Anna Doolin to finish 31st overall.
The top 16 swimmers in each event during Friday’s preliminary rounds will return for competition today, with the top eight individuals battling for state championship honors. Individuals finishing nine through 16 on Friday will make up the competitors in the consolation heats.
Diving, which will include three girls from Hancock County, will take place today with the top 20 of 32 competitors advancing after five dives. After three dives each in the semifinals, the top 16 will advance to the final round for another three dives, according to ihsaa.org.
Greenfield-Central’s Shyanne Milne, junior Maci Montgomery and Mt. Vernon’s Maddy King will compete on the boards today. King will dive fourth, while Milne (11th) and Montgomery (17th) will follow.
