For The Daily Reporter
INDIANAPOLIS — After qualifying for the Boys Swimming and Diving State Finals in a couple of relays as a freshman, Travis Black added a couple of individual events this season.
The Greenfield-Central sophomore ended up making the podium in one of those individual events. He finished sixth in the 50-yard freestyle to highlight the Cougars’ Saturday afternoon at IUPUI’s Natatorium.
“When you’re in relays, there’s multiple people to bounce that energy off of, and when you’re by yourself for an event, it’s all you,” Black said. “Getting myself hyped up isn’t hard, but it’s just different than a relay.”
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Black came into the state finals seeded 16th, but swam a school-record 20.88 seconds in Friday’s prelims to earn a spot in the championship heat. On Saturday, he finished in 20.99.
“I was hoping to either keep seventh or go above, which I did, and I’m also really happy to have stayed under 21,” Black said. “My coach (Mark Logan) has obviously been working on my small little things. One of the major things I focused on was just relaxing in racing because when you race and you tense up, it’s hard to get going. So I tried to focus on relaxing so I could swim more smoothly.”
Greenfield junior Samuel Jennings made a big jump from his prelim swim in the 500 freestyle. Jennings qualified 16th on Friday, but moved up to 10th with a 4:39.62 on Saturday.
“It was a fun race,” Jennings said. “I had more time to recover. It feels pretty good. (Placing) was one of my goals this year.”
Black also finished 15th in the 100 freestyle in 47.56. Jennings and sophomores Anthony Nagel, Samuel Logan and Black took 14th in the 200 medley relay in 1:37.31.
The Cougars finished in a tie for 20th as a team with 28 points. Carmel scored 353 1/2 to win its fifth consecutive title.
“I think (we) swam extremely well,” Logan said. “They’re all rookies to coming back and swimming a second day. So it’s really tough for them when on Friday, you have to give it all just to get into the finals, and then to turn around (on Saturday), just to swim that solid is an accomplishment.”
Meanwhile, New Palestine diver Colin Stacey was glad to be able to compete at the end of the season after missing all of his sophomore season and the first half of his junior year with an L5 vertebrae fracture.
Stacey was in 15th place after eight dives before moving up over his final three dives to finish 11th with 418.60 points.
“I wish I could have done a little better, but I can’t complain because I didn’t dive very much this season because of my back,” Stacey said. “I’m just happy to be here this year. I tried to stay relaxed. It was just fun to be here.”
Mt. Vernon had one swimmer competing on Saturday. Sophomore Aiden Tierney swam in the consolation heat of the 100 breaststroke and finished 12th in 57.76.
“It was a cool experience for my first state, coming back and getting top 16,” Tierney said. “I was hoping to go a little faster, but I’m just excited to be here swimming in the finals. I’m hoping to get top eight next year.”
