Greenfield-Central’s Norah Johnson competes in the 100-yard breaststroke preliminary race during the IHSAA girls swimming state finals at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021.
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield-Central girls swimming and diving team came out strong at its annual Turkey Breast Invitational on Saturday.
The Cougars finished 1-2 in all but three events to amass an invitational-winning 225 points. Oak Hill was second with 141 points. Bishop Chatard was third with 78. Centerville was fourth with 61 points.
Norah Johnson was a four-event winner, taking first in the 100-yard freestyle and 100 breaststroke, while contributing to the Cougars’ victorious 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.
Cece Duffy-Johnson was first in the 200 free and 200 free relay. Mary Ellen Stratman won the 100 butterfly, 200 medley relay and 400 free relay. Ariel Niemeier won the 500 free. Rachel Stutz was first in the 100 backstroke and 200 medley relay.
Dragons sweep season opener
The New Palestine girls swimming and diving team won its season opener last week, Tuesday, with a sweep of host Lawrence Central, 64-36, and Shelbyville, 65-34, in a three-way meet.
The Dragons won six events, with Adrianna Huston winning the 200 free and 500 free. Huston was a quadruple-winner, as she teamed with Kyleigh Turner, Sullie Leavell and Katelyn Trimpe to win the 200 and 400 free relays.
Leavell also won the 200 IM, giving her three individual victories on the evening. Sarah Kleiman won the 100 breaststroke.
Finishing second were Turner in the 50 freestyle, Anne Bauer in diving, Leavell in the 100 butterfly, Trimpe in the 500 freestyle and the 200 medley relay team of Claire Lake, Kleiman, Rachel Hamilton and Rachel Wright.
Dragons swimming splits home opener
The New Palestine Dragons girls beat Roncalli, 64-35, but lost to Greenwood, 68-33, on Thursday during their home opener.
The Dragons are now 3-1 on the season through two triangular meets.
The Dragons won one event, with Katelyn Trimpe, Chloe Siler, Sullie Leavell and Adrianna Huston winning the 200 free relay.
Trimpe, Huston, Leavell and Kyleigh Turner were second in the 200 free relay.
Also finishing second were Huston in the 200 frestyle, Siler in the 50 freestyle, Trimpe in the 100 freestyle and Alayna Walker in diving.
Wrestling
Cougars win Rex Leavitt Super Duals
The Greenfield-Central wrestling team opened the season Saturday at the Elwood Rex Leavitt Super Duals and successfully defended its belt as they swept the field.
The Cougars went undefeated and every wrestler finished with a winning record.
Frankton was second, followed by Alexandria, Delta, host Elwood, Southside, Lapel and Union City.
Greenfield-Central beat Union City 72-6, Frankton 69-7, Lapel 57-13, Delta 57-13 and Alexandria 57-23.
Individually, JJ Harlow (132 pounds), Zeke Holden (145), Clay Guenin (160) and James Owen (220) each finished 5-0 on the day.
Brady Durnell (182) went 4-0. Lincoln Parsons (113), Dakota Herald (126), Matt Wickham (138), Josh VanOsdol (152), Chase Gardner (170), Adam Garard (195) and Brayden Flener (Hwy.) were 4-1.
Kylie Smith-Foster (106) and Nate Miller (120) went 3-2.
The Cougars return to the mats at rival Pendleton Heights on Wednesday for a dual meet at 6:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Dragons drop first game of the season
The short-handed New Palestine girls basketball team battled but fell to No. 16 Lawrence North, 71-53, on Saturday.
The Dragons were limited to five players for all but 30 seconds of Saturday’s game and trailed by four – at 56-52 – with four minutes remaining before the visiting Wildcats went on a 15-1 run to finish the contest.
The Dragons’ starting five of Isabella Gizzi, Rachel Kelley, Taylor Kelley, Alaina Miller and Tylar Whitaker played virtually the full game, with one player unavailable due to injury and two others out due to schedule conflicts.
The lone substitution came for the final 30 seconds of the first half, when Kylee Beranek was inserted into the lineup on a defensive deadball to spell a player with two fouls.
The Dragons had trailed by 13 in the second quarter and 10 at halftime, but cut their deficit to 48-41 going into the final frame.
Gizzi scored 27 points, equaling her season average. She was 11 of 12 from the line. As a team, the Dragons were 16 of 20. Gizzi also hit two 3-pointers among her six field goals. Miller scored 12 points, with five coming in the fourth quarter. Whitaker added eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Rachel Kelley added six.
Ariel Helm and Jamaya Thomas led four Wildcats in double figures with 16 points each.
Dragons zap flashes for fourth win
The New Palestine girls basketball team used a fast start, forcing nine first-quarter turnovers and holding Franklin Central without a point for the game’s first 9:20, en route to a 52-34 victory last week on Tuesday at home.
The Dragons roared to a 15-0 lead after a quarter and pushed it as high as 20-3 before an FC run cut the lead to 23-12. Three quick points by Rachel Kelley and Vivian Miller pushed the edge to 14 at halftime.
Isabella Gizzi and Alaina Miller helped push the fast start. Gizzi scored the game’s first five points, and then Alaina Miller added the next six to give NP an 11-0 lead. Allie Blum and Alaina Miller added more baskets to push the lead to 15-0 after a period. An early 3-pointer by Gizzi answered FC’s first basket, which came with 6:40 left in the second quarter, to push the edge to 20-3.
Gizzi finished with 20 points – her fourth consecutive 20-point game. She was 10 of 10 from the free throw line, and also hit two 3-pointers. Alaina Miller added 16 points and Kelley 10. Blum, Vivian Miller and Kylee Beranek scored two points each.
The Dragons’ 4-0 start was their best since winning four straight to open the 2018-19 season.
Marauders win third straight
The Mt. Vernon girls basketball team won it’s third straight game to improve its season record to 4-1.
The Marauders defeated visiting Rushville, 51-26, on Thursday led by Ellery Minch and Shay Shipley.
Prior to the win, the Marauders also defeated Connersville, 41-28, on Tuesday and Warren Central, 47-43, in double overtime on Saturday, Nov. 6 on the road.
Mt. Vernon travels to East Central on Saturday and return home on Thursday, Dec. 2 against Westfield.
