The Valpo 10 & Under Girls are number 1 in the state.
In a scene reminiscent of the movie “Hoosiers”, but happening in a natatorium instead of a gym, nine Valparaiso girls took on the state’s largest swim clubs and brought home the Age Group State Championship for Girl's 10 & Under. Under the guidance of Head Coach Lisa Starkey, Valparaiso Swim Club brought a state championship title back to our pool!!
Valparaiso Swim Club (VSC) proudly sent a contingent of 29 qualifying swimmers to the State Championship in Indianapolis this past weekend, the largest group in recent history. Battling against other Indiana teams three and four times their size, VSC battled and became the 10 & Under Girls Team State Champions. Many earned points, to help the team climb the ladder and place 11th as a team out of 70+ teams!!
Lizzie Simac age 13, (31 points) and Bethany Gatlin age 13, (60 points) achieved their goals of swimming personal bests to qualify for the Speedo Central Zone Sectionals, which is held at the end of March. Each will be swimming 4 individual events spread across a 4-day championship meet in Indianapolis.
The VSC girl’s 13-14 relay team of Bri Pniak (14), Lizzie Simac (13), Bethany Gatlin (13) and Ashley Pickford (13) placed 8th in the 400 Yard Medley relay. Pniak, Simac, Gatlin and Marisa Johnson (14) placed 5th in the 200 Yard Medley relay. This group also swam the 200 and 400 free relays placing 13th and 14th. Pickford placed 23rd in the 1000 free and 26th in the 1650 (mile), both giving her personal best times!
The 11-12 relay teams Kailtin Browne (12), Kristyn Hoffman (12), Isa Johnson(11), and Hannah Shepherd (12) swam the 200 medley and 200 free relays placing 20th and 27th. First Time Individual event swimmers Hannah Shepherd captured 7th place in the 500 free (12points) and Kristyn Hoffman 14th in 50 breast (3points). Alex Krygowski (12), first time for individual events, was VSC's only boy to swim individual events this year at state. He swam freestyle events and captured a best time in the 500 free placing 26th.
Boys 9-10 relay team brothers Brody (10) and Mitchell (10) DeCraene, Ben Collins (10), Will Miltenberger (10) and Connor McCall (9) swam 200 free and medley relays, placing 22nd in both.
Leading the 9-10 team in points earned was Meg Calumpang (10), with 106 points. She took home the 2nd place prize in overall points scored in her age group. Meg barely missed an all-time state record in the 100 Yard Butterfly by 0.20 of a second. She brought home (2) 1st place, (3) 2nd place, and (1) 4th place individual medals. Other point earners in Individual 9-10 events were Janine Holleworth (10) 43 points, Sophia Schlichting (10) 36 points, Sarah Browne (10) 31 points, Shannon McCall (10) 11 points. These girls swam quite beastly, making a great impression on all teams. They shook the natatorium and showed the region that VSC was there to take control!!
The VSC girl’s 10 & Under “A” relay team of Sarah Browne (10), Sophia Schlichting (10), Janine Holleworth (10) and Meg Calumpang (10) finished an extreme close 2nd in the 200 Yard Free relay and 3rd in the 200 Yard Medley relay. The "B" relay team, also containing first time individual and first time relay state swimmers, Shannon McCall (10), Nicole Cespedes (10), Karlye Gatlin(10), and Hannah Letany (10) swam the 200 medley and free relays.
Valparariso Swim Club’s Champion Team were teammates Kaitlin Browne (12), Sarah Browne (10), Meg Calumpang (10), Nicole Cespedes (10), Ben Collins (10), Megan Daye (13), Brody DeCraene (10), Mitchell DeCraene (10), Bethany Gatlin (13), Karlye Gatlin (10), Kyle Hahn (11), Kristyn Hoffmann (12), Janine Holleworth (10), Isa Johnson (11), Marisa Johnson (14), Zach Juhl (11), Alex Krygowski (12), Hannah Letany (10), Connor McCall (9), Shannon McCall (10), Will Miltenberger (10), Ashley Pickford (13), Bri Pniak (14), Ayla Rice (10), Olivia Schlichting (13), Sophia Schlichting (10), Lizzie Simac (13), Hannah Shepherd (12), and Liam Shepherd (11).
Great Job VSC we are very proud of YOU!