INDIANAPOLIS — Area swimmers saw their seasons come to a close at the IHSAA State Finals on Friday night at Indiana University’s Natatorium in Indianapolis.
Southmont senior John Zimmerman was close to hanging up his goggles after his junior season, but was all smiles after competing in the prelims on Friday night.
“I was really excited with my time,” Zimmerman said. “I’m excited I stuck with it this long. I actually wasn’t going to swim this year, but my parents and peers had persuaded me otherwise and I definitely think that was a smart decision on my part, because I’m excited with how I ended my season.”
Zimmerman competed in the 500 freestyle, swimming a 5:17.77, placing 32nd. He was thrilled with the opportunity to compete in the event after attending as a fan to watch his brother swim in the 100 backstroke in 2018.
“Being on deck and participating in the meet is completely different than what I thought it was going to be,” he said.
Crawfordsville hit the water in the 200 medley, 200 and 400 freestyle relays, while Thristan Callejas and Jack Pendleton each participated in a pair of individual events.
Callejas swam a lifetime best in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:48.94, placing 30th.
“We had a really good 200 freestyle out of Thristan Callejas,” Crawfordsville coach Kevin Hedrick said. “He came right out of that medley relay and so that was really really good. We get more and more comfortable coming here. And that’s the ticket is coming here and expecting to go fast, instead of swimming in fear of going slow. That takes time, and it takes getting the youngsters here and then you start building on it. It’s a process.”
Callejas was 31st in the 100 butterfly with a time of 55.33 seconds, while Jack Pendleton placed 32nd in the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.77 seconds, and was 32nd in the 100 freestyle in 50.7 seconds.
The 200 medley relay team of Evan Chaney, Hunter Conrad, Callejas, and Marshall Horton placed 31st with a time of 1:45.07, while the 200 freestyle foursome of Ben Brown, Conrad, Horton, and Pendleton was 32nd in 1:33.4. The 400 freestyle relay team of Callejas, Chaney, Brown, and Pendleton placed 32nd with a time of 3:29.56.
“It’s hard for those kids to replicate that excitement that we need,” Hedrick said. “I had a couple kids tell me ‘hey I think we will do two-a-days this summer and we will come back next year and be better prepared.’ That’s what it really is it’s all about being prepared to swim on a stage this big.”
Winning seven sectional titles and carrying a team-like atmosphere to the state finals is helping the Athenians set up for more success for seasons to come.
“You have to be thinking about this meet at sectional, and not reacting to ‘oh hey we are going to state next week,’” Hedrick said. “I told some of the boys if you want to go to state next year and go fast then we won’t shave or taper for the sectional, and we will come here and go fast. That’s what a lot of those kids here are doing today.”
