INDIANAPOLIS — All three Montgomery County schools were represented at the IHSAA Swim State final prelims on Friday night.
Senior Sidney Campbell got things going for North Montgomery Chargers, competing in the 100 freestyle. Campbell swam a time of 53.87. She was also part of the 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams that the Chargers advanced to the state meet. Along with Campbell, Maggie Michael, Maddie Mershon, and Kelsey Anderson made up the tandem that swam a 1:44.61. Annabel Anderson joined her sister Kelsey, Michael, and Campbell in the 400 freestyle relay who ended with a time of 3:52.70.
This season the Chargers set out a goal to be able to compete at the state meet. There was going to be no stopping this group from accomplishing that task. Not even being quarantined due to COVID-19 or having shortened practices would be able to stop them.
“We all came together and said if we wanted to accomplish our goal that this had to be the year to do it,” Campbell said. “We knew that we would have to work extra hard battling quarantine and everything and that really pushed us all season to accomplish what we set out to do.”
“Having teammates that have the same goal as you is such a great feeling,” Michael said. “It was all able to work out because we all wanted to work toward the same thing and that was getting back here to state.”
“I think it was just cool to get to know everyone and bond with them this year,” Annabel Anderson, who is a freshman, said.
“I honestly don’t think we thought too much about making to state,” Mershon added. “We knew that we were close to breaking the school record and that was a real focus of ours.”
“Our team dynamic this season made this season such a special one for me,” Kelsey said. “I feel like all of us are so lucky to be on a team that was so loving. It also was a special year because I got to have this success with my sister (Annabel).”
This season the Chargers broke or tied four school records. Campbell tied her own mark in the 50 freestyle and broke the records in the 100 and 200 freestyle. Coach Erin Yeager knew her team had the ability to get back to the state meet, and they did just that.
“It was a great evening,” she said. “For some of younger and returning girls to get to experience this, they told me that this is definitely something they want to do again. That makes it so much more easier in the offseason because you already have your goals laid out in front of you. Our three seniors (Campbell, Kelsey Anderson, and Mershon) have been through so much together and they’ve persevered and have worked hard all season long and have been a great example for our upper classmen.”
Southmont Senior Megan Scheidler competed in the 500 freestyle and ended with a time of 5:35.50. She gets to end her swimming career with back-to-back state championship appearances which is no small feat.
“Having a team last year helped ease my nerves a little bit, but thankfully I was still able to bring my best friend (Cassidy Bowlin) with me and she was really supportive. It still hasn’t quite hit yet that I’ve swam for the last time and get to experience state just is a very cool feeling. I feel like with this season being my last I was able to accomplish a lot of the goals that I set out for myself.”
Coach Jane Coudret has seen the growth of Scheidler throughout her four years with the Mounties and was glad that that she end her swimming career on a high note.
“We talked about that she had to go out there and leave it all out there and give it everything she had, and she did that. She had a great swim overall and the 500 is probably the toughest race to comeback to try and improve your time, but she handled it very well,” Coudret said.
Crawfordsville was represented by Junior Alyx Bannon in the 50 freestyle and ended up with a time of 25.15. Bannon who qualified for the state meet last year talked about how she felt more comfortable this time around and she also got to have her mom with her at the meet.
“It’s always fun to come back and end the season like this,” she said. “You get to have all of your adrenaline going and competing one last time. For my mom to come up here to support and not know much about swimming means the world to me.”
Coach Kevin Hedrick knows that Bannon still has one year left to make it three years in a row competing at the state meet. The improvement from year to year is one of the key reason that Bannon has continued to see herself head to Indy.
“Her mental toughness and physical have gotten better each and every year,” he said. “It’s a true reward for a small school like us to continue to be here each year. There’s always room to improve and we just look forward to being back here hopefully again next year.”
