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INDIANAPOLIS — Crawfordsville boys swimming’s second home has become the IUPUI Natatorium and Friday the Athenians made a trip to their second home for the IHSAA Boys Swimming State Finals prelims. The Athenians swam in five different events after claiming the sectional title last week for the fifth straight season and the ninth time in the last 10 years. Seniors Whitman Horton, Ryan Miller, Campbell Mason along with sophomores Daniel Surface and Adrian Medina represented CHS on the night.
The highlight of the night for the Athenians was with Horton in both the 200 IM and the 100 backstroke. In the 200 IM Horton swam a a 1:53.39 and placed 14th to be back in the consolation finals on Saturday. In the 100 backstroke, where Horton placed sixth in the state a year ago, he just missed qualifying for the finals by three one-hundreths of a second with a time of 50.61. That time was still a life-time best for Horton who set a CHS school record. His sixth place time a year ago was a 50.79.
“He has nothing to be ashamed of or dissapointed in himslef,” Crawfordsville coach Kevin Hedrick said of his senior. “To come in here and still have a life-time best and swim faster than he did at the sectional and be ninth is a big time accomplishment. He gets to be back here one final time tomorrow and cap off what’s been nothing short of a incredible career.”
The 200 medley team of Horton, Mason, Medina, and Miller began the day with a great swim as they swam a a 1:41.68 which was .44 fasteer than their seed time of 1:42.12. Miller swam in the 100 breaststroke and ended his career with the Athenians with a time of 1:06.97. To end the night the 400 freestyle relay team of Surface, Medina, Mason and Horton swam a 3:29.76.
It capped off the careers of both Mason and Miller who have been an integral part of Cvilles success the last four years. Hedrick spoke on thos two seniors along with his pair of sophomore who both will now look to continue the success next season.
“What a way to go our for both Campbell and Ryan,” Hedrick added. “You really can’t write a better script for all four of these guys to get to swim here on the biggest stage. It’s an honor and a privelige for us to get to be a part of this year in and year out. We’re always thankful for the opportunity to get to come here.”
Horton will be back tomorrow as he was last year to swim on the final day of the Boys Swim season. The consolations and finals begin back at the Natatorium on tomorrow at 1 p.m. Before Horton gets his swims underway, Fountain Central’s William Armstrong will compete in the Diving Prelims beginning at 9 a.m. Armstrong is the only freshman who qualified for the diving finals.
