Big medal haul coming for Bloomington? What to watch at IHSAA boys swimming state finals

The IHSAA boys' state swimming and diving meet takes place this weekend. Here's what to watch:

Best bets to medal

This could be one of the more rewarding trips for Bloomington swimmers since 2012 when South and North combined for 347 points and 14 medalists as the Panthers came in second by just 1½ points.

Sunday's psych sheets revealed several call-ups from the Columbus North Sectional to fill out the field to 32 in each event, giving North's Ben Buehler and Will Dixon and South's Kian Kadlec more duties at state.

IHSAA boys swimming: Sprint freestylers endure in long run for Bloomington North boys ahead of state

The highest seeds belong to South's David Kovacs, a runner-up last year in the 100 backstroke and now the one to chase after a state-best 48.84 at sectional, just short of his school record from last year. He's also a threat in the 200 individual medley, seeded third at 1:50.35.

South's Lukas Paegle also comes with high hopes as a fourth seed in the 100 butterfly (49.01) and sixth seed in the 50 freestyle (21.02), with North's Jay Stewart in the same two events, eighth in the 50 free (21.09) and 10th in the fly (50.24), but he was third in that event last year.

All three are juniors making their third trip to the finals.

The only state champion back is senior William Klinge of West Lafayette Harrison, who won the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly. He is the top seed in both events.

Also shooting for the A Finals (top eight) is North senior Ben Dixon, an eighth seed in the 100 free (46.41 after a school record 46.00 in the sectional prelims), who is now 17th in the 50 free (21.43) after a call-up. North senior Ben Buehler also got a call-up in the 100 free, seeded 24th (47.53) and 200 free, seeded 25th (1:43.99).

South junior Botond Kun has a shot in the 500 free, seeded eighth at 4:39.70 while teammate Kadlec got a call-up and is seeded 24th (4:48.23). Kun is also seeded 21st in the 200 free (1:43.71). North senior Hunter Tang also rose up this season for his first state berth and is ranked 20th in the 100 breaststroke (59.12).

All four relays are in good shape, with South ranked second (to Carmel by just .3) in the 400 free (3:07.72) with North ninth (3:11.53). The Cougars are ranked fifth in the 200 free (1:26.77) and the Panthers are eighth in the 200 medley relay (1:34.11).

Records scratched?

Last year, North broke all three of its relay records and came back not far off. The school record in the 200 free relay is 1:25.75 and in the 400 it's 3:09.58. Stewart is still a ways off from Max Irwin's fly record, but closer to his 20.82 in the 50.

Kovacs owns the South record in the back (48.54) and Paegle hopes to chase down Ian Finnerty's 48.18 in the fly and is certainly after his 20.69 in the 50. South's relay records are 1:32.08 in the medley and 3:04.90 in the 400 free.

What, where, when

The IHSAA boys' state swimming meet takes place at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis. Preliminaries are Friday at 6 p.m., with the top eight in each event coming back for the A Finals and the next eight for the B Finals.

On Saturday, diving will start at 9 a.m. with the swimming and diving finals starting at 1 p.m.

All tickets must be purchased digitally through Eventlink (additional fees may apply). No cash at the gates. Tickets are $10 per session or $19 for both days general admission. Children 5 years and younger are admitted free for general admission seating only. A limited number of $22 reserved seats will be available for purchase.

Carmel has won nine straight team titles and is in great position to make it 10, seeded first or second in all three relays and scheduled to return all 24 swims for the finals, with 16 seeded in the top eight.

IHSAA STATE FINALS

Top seeds and area competitors. State record in parenthesis.

50 freestyle (19.38): 1. Matthew Klinge, WLHarrison, 19.95; 2. Jake Taraga, Brebeuf Jesuit, 20.49; 6. Lukas Paegle, BSouth, 21.02; 8. Jay Stewart, BNorth, 21.09; 17. Ben Dixon, BNorth, 21.43. 100 freestyle (43.20): 1. Walker Mattice, Zionsville, 45.27; 2. Taraga, Brebeuf Jesuit, 45.61; 8. Dixon, BNorth, 46.41; 24. Ben Buehler, BNorth, 47.53. 200 freestyle (1:32.85): 1. Mattice, Zionsville, 1:38.00; 2. Lewis Zhang, Carmel, 1:39.59; 21. Botund Kun, BSouth, 1:43.71; 25. Buehler, BNorth, 1:43.99. 500 freestyle (4:14.68): 1. Gregg Enoch, Carmel, 4:26.13; 2. Jonathan Hines, Fishers, 4:30.53; 8. Kun, BSouth, 4:39.70; 24. Kian Kadlec, BSouth, 4:48.23. 100 backstroke (45.08): 1. David Kovacs, BSouth, 48.84; 2. Henry Lyness, Center Grove, 49.57. 100 breaststroke (52.65): 1. Christopher Bartmess, SB Riley, 54.31; 2. Michael Gorey, Carmel, 55.80; 20. Hunter Tang, BNorth, 59.12. 100 butterfly (46.31): 1. Klinge, WLHarrison, 48.21; 2. Bartmess, SB Riley, 48.91; 4. Paegle, BSouth, 49.01; 10. Stewart, BNorth, 50.24. 200 individual medley (1:43.74): 1. Enoch, Carmel, 1:47.51; 2. Gorey, Carmel, 1:49.14; 3. Kovacs, BSouth, 1:50.35.

200 medley relay (1:26.88): 1. South Bend Riley, 1:30.65; 2. Carmel, 1:31.96; 8. Bloomington South 1:34.11. 200 free relay (1:20.53): 1. Carmel, 1:24.54; 2. West Lafayette Harrison, 1:24.59; 5. Bloomington North, 1:26.77. 400 freestyle relay (2:56.36): 1. Carmel, 3:07.42; 2. Bloomington South, 3:07.72; 9. Bloomington North, 3:11.53.

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This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington swimmers, relays on track to medal at IHSAA boys state