Swimming: Paegle back on track for Bloomington South boys in sweep at Counsilman Classic

Lukas Paegle's training was holding him back.

Too much training, to be exact. Nothing came together the way the Bloomington South junior swimmer wanted in the state series last year.

"It was pretty much all in the training," Paegle said. "Mainly just how much yardage I would do. I learned that less yardage, more sprint-type stuff. And a lot more work on technique, because my technique has been holding me back, especially on freestyle."

Paegle came into Saturday's annual Counsilman Classic at South fresh off a strong showing at the Conference Indiana meet where he won two titles, taking the 50 freestyle in 21.35, just .01 off the meet record, and the 100 butterfly with a meet record 50.03.

He was just tad faster in the 50 free this time, winning in 21.32 (.06 off the meet record and a lifetime best) and took second by less than a hundredth of a second to North's Jay Stewart (whose CI record he had broken), with the clock showing a 50.31 for both.

It's been a big turnaround, though the true test lies ahead when sectional arrives. Still, he's in a much better frame of mind while continuing to provide South one of the best 1-2 punches in the state with teammate David Kovacs.

"I'm pretty happy with (the season), especially compared to last season," Paegle said. "Last season was really rough, but I learned a lot from it and I've taken away as much as I could.

"And this season, I'm training a lot better and I'm more consistent and I've got my goals in mind and I'm excited for sectionals and state."

Seeing the results of the revised training regimen has been nice for the Panthers to witness.

"That's big for Lukas and big for all of us," South coach Annie Eakin said. "We're happy to see him be that athlete he knows he can be. That's really amazing for Lukas to have gotten that confidence this year and take home some of those wins."

Paegle was able to gain confidence in what was happening right away and it has flowed into his high school season.

"It was good, especially around the summer, ending my summer where I should have been, with my last taper being juniors," Paegle said. "I went times that I should have been going so it was good to be back, instead of stuck at this plateau that I was for a while.

"That has translated into the short-course season in the way, just remember how I trained and knowing what needs to be done and knowing what my body needs."

Paegle's resurgence helped South stop a four-year North reign atop Conference Indiana last week and came back to beat the Cougars for the first time since 2018, 103-80. Meanwhile, the South girls won their 18th in a row in the series with no trouble, 119-65.

"It was exciting," Paegle said. "But my coaches were to keep my mind set on my goals by reminding me, and the whole team, that we hadn't won this meet yet. We won conference, but that's not the same as North-South."

Kovacs breaks two records in South boys' win

South junior David Kovacs had two of the day's biggest highlights, putting down a 1:53.35 to break the meet record in the 200 IM once held by North coach Max Irwin, who went 1:53.69 in 2012. Then Kovacs sped to a 46.65 in the 100 free, erasing the 47.17 that former Panther Ian Finnerty recorded in 2013.

Beyond the big two, the Panthers' improved depth this year is what helped them get past North for the CI title and again in the rematch. Kian Kadlec won the 100 backstroke (56.01) and Botund Kun won the 500 free (4:49.60) and was second in the 200 free.

Warren Campbell, Cameron Seidenfaden, Alex Ketrow, Connor Schmeckebier, Rice Laughlin and Quinn Pleskac are among those piling up plenty of depth points.

"I think that for conference, our goal was to just go swim well and we did that," Eakin said. "Then the side benefit was that we won it. That focus was just swimming fast. The best part was that we had a good meet."

"We told the team, it wasn't just the wins that got us a conference title or a win today," Eakin said. "It kids going from third (seed) to second or fourth to third that really put it all together for us. "

Wake up call for North

Losing hold of the Conference Indiana title got the Cougars' attention.

"A lot of fight," Irwin said. "Going into conference, I thought we had worked hard but I thought we had a little more potential. This week, the guys really had a fire under them and they worked really hard this past week.

"It takes a while before hard work shows up in results so I'm hopeful the work we put in will show up in time for sectional. This is just a fantastic meet because there is all that emotional energy, there's the rivalry and the opportunity to go fast."

Stewart was a two-time winner for North with a 1:45.99 in an off-event, the 200 free, and then flashed a last-second surge for that miniscule win over Paegle in the fly.

"We had talked about the 2-free because he has that club background," Irwin said. "I didn't like the conference results so much (second in the 50 free and fly) so we can put Jay in there and be a great swim for him."

The fly finish was a heartstopper.

"We've been working on turns, finishes and stroke count immensely in practice," Irwin said. "It was the same thing at conference. Lukas was out like a rocket and Jay was picking it up that second 50."

Hunter Tang had North's other individual win in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.95) and the Cougars also won the 200 free relay with Stewart going 21.98 to finish off a 1:30.33.

Big finishes highlight South girls' win

The lone girls' record to fall was in the 100 backstroke, where South's Anna Asplund spun a 57.81 to knock out Grace Haskett's record (58.18) from 2017. Asplund also won the 100 free (53.71).

"Anna had a really great meet today," Eakin said. "She was disappointed in last year's performance at state and I don't think there's going to be any doubt this year, any disappointment. She swam close to lifetime bests, now, and she's going to be really ready at the end of the year."

South recorded 1-2-3 finishes in the 200IM, 100 free and 500 free. Freshman Emily Wang had a standout day, winning the breaststroke (1:09.76) and the 200IM (2:21.35) while Tamara Kun won the fly (1:05.02) by .02 and took second in the IM. Harper Eakin took the 500 free and was second in the 200.

"The girls we've had some good depth of talent," Eakin said. "Our freshmen swimmers are a great asset to us."

North's Freel feeling good

North senior Ashley Freel now has all but two individual swimming school records (500 free and breast), after taking down the 200IM record at the CI meet with a 2:05.26. It beat a 2:06.84 by Emma Mohn in 2017.

"It was a really nice surprise," Freel said. "I'd been working for it for four years, so I knew that was probably my last chance to get it, so I really gave it my all.

"I had a feeling I could break it, but I did not think I'd break it by that much for sure."

She opened her Classic with a 1:58.05 to win the 200 free and was second in the back (58.20) and had a 24.86 to launch the Cougars to a win in the 200 free relay (1:45.27).

"She had a really nice season," North coach Taylor McGregor said. "She's getting the right things out of races, so I think she's putting each of the pieces together. It is fun to mix her races up a little bit. To have that 2IM. She really wanted one more (record) before she left.

"You put her in a race and she finds a way to make it happen."

Buehler? Buehler big for North

Sophomore Sara Buehler had a strong day for the Cougars, winning the 50 free in 26.66 and following up with a 25.97 anchor in the 200 free relay, bringing North from down .05 to a win in .2.

"I think Sara's pretty stoked about her 50s, the individual and to cap that relay off," McGregor said. "I don't think she's seen a 25 (split) on the board so it was big to see that. Hopefully we can take that and carry that all the way through sectionals."

Sophomore Leona Wang was second in the 100 fly and 100 breast.

North was third at the CI meet, but lost its shot at second when a relay was DQd.

"Conference was such a big mental boost for us," McGregor said. "We had lots of best times and great performances. Obviously, with Ashley's school record it gave us some momentum. So it was a nice sneak peek to the end of the season.

"Coming of winter training and this is a tough weekend, too. You're still working really hard and you're not resting it. I feel pretty good about the performances today."

GIRLS RESULTS

SOUTH 119, NORTH 65

50 freestyle: 1. Sara Buehler, N, 26.66; 2. Lucy Tait, S, 26.68; 3. Ambra Marshionne, S, 27.12. 100 freestyle: 1. Anna Asplund, S, 53.71; 2. Marchionne, S, 58.65; 3. Tait, S, 1:00.92. 200 freestyle: 1. Ashley Freel, N, 1:58.05; 2. Harper Eakin, S, 1:59.89; 3. Campbell Warren, S, 2:07.65. 500 freestyle: 1. Eakin, S, 5:14.56; 2. Warren, S, 5:41.95; 3. Abigail Smith, S, 5:51.77. 100 backstroke: 1. Asplund, S, 57.81 (meet record; old record, 58.18, Grace Haskett, S, 2017); 2. Freel, N, 58.20; 3. Kate Seidenfaden, S, 1:05.30. 100 breaststroke: 1. Emily Wang, S, 1:09.76; 2. Leona Wang, N, 1:12.73; 3. Nora Borneman, S, 1:22.08. 100 butterfly: 1. Tamara Kun, S, 1:05.02; 2. L.Wang, N, 1:05.04; 3. Merlyn Rosas, S, 1:05.62. 200 individual medley: 1. E.Wang, S, 2:21.35; 2. Kun, S, 2:25.03; 3. Lizy Seresa, N, 2:40.71. Diving: 1. Lucy Miksza, S, 173.10; 2. Bella Martin, N, 170.90; 3. Nia Johnson, S, 168.70. 200 medley relay: 1. South (Asplund, Wang, Rojas, Tait), 1:55.22; 2. North (Sereda, Wang, Ella deWeber, Buehler), 2:02.93. 200 freestyle relay: 1. North (Freel, Kate Thies, Wang, Buehler), 1:45.27; 2. South (Eakin, Warren, Marchionne, Tait), 1:45.47. 400 freestyle relay: 1. South (Warren, Eakin, Seidenfaden, Asplund), 3:50.28; 2. North (Sydney Garretson, deWeber, Sereda, Freel), 4:06.64.

BOYS' RESULTS

SOUTH 103, NORTH 80

50 freestyle: 1. Lukas Paegle, S, 21.32; 2. Ben Dixon, N, 22.07; 3. Carter Warren, S, 23.42. 100 freestyle: 1. David Kovacs, S, 46.65 (meet record; old record, 47.14, Ian Finnerty, South, 2013); 2. Dixon, N, 48.27; 3. Ben Buehler, N, 49.19. 200 freestyle: 1. Jay Stewart, N, 1:45.99; 2. Botond Kun, S, 1:46.79; 3. Buehler, N, 1:50.36. 500 freestyle: 1. Kun, S, 4:49.60; 2. Ty Mayer, N, 5:11.36; 3. Noah Simon, S, 5:27.55. 100 backstroke: 1. Kian Kadlec, S, 56.01; 2. Cameron Seidenfaden, S, 58.58; 3. Alex Madera, N, 59.07. 100 breaststroke: 1. Hunter Tang, N, 1:02.95; 2. Alex Ketrow, S, 1:03.66; 3. Will Foley, N, 1:04.40. 100 butterfly: 1. Stewart, N, 50.31; 2. Paegle, N, 50.31; 3. Quinn Pleskac, S, 57.05. 200 individual medley: 1. Kovacs, S, 1:53.35 (meet record; old record, 1:53.69, Max Irwin, North, 2012); 2. Luke Miller, N, 2:07.59; 3. Leo Nelson, S, 2:09.31. Diving: 1. Hyun Kim, S, 155.95; 2. Will Steiner, N, 144.25; 3. Spencer Daily, N, 119.50. 200 medley relay: 1. South (Kovacs, Nelson, Paegle, Connor Schmeckbier), 1:37.54; 3. North (Whitaker, Tang, Yake, Miller), 1:46.03. 200 freestyle relay: 1. North (Landon Mobley, Buehler, Dixon, Stewart), 1:30.33; 2. South (Warren, Kun, Nelson, Ketrow), 1:34.06. 400 freestyle relay: 1. South (Paegle, Kadlec, Kun, Kovacs), 3:12.96; 2. North (Mobley, Buehler, Dixon, Stewart), 3:16.99.

Contact Jim Gordillo at jgordillo@heraldt.com and follow on X @JimGordillo.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Paegle back on track as South sweeps Counsilman Classic swim meet