Eagle swimmers start season off against Fishers | Sports

The Zionsville swimming and diving teams kicked off their seasons on Monday evening with a dual against Fishers.

Fishers won the girls meet 105-81 and took the boys meet 115-70.

For the Zionsville girls, Annabelle Swiney won the IM in 2:06.41 and the 100-free in 51.87.

Cora Nichols won diving with a score of 206.65 and Delaney McAfee won the backstroke in 1:01.94.

The Eagles also got a win from the 200-free relay team of Swiney, Ava Metzger, Allie Buroker and Hailey Paulick in a time of 1:38.55.

The medley relay team of Ava Peterson, Katie Gordon, Ava Murray and Buroker placed second in 1:51.21. The 400-free relay team of Swiney, Metzger, Paulick and Murray were second in 3:37.71.

Metzger was second in the 200 in 1:54.56, Buroker was second in the 50 in 24.83 and Olivia Powell was second in diving in 177.70.

On the boys side, Caleb Kuntz won the 200-free in 1:44.20 and was second in the 100-free in 47.73.

Lew Sams won the breaststroke in 59.89 and was second in the IM in 2:02.35.

The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Brady Hinshaw, Kuntz, Toby Dollens and Eli Dollens won in 1:29.25.

The medley relay team of Colin Walrond, Sams, Hinshaw and Toby Dollens was second in 1:36.67 and the 400-free relay team of Kuntz, Eli Dollens, Walrond and Brady Wright was second in 3:21.19.

Walrond was second in the backstroke in 54.52.

When looking at the pre-season so far, head coach Scott Kubly has liked what he has seen from the group so far.

“It’s been a good couple of weeks,” Kubly said. “For a majority of them, it’s just a continuation of what they have been doing with the club. Obviously the focus is more on what we can do at the end of the high school season.”

As Kubly alluded to, many of the Eagle swimmers are competing year round, so the high school season is just a continuation of the work they put in during the summer and fall.

But they take extra pride and enjoyment with the high school season over the winter months.

“You are putting on your school cap now, instead of you club cap, so you always want to put your best foot forward and show the pride you have for your school and community,” Kubly said. “With the past success we have had, the kids want to make sure they keep going and they keep the tradition going.”

On the girls side, the Eagles are returning several key pieces from a successful team a year ago, but also have some young girls ready to make the most of their opportunities.

“Annabelle Swiney is going to be a senior leader for us,” Kubly said. “She is committed to swim at Purdue, and getting that decision made – it’s been a big weight off her shoulders and she is more relaxed and is ready to have a good season. Ava Metzger, it’s kind of the same thing, she has verbally committed to IU and that is a monkey off her back and she is ready to go. We have a couple of new girls with Sophia Bertsch, and Ava Murray – they are going to make some waves this year. Allie Buroker is going to have a good junior year for us and brings back some good experience. Hailey Paulick is back and she is a versatile in her swims. Katie Gordon is back, and I think Delaney McAfee and Kira Hunter are going to do well for us and have improved a lot.”

The boys team placed second in the state the past three seasons.

Some of the key pieces from those teams graduated, but Kubly said the next crop of talented swimmers is ready to hit the water.

“We have good senior leadership,’ Kubly said. “Brady Hinshaw, Caleb Kuntz and Toby Dollens are going to be our leaders. Colin Walrond is going to be a big leader too. We have some guys in Carter Miller and Jack Mybeck that are going to add some good depth. Brady Wright has improved a lot and Eli Dollens are going to make some good headway for us. Lew Sams in breaststroke is going to be a big piece for us. Those guys are hungry to get back on the winning side of the sectional and are ready to get after it.”

Will Willems is the Sports Editor of the Lebanon Reporter. Follow him on Twitter @Will_Willems.