East swimmers fall to Seymour

SEYMOUR — Columbus East faced a tough opponent, boasting a record crowd, at Seymour on Thursday night.

With near 400 patrons in attendance — the most in school history — representing both schools, the exciting atmosphere led to some strong performances in the pool.

However, in the end, the home team would come out on top. The Owls’ boys won 111-75, and girls topped East 111-69.

On the boys’ side, Seymour took 10 of 12 first-place finishes. East’s Austin Smith won the 100 freestyle in 52.71 seconds and got second in the 50 freestyle (23.61).

Smith teamed with Austin Guse, Derek Alexander and Evan Wieneke to win the 400 freestyle relay in 3:44.68. Alexander also earned second-place finishes in the 200 individual medley (2:21.27) and 100 butterfly (1:04.29).

Griff McGaha took second for the Olympians in the 100 backstroke (1:04.29). He was a part of the team with  Singer, Guse and Bryce Eckelman which finished second (1:57.13) in the 200 medley relay.

East boys coach Dave Fribley was pleased with some of the performances from the less-experienced swimmers.

“I think the younger kids had some really, really good times,” Fribley said. “The younger kids really got up for this one. We had some really great swims. The older guys were right at where they have been.”

Fribley said they have a tough road ahead before the Hoosier Hills Conference meet next weekend.

“We swim here (at Seymour) tonight, and that’s always tough, and then we swim at Jeffersonville on Saturday,” he said. “We see (Jeff) as sort of a mini sectional. We get to swim great competition twice in the same week. It gets the kids ready for the tough competition coming up at conference and sectional.”

Racing against each other just two days prior at the HHC girls meet, the Owls once again got the best of the Olympians.

East’s girls won five events, led by first-place individual finishes from Cortney VanLiew in the 50 freestyle (25.18) and 100 butterfly (1:05.00). Whitley Eicher won the 200 individual medley by clocking 2:24.38.

In the diving well, East’s Becca Bryan was the high-scorer with 181.65. Both the 200 freestyle (1:44.76) and 400 (3:57.78) freestyle relays went to the Olympians.

“We wanted to try to keep at our best times and swim strong,” East girls coach Jill Arnholt said. “We wanted to work on their confidence, and get them prepared for the upcoming meets. I think all their training they’ve done is paying off right now.

“They’re doing really well, I’m really proud of them,” she added. We just need to keep the momentum up and we’ll be doing good.”