Five North competitors to take part in state prelims

Nick Green was at church Sunday morning when he received a text from Columbus North boys swimming teammate Sam Russell.

When church was over, Green checked the message, and it confirmed what he was expecting. The IHSAA had announced its call-backs for the state meet, and the sophomore had made it in the 500-yard freestyle.

“I kind of already knew because I had looked through all the other sectionals,” Green said. “It was a lot of excitement to know that I have not necessarily a second chance, but a chance to go faster than I already did and hopefully get top 16.”

Green is seeded 19th, the highest seed among the three Bull Frog individuals who qualified for this weekend’s state meet. North also qualified a pair of relay teams.

Junior Sam Russell is seeded 27th in the 200 individual medley. He finished 24th in that event last year.

“I think having that background gives me something to already know what to expect coming in,” Russell said. “It gives me an advantage to other swimmers because I already know what the atmosphere is like and what the competition is like.”

Thomas Goble is the lone senior among the five Bull Frogs who will be competing this weekend. He also was North’s lone sectional champion, taking the 50 freestyle.

Goble, who is seeded 35, competed at state in the 200 medley relay last season.

“I got a taste of what the atmosphere was like last year, and I’m ready to come back and give my all for my team,” Goble said.”

Sophomores Evan Patterson and Green and juniors Jared Carroll and Russell are seeded 15th in the 400 freestyle relay. Carroll, Patterson, Goble and Russell are 21st in the 200 freestyle relay.

Both of those relays finished second in the sectional, but made the state-cut time.

“I think this year, we’re in a really good spot,” Carroll said. “Last year, we were pulled into the free relays, and this year, we made the cut by a second or more, so that puts us in a really good place.”

State prelims begin at 6 p.m. Friday at IUPUI’s Indiana University Natatorium. The top eight in each event qualify for Saturday’s championship finals, and the No. 9 through 16 swimmers make the consolation heats.

Consolations and finals begin at 1 p.m. Saturday.

“I think we have a really good chance,” Patterson said. “We put ourselves in a good position, and we’ve prepared ourselves well. I think as we rest up a little bit more and shave and taper for state, I think it will go really well.”

Russell and Green both noted that with mostly underclassmen, the future looks bright for the Bull Frogs. Green said a pair of freshmen, Aidan McAlister and Christopher Lee, improved throughout the season and have big potential.

The five events in which North qualified is its most since 2015.

“We have great opportunities in front of us,” second-year North coach Logan Schaefer said. “The boys are excited about going to that meet and swimming faster, and that’s what we want to continue talking about. This is a steppingstone for us to the state championships, and now is the time for us to perform at our best.”

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Boys swimming state finals

When: 6 p.m. Friday (prelims), 9 a.m. Saturday (diving prelims), 1 p.m. Saturday (swimming and diving finals)

Where: IUPUI’s Indiana University Natatorium, 901 W. New York St., Indianapolis

Admission: $8 per session or $15 for both days

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