Columbus East diver Gabbie Meier competes during the Girls Swimming and Diving State Finals Saturday Feb. 12, 2022, at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.
The Republic file photo
There will be fresh faces leading the Columbus girls swimming programs this year.
Doug Trueblood, who has coached the Columbus East boys swimmers the past two years, is adding the girls program to his responsibilities this year, taking over for the retired Jill Arnholt. Mike Cunningham takes over the Columbus North boys and girls program after Brett Findley served as interim coach last season.
Here is a look at those teams, along with Jennings County, heading into the 2022-23 season:
Columbus East
The Olympians finished third in the North Sectional last season, but lost three of its top four swimmers. They do, however, return two-time state diving qualifier and two-time Republic Girls Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Year Gabbie Meier, who placed 16th at state in diving last year.
Meier also is one of East’s top returning swimmers.
“She’s a good dual threat,” Trueblood said. “She’s an athlete. You can pretty much put her anywhere, and she’s going to do great things. I’m looking for good things for her.”
Senior Josie Havenaar finished sixth in the 200-yard individual medley and seventh in the 100 backstroke in the sectional and swam on the Olympians’ top relay teams. Other top returners are senior Claire Brooks in the butterfly, junior Kira VanValkenburg in the sprint freestyle and other events, junior Ali Trueblood in the breaststroke and another event, senior Josie Franks in the distance freestyle events, senior Nicole Fernandez in the sprint freestyle events and senior Olivia Klinge in freestyle and maybe backstroke events.
“They’re girls that know what’s going on and are working hard,” Doug Trueblood said. “They’re working hard and trying to get back into swim shape. We definitely don’t have the size we’ve had in the past. We’re a little bit smaller than we were before, but we have some young kids coming in that hopefully can fill a role. We also have some seniors that are good leaders and can carry on the culture that Jill set in place. I think we’ll be ready by the end of the season.”
Freshman Cassidy Furnish, a veteran club swimmer, has shown plenty of promise in practice.
“I see her being a major contributor for us very quick,” Doug Trueblood said. “She’ll be special and somebody to watch throughout this season and in the next couple of years.”
East kicks off the season Saturday morning at Bloomington North.
“We’re going up against a really good team,” Doug Trueblood said. “It will be good for the girls to get some initial times here that we can start to build off of. We’ve started talking about goals and what each one of them wants to get out of this season. We kind of have to find that sweet spot and figure out how we best fill out our event schedule with the girls that we have.”
Columbus North
The Bull Frogs also lost three of their top four swimmers after finishing fourth in last year’s sectional.
Senior Karissa Bevis finished fifth in the 100 freestyle and sixth in the 50 freestyle at the sectional. Bevis and sophomore Kara Buntin swam on the fifth-place 200 freestyle relay team.
Columbus North’s Kara Buntin competes in the 200-yard medley relay during a swim meet at Columbus East High School in Columbus, Ind., Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021.
The Republic file photo
Junior Ella Gray Partin, who finished eighth in the sectional in diving, leads a group of nine divers.
Other top returners include juniors Nicole Brault and Abby Henderson and sophomores Katie Frazier, Maddie Handlon and Ava Anderson.
“I’m still learning these girls and learning where they’re at, and they’re still learning me,” Cunningham said. “I don’t know who’s going to end up where.”
Brooklyn Pendleton, Georgia Abdallah, Cora Tregoning and Ainsley Sherlock lead a deep and talented freshman class.
“We have a strong freshman class, supported by our senior, who’s helping them with what the culture is here,” Cunningham said. “She’s helping the freshmen understand where the team goes. Then, we have our sophomores and juniors who have been through it and are going a great job.”
North opens its season Nov. 22 at perennial power Franklin.
“Everybody is working hard, putting in the time,” Cunningham said. “We are working, developing and improving strokes right now and building the culture of ‘team’ so that everybody contributes in their own way. I think we’re going to be all-around really strong.”
Jennings County
Morgan Webster is back for his second year as the Panther girls coach. He also will coach the Jennings boys team this season.
The Panthers have the only returning area girls swimmer to qualify for state last year in junior Avery Witt, who was the Floyd Central Sectional champion in the 200 freestyle.
Junior Tatum Brown had the fastest time in the sectional prelims in the 200 freestyle. She also swam the 500 freestyle last year, but could move to the 200 IM this season.
Sophomores Hannah Webster and Alyssa Monnin return in the butterfly, and senior Lydia Ponsler is back in the sprint freestyle events. Freshman Harmony Ernstes, who leads a group of newcomers, will be a diver and could swim an event or two.
“It’s been an interesting year,” Morgan Webster said. “We lost some really good seniors last year, so this year is kind of a partial rebuilding year. I definitely think there’s high opportunities for some of these new swimmers to make their way onto an ‘A’ relay by sectional.”
The 2022-23 girls swimming schedules for Bartholomew County schools:
Columbus East
Saturday;at Bloomington North;10 a.m.
Tuesday;at New Albany Relays;6:30 p.m.
Dec. 1;Shelbyville;6 p.m.
Dec. 5;Jennings County;6 p.m.
Dec. 10;at Shelbyville Relays;1 p.m.
Dec. 13;at Columbus North;5:30 p.m.
Dec. 17;New Albany;10 a.m.
Dec. 20;at East Central;6 p.m.
Jan. 5;Bedford North Lawrence;6 p.m.
Jan. 7;at Bloomington North Diving invitational;10 a.m.
Jan. 10;Madison;6 p.m.
Jan. 14;HHC at NewAlbany;1 p.m.
Jan. 19;at Seymour; 6 p.m.
Jan. 24;at Greensburg;6 p.m.
Columbus North
Nov. 22;at Franklin;5:30 p.m.
Nov. 26;North Central;10a.m.
Dec. 1;Seymour;5:30 p.m.
Dec. 3;at Center Grove;9 a.m.
Dec. 13;Columbus East;5:30 p.m.
Dec. 17;at Bedford North Lawrence;11 a.m.
Dec. 20;Bloomington South;5:30 p.m.
Dec. 28;at Center Grove Holiday Invitational;10 a.m.
Jan. 5;at Bloomington North;6 p.m.
Jan. 7;Conference Indiana at Vigo County Aquatic Center;9 a.m.
Jan. 17;at Jennings County;6 p.m.
