Columbus North’s Isaac Niewedde competes in the 100-yard breaststroke Tuesday in the Chuck Newell Natatorium at Columbus North High School.
Tommy Walker | For The Republic
With Columbus North celebrating senior night Tuesday, coach Mike Cunningham let his senior boys and girls swimmers pick their events.
Some of those seniors, along with some of the underclassmen, ended up in different events than they normally swim. In all, the Bull Frogs had about 8o percent season-best times in winning the boys meet 111-69 and the girls meet 132-53 against visiting Jennings County.
“We mixed it up a little bit,” Cunningham said. “I thought they did a great job. I thought the kids all did awesome. We’ve really come together as a team. We had so many best times today. It was awesome. I can’t fault them. They’re working hard and getting ready to finish up here.”
In the boys meet, each team won six events, but North had more depth. Senior Aarush Mahato was a double-winner for the Bull Frogs, taking the 50-yard freestyle in 23.90 seconds and the 100 butterfly in 58.42.
“It was super exciting,” Mahato said. “I was just ready for the meet. My technique, I really focused on that, and I’m just really happy with the way things turned out. A lot of people did really good, and when other people do good, I do good, too. Just the overall energy today was really good.”
Also winning for North were Hudson Clock in the 200 individual medley (2:31.92), Dagan Kleffman in the diving competition(245.35) and Isaac Niewedde in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.20). HP Devapuptapu, Niewedde, Mahato and Luis Valerdi took the 200 medley relay (1:58.25).
The Panthers had a pair of double-winners, with Charlie Witt taking the 200 fgrestyle (2:07.38) and 100 freestyle (57.14) and Levi Whitesell capturing the 500 freestyle (5:34.69) and 100 backstroke (1:01.14). Ayden Chen, Witt, Dillon Johnson and Whitesell combined to win both the 200 freestyle relay (1:44.52) and 400 freestyle relay (3:52.33).
Mridula Muthukumaran, who is normally does the 200 IM and 100 butterfly, won the 200 freestyle (2:03.81) and 500 freestyle (5:30.13) Tuesday. Caroline Crawford took the 200 IM (2:42.19) and 100 backstroke (1:13.29).
Also for the Bull Frogs, Abby Proffitt won the 50 freestyle (27.90), Advika Badve took the 100 freestyle (1:01.86) and Carolina Balogona captured the 100 breaststroke (1:21.66). Muthukumaran, Sanchita Ponnathpur, Badve and Proffitt won the 200 medley relay (2:04.06) and Brooklyn Pendleton, Proffitt, Kanav Mehta and Muthukumaran took the 200 freestyle relay (:54.73).
Jennings won three events. Claudia Zuniga took the diving (147.65), Katielynn Luedeman captured the 100 butterfly (1:16.35) and Caylee Whitesell, Luedeman, Ava Biehle and Hadley St. Clair won the 400 freestyle relay (4:24.65).
“We had lots of best times and just making improvements under water and off walls,” Jennings coach Bill Dillon said. “The energy level was much better for being tired right now, so I felt really good about it. I thought Columbus North raced hard, too. It was probably one of our best dual meets of the season.”
