Daniel Luengas of Decatur Central skims across the water as he takes fifth in the Mid-State Conference 100-yard butterfly in the Hawks’ pool.
By Steve Page
Correspondent
This, noted Decatur Central coach Charles Grace, is a team on the rise.
“Never mind the point total,” he said following Saturday’s Mid-State Conference Swimming and Diving Championships in the Hawks’ natatorium. “I see a young team taking a step forward.
“This is the highest points they’ve put up in the six years I’ve been here. Every year, the expectations get higher.”
Led by Isaiah Winko, DC’s boys placed fourth on their side of the meet with 218 points. The girls netted 110.
“We had a fourth-place finish on the boys’ side,” Grace said. “We were just five points behind Mooresville for third. That’s three swims, three touches.
“Isaiah Winko, a freshman, had a third and fourth at County, and today he was right there again. He swam like a seasoned veteran.”
Winko took second in the 200-yard individual medley at 2:06.15 and fourth in the 500 freestyle at 5:14.03. He joined Jayden Hohman, Aiden Romer and Daniel Luengas to take fourth in the 200 medley relay at 1:45.90, less than a second behind Mooresville. Winko, Hohman, Luengas and Yeshua Garcia were fourth in the 400 freestyle relay at 3:41.52.
Luengas placed fifth in the 100 butterfly at 59.09 and teammate Angel Valiente was 15th in 1:19.88.
Hohman took fifth in the 100 backstroke at 1:00.35. He was also seventh in the 100 free at 54.85, Joshua DeJesus was 14th in 58.90 and Chace Schulke 16th in 1:03.77.
Romer finished fifth in the 100 backstroke at 1:07.38 and Cale Webb 15th in 1:22.09. Benjamin Balistreri finished seventh in diving with 223.62 points.
Webb, Luengas, Romer and Garcia were seventh in the 200 free relay at 1:42.15. Garcia was 11th in the 200 freestyle, with DeJesus 14th at 2:13.20.
Garcia was 13th and Valiente 14th in the 500 freestyle with respective times of 5:57.76 and 6:07.29. Webb was 14th in the 200 IM at 2:39.97. Schulke was 15th in the 50 free at 26.43.
“For the guys, we lost a lot of seniors,” Grace continued. “Our freshmen and sophomores have stepped up to the plate. They acted like veterans. The guys are much faster than at county. They’re ready for that next level.”
Franklin Community won the boys’ side of the meet, totaling 512.5 points to 428.5 for Plainfield, 223 for Mooresville, 218 for DC, 215 for Greenwood and 208 for Perry Meridian.
On the girls’ side, Plainfield finished with 486 points to 456 for Franklin, 242 for Whiteland, 237 for Greenwood, 215 for Perry Meridian, 196 for Mooresville, 161 for Martinsville and 110 for DC.
“There’s no doubt this is the fastest conference in Indiana, and this (Marion) County is the fastest county in the state,” Grace said.
“Janna Guevarra got in the finals of two events (13th in the 100 breaststroke at 1:26.09 and a leg of the 200 free relay). She swam her all-time bests.
Decatur Central’s Jayden Hohman (center) leads Greenwood competitors Jake Ellington (left) and Ethan Rose as they compete in the MSC 100 backstroke in the Hawks’ natatorium.
Cutting through the Hawks’ pool water with his fingers, Decatur Central’s Aiden Romer competes in Saturday’s 100-yard breaststroke.
“Andrea Juanico is becoming a leader. Esther Blanque-Fajardo is an exchange student who has the desire to compete. They’re teaching the underclassmen.”
Blanque-Fajardo took eighth in the 100 freestyle at 1:00.88. Lena Czap was 10th and Liliana Quintana 11th in diving with respective scores of 250.65 and 204.39.
Juanico, Blanque-Fajardo, Janna Guevarra and Melissa Jimenez were eighth in the 200 medley relay at 2:13.65. Juanico was 13th in the 500 freestyle at 6:09.19 and 15th in the 200 free at 2:18.90. Jimenez was 16th in the 100 butterfly at 1:20.96.
Blanque-Fajardo, Juanico, Jimenez and Rachel Asher took seventh in the 400 freestyle relay at 4:31.26. Jimenez, Guevarra, Asher and Elyse Sosbe were eighth in the 200 free relay at 2:09.56.
Blanque-Fajardo was 11th in the 100 backstroke at 1:09.73. Guevarra finished 13th in the 100 breaststroke at 1:26.09.
“I’m proud of the way they swam their best, it being tough coming off county two weeks ago,” Grace said.
“This puts us in the right spot. Even the kids who didn’t get there, 63 percent swam their best. They showed that hard work works.
“We had six first-year kids getting second-day swims. Now, we get to see how much they’ve grown over the last season.
“We are going to a new level. The kids are ready. I can’t be more proud of them.”
Blanque-Fajardo took eighth in the 100 freestyle at 1:00.88. Lena Czap was 10th and Liliana Quintana 11th in diving with respective scores of 250.65 and 204.39.
Juanico, Blanque-Fajardo, Janna Guevarra and Melissa Jimenez were eighth in the 200 medley relay at 2:13.65. Juanico was 13th in the 500 freestyle at 6:09.19 and 15th in the 200 free at 2:18.90. Jimenez was 16th in the 100 butterfly at 1:20.96.
Blanque-Fajardo, Juanico, Jimenez and Rachel Asher took seventh in the 400 freestyle relay at 4:31.26. Jimenez, Guevarra, Asher and Elyse Sosbe were eighth in the 200 free relay at 2:09.56.
Blanque-Fajardo was 11th in the 100 backstroke at 1:09.73. Guevarra finished 13th in the 100 breaststroke at 1:26.09.
“I’m proud of the way they swam their best, it being tough coming off county two weeks ago,” Grace said.
“This puts us in the right spot. Even the kids who didn’t get there, 63 percent swam their best. They showed that hard work works.
“We had six first-year kids getting second-day swims. Now, we get to see how much they’ve grown over the last season.
“We are going to a new level. The kids are ready. I can’t be more proud of them.”
Isaiah Winko of Decatur Central hurries through the breaststroke portion of the 200-yard individual medley during Saturday’s MSC meet at home. He finished second in 2:06.15.
Esther Blanque-Fajardo of Decatur Central splashes through the Hawk natatorium water as she competes in the 100-yard freestyle during Saturday’s conference meet.
After diving into the Decatur Central pool at the start of her race, the Hawks’ Andrea Juanico glides through the water before surfacing during Saturday’s Mid-State Conference meet.
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