INDIANAPOLIS – It was a mixed bag of results for local swimmers at IUPUI’s Natatorium Friday night. A select few were able to extend their seasons for another day, but many had to call it quits at the prelims of the 78th annual IHSAA Boys Swimming and Diving State Finals. Those lucky enough to advance will swim Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in the finals.

Davidson Highlights Warsaw’s Prelim Effort

There was plenty to cheer about for the Warsaw boys swimming team Friday night. The Tiger clinched three spots for Saturday’s finals including one top-eight qualifier.

Spencer Davidson was that lone Tiger to claim a spot in top-eight as he did it with a fantastic performance in the 100 breast.

Davidson swam a lifetime best, setting a new school record along the way, in the event with a 56.06, nearly shaving a second off of his seed time (56.96). The breast was the final event of the night for any Warsaw swimmers and the excitement was clear to see on the faces of Davidson’s teammates and coaches after the race.

“It’s great, it’s great,” said an ecstatic Warsaw head coach Tony DeBrota about Davidson’s time. “That’s something Spencer’s been going for since his freshman year. At the beginning of the year he was kind of shaken up on whether or not to go for it. Putting all of your emotion and hope into something and the not getting it by the end of the year can really break you down.

“The fact that he got that time here, I’m just so proud of him. He’s put in a lot of work this year. Having to keep building it and keep making it in previous years really shows how much progress he’s made.”

While DeBrota and the rest of the Warsaw team were busy being excited for Davidson, the senior remained nonchalant simply saying, “Not too bad.” as he passed by the timers following his race.

Davidson’s time was the second fastest in his heat as Ian Finnerty of Bloomington South swam a new state record in the event with a 53.23.

Davidson will be seeded sixth in Saturday’s finals.

The night really could not have started much better for Warsaw as the 200 medley relay team swam a 1:35.18 in evening’s first event. The time, which was a new school record, was recorded by the relay team of Jayden Parrett, Davidson, Ethan Cook and Matt Wildman.

The team will be seeded second in the consoles and 10th overall for Saturday. Warsaw even got an extra boost after all the heats were finished as its time topped Northern Lakes Conference foe Northridge’s (1:37.14). The Raiders won conference in the event.

Parrett was the first individual to punch a ticket for the finals when he broke his own school record in the 100 back with a 51.85, crushing his seed time of 53.17. Parrett will be seeded 12th in the event. It wasn’t what he wanted, but he gets to come back and that’s the biggest focus now.

“I know he was a little bummed about it, I think everybody was,” DeBrota remarked. “I talked to him and told him that ninth place is still good and that he can still have a great race. We talked about how Brenna (Morgan) on our girls team went from 16th to finish 9th in the 100 free last year. It’s not finals, but it’s still good. It can still be exciting tomorrow for him.”

Parrett swam a 1:46.24 in the 200 free (27th overall) to start his night. Zach Taylor swam a lifetime best in the 200 IM with a 2:01.03 (28th). Davidson clocked in at 21.86 in the 50 free, placing him tied for 21st. In the 100 fly Josh Miller swam a 54.87 (33rd). Miller, Davidson, Wildman and Cook made up the 200 free relay team that swam a 1:28.18 which narrowly missed the cut for Saturday as they finished 17th.

First-Time Jitters Get To Brugh

It wasn’t exactly how he expected his first state experience to go, but Wawasee junior Logan Brugh is happy he had the opportunity.

Brugh narrowly missed qualifying for state in the 500 free as a sophomore which led to a simple goal of finishing the job during his junior season. Brugh tapered before the sectional and did just what he needed to in order to get a ticket to the state finals.

Brugh entered with a school record time in the 500 free (4:39.39) and all of the determination in the world, but the junior’s season maxed-out at the state prelims. Brugh swam a 4:45.34 in his heat and missed the cut for Saturday.

“All week I felt really good in training, then I just mentally broke down I think,” Brugh said of his performance. “All of the nerves kind of got to me and tapering before sectionals may have played a part in my time, but the nerves just kind of had an affect on me.”

Brugh did not hit the state cut in his other event, the 200 free, but he ended up being picked up in the event for state. Brugh swam a 1:45.33, edging out Warsaw’s Jayden Parrett (1:46.24) who ironically swam in a neighboring lane.

Though the times were not what he wanted, the opportunity to swim in two events at state seemed to light a bigger fire under Brugh for his senior season.

“It was a huge deal just to get here,” Brugh stated. “I trained hard all season, it’s just a huge deal to even be at this stage. I’m really glad I made it to this point.

“Next year it just has to be more of the same if I want to get back. Train more, work harder and basically give it all in practice to get back here. This experience was very exciting and, well, I guess I don’t have words for it all. I want to get back here.”

Brugh finished top-30 in both of his events.

Area Roundup For Saturday

Area swim fans will want to keep any eye on Northridge’s Spencer Lehman at Saturday’s finals. Lehman highlighted all NLC swimming performances as he seeded himself top-five in two events.

Lehman will be seeded third in the 200 free (1:39.59) and fourth in the 500 free (4:28.80). Seth Cripe will join him in both events as the 14th seed in the 200 and 10th in the 500. Logan Elijah gives Northridge a monopoly in the 200 free as he sneaked in as the 16th seed in the event.

The Raiders 200 medley relay team earned a spot as the 14th seed in the event while the 200 free relay team will be seeded 13th on Saturday. Camden Koch also claimed a spot in the 100 back consoles for Northridge.

Concord will join the Raiders in the 200 free relay as their team earned the final spot in the consoles with a time of 1:28. 42.

Goshen will represent the NLC in the diving portion of Saturday’s finals. Both Jacob Isnogle and Hudson Kay will compete for the Redskins in the diving prelims at 9:00 a.m. with hopes of advancing.