Warsaw head coach Tony DeBrota takes a victory lap. (Photos by Nick Goralczyk)

WARSAW — Most people hate getting their clothes wet. Whether its from getting caught in a rainstorm or from spilling something, wet clothes are far from ideal. That is unless you are part of the world of high school swimming. Wet clothes are the goal. Once a team wins a championship, one of the first traditions is to get the fully-clothed coaches into the pool for the celebration.

Warsaw’s Tony DeBrota got to take that joyous dive for the first-time as a girls coach Saturday afternoon as his Warsaw team rolled through its own sectional to win the program’s eighth team title and first since 2014. The Tigers unseated back-to-back champion Culver Academies by posting a score of 394 to CMA’s 313. Rochester took third with 291.

“Oh, man, it’s awesome,” DeBrota said as he stood in his drenched outfit. “Culver is a great team, they’ve won it four times in the past five years so it’s great to see us get back in there and get a win, we hope we can do it again next year.”

Warsaw won six events on the day, a best among the 10-team meet.

The championship pedigree for the Tigers was on display from the start. Warsaw won the 200 medley relay going away as it posted a final time of 1:51.57, well ahead of Huntington North’s 2:00.25. Receiving the ribbons for Warsaw were Lauren Kuhl, Delaney Wihebrink, Brenna Morgan and Laurel Moeller. The girls would go on to have the majority of Warsaw’s success the rest of the day as well.

Morgan was a double winner as she took home first in both the 50 free and 100 free. The senior swam a 24.10 to beat out Madelyn Sailors (24.42) in the 50 free then came back to top Sailors (53.73) in the 100 with a time of 52.08.

Wihebrink won the 200 IM by swimming a 2:13.20 to edge Rochester’s Abigail McCarter’s 2:16.48. Wihebrink later swam a 59.45 in the 100 back to earn first, topping Erika Mullins’ (Logansport) time of 1:04.21.

Kuhl won the 500 free (5:37.92) and took fourth in the 200 free (2:05.14) while Moeller was second both the 200 free (2:03.09) and 100 breast 1:12.84.

While Warsaw enjoyed its six event titles, the depth is what kept the Tigers on pace for the championship.

“We had girls that were able to solidify spots in finals for us and that helped seal the deal for us,” DeBrota stated. “They were nervous coming in Thursday, but we got the places we needed and they did the job today.”

Other finalists for Warsaw included Taylor Gunter, Olivia Herman, Audrey Curson and Madelyn Ray.

Herman was third in the 50 free (25.81) and fourth in the 100 free (56.40). Curson was fifth in the 500 free (5:54.77) and seventh in the 100 back (1:09.83). Ray took fifth in the 100 breast (1:18.87). Gunter, a freshman, impressed by taking fifth in the 200 IM (2:25.70) and fourth in the 100 fly (1:04.11).

Rochester’s Madelyn Sailors celebrates after the Zebras 200 free relay team won the sectional title and punched a ticket to state.

“She really helps finish that puzzle for us,” DeBrota said of Gunter. “She’s one of the last pieces to help our relays be a little bit stronger. She’s just helped to build us up this year. She filled the shoes with the fly, that’s been one of our lower-scoring events, having her has really helped fill in the gaps.”

Cass’ Hannah Young won the 200 free (2:02.73) and Huntington North’s Emma Helmich was first in the 100 fly (1:00.53) to punch the other two individual tickets to state. Rochester won both the 200 free (1:40.15) and 400 free (3:44.98) relays.

In the diving portion of Saturday’s meet, Georgia Cleveland of CMA took the top prize with her score of 347.05. Warsaw’s Emma Pena (250.15) was eighth while Shelby Paseka (241.10) was 10th. Tippecanoe Valley’s Tiphanie Hodge (257.40) took sixth.

Valley had swimmers in three finals races Saturday afternoon. Olivia Livengood had two of those swims as the freshman took eighth in the 200 free (2:13.30) and seventh in the 100 fly (1:09.14). Kinzie Prater earned a seventh place finish in the 500 free with her time of 6:05.62.

Valley’s lone relay to make a finals cut was the 200 free relay team. The group of Mayde Fear, Blake McBrier, Livengood and Prater took eighth with a final time of 1:58.49.

State prelims will start Friday night on the campus of IUPUI at 6 p.m. with championship starting at 9 a.m. for diving Saturday morning with console swims and finals to follow.