BY DAVID CAMPBELL
For the Daily Journal
Host Franklin claimed first place in nine of 11 events during a strong preliminary round of the IHSAA boys swim sectional Thursday.
Jacob Destrampe and Cade Oliver each picked up a pair of individual victories to lead the Grizzly Cubs, who were saving their best for Saturday’s finals.
“Thursday night is a night to just get through. We call it weathering the storm,” Franklin coach Zach DeWitt said.
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“But where we needed big swims we got them, and where we could afford to wait a little longer, we expect them to come in on Saturday. But the boys were certainly focused and I know they’ll be on fire on Saturday.”
Whiteland’s Samuel Walls was first in the 50-yard freestyle in 21.76 seconds, and Indian Creek’s Tucker Brock took the 100 butterfly in 51.44.
Center Grove failed to claim an individual win, but the Trojans did rack up 20 finals berths, one more than Franklin’s 19. Indian Creek had 12 qualifiers and Whiteland had eight. Greenwood did not have a qualifier in the finals, but all three relay teams will compete in the consolation round.
Destrampe, a junior, was first in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:41.62 and the 100 free in 45.92. Oliver, a freshman, led the 200 individual medley in 1:55.56 and the 500 free in 4:43.17.
Griffin Edwards won the 100 backstroke in 54.67, Michael Couet won the 100 breaststroke in 56.87 and Franklin swept all three relays to round out its wins.
Other qualifiers for Franklin are Couet (50 free), Shane O’Sullivan (100 fly and 100 back), Brock Lock (100 free and 50 free), Ethan Pheifer (100 back), Barrett Daily (200 IM and 100 breast), Edwards (100 fly) and Maxwell Kramer (50 free).
Qualifying for the finals from Center Grove are Brady Ferguson (500 free and 200 free), Tony Gipson (100 fly and 200 free), Raiden Finchum (100 breast and 200 IM), Ben Mitchell (500 free and 200 free), Ethan Beaumont (50 free and 100 fly), Vincent Valde (100 breast and 200 IM), John Hasquin (50 free), Ethan Martin (100 fly), Ethan Hite (500 free), Trent Fischer (100 back), Adam Morrow (100 breast) and all three relays.
Other qualifiers from Whiteland are Brenden Gough (200 free and 100 free), Nicholas Klenner (100 back), Wyatt Sell (500 free), Samuel Udrasols (100 back) and all three relays.
Qualifiers from Indian Creek are Mac Ratzlaff (200 free and 500 free), Brock (50 free), Nolan Reed (100 back and 100 fly), Chase Smith (100 free), Cody Hart (100 back and 200 free), Clay Key (200 IM) and all three relays.
The sectional diving prelims begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, with the swimming and diving finals set to begin at 1 p.m.
