Ever since his freshman year, when he placed third in the state in the 200-yard freestyle, Jacob Destrampe knew that he could hang with the best high school swimmers in Indiana.
Now, he can lay claim to actually being the best.
Destrampe won the 200 freestyle last month, becoming the first Franklin swimmer to ever win an individual state championship, and he earned runner-up medals in three other events while helping the Grizzly Cubs finish second as a team.
For his efforts, the junior is the Daily Journal’s Boys Swimmer of the Year for the second straight season.
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Being able to have that title — state champion — attached to his name has made life a bit surreal for Destrampe these past few weeks.
“It’s a whole new experience, especially at the school,” he said. “Now the whole school, all of the students that maybe aren’t connected to swimming now know, so as I’m walking down the hallways I have little freshmen coming up to me and shaking my hand and saying, ‘Wow, you’re great; you’re a state champion.'”
Franklin coach Zach DeWitt said that Destrampe’s first-place showing was a validation of all the hard work and the planning that the swimmer has put in over the years. He has long believed that this could and would happen but acknowledges that actually seeing Destrampe realize that goal felt different than planning for it.
“We plan for these things, but still, when they happen, they’re special,” DeWitt said. “Watching something like that happen is a lot more special than drawing it up on a piece of paper, I can tell you that much.”
For Destrampe, the moment was made even more meaningful by the fact that his teammates were along for the ride and also enjoying success; six other Grizzly Cubs earned medals at the state meet as the team racked up 203 points, more than the program had totaled the three previous years combined.
The successes of 2018 have only served to fuel Destrampe’s confidence and hunger as he heads toward his senior year.
“It boosts my confidence so much,” he said. “Knowing I can be on top at Indiana state, which is one of the most competitive swimming states in the U.S., I just know next year I’ll come out even harder and try to win other events.”
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The 2017-18 All-Johnson County team for boys swimming:
Tucker Brock, Indian Creek senior: Placed eighth in the state in the 100-yard butterfly, posting a personal-best time of 49.56 seconds in the state prelims. … Also a state qualifier in the 50 freestyle and on two relays (medley and 400 freestyle). … Will swim at Indiana University next season.
Michael Couet, Franklin senior: Placed second at the state meet in the 100 breaststroke (54.90), shaving more than three seconds off the school record he set last season. … Also swam on Grizzly Cubs’ 200 freestyle relay (second in state) and medley relay (fifth) and placed 13th in the 50 freestyle.
Gauge Creech, Franklin junior: Earned his first state medal with an eighth-place finish, posting a score of 447.90 points. … Won Bloomington North Regional with a score of 436.55 and scored a 452.10 at sectional.
Jacob Destrampe, Franklin junior: Won 200 freestyle at state meet (1:37.15), becoming first individual swim champion in school history. … Also earned a runner-up finish in 100 freestyle (44.38) and led off two second-place relays (200 and 400 freestyle) for Grizzly Cubs.
Griffin Edwards, Franklin junior: Swam on Grizzly Cubs’ medley relay team, which placed fifth in the state. … Also finished 15th in the state in the 100 butterfly and 19th in the 100 backstroke, setting a new school record in the butterfly (51.24).
Max Kramer, Franklin sophomore: Earned three state medals by anchoring all of the Grizzly Cubs’ relay teams: 200 medley (fifth), 200 freestyle (second) and 400 freestyle (second). … Also qualified for state as an individual in the 50 freestyle.
Brock Lock, Franklin senior: Collected three medals in his lone state meet appearance, finishing sixth in the 100 freestyle (46.30) and swimming the third leg of the Grizzly Cubs’ runner-up teams in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
Cade Oliver, Franklin freshman: Was seventh in the 500-yard freestyle and eighth in the 200 individual medley at the state meet, setting a new school record in the latter. … Also swam on the medley relay (fifth place) and the 400 freestyle relay (second).
Honorable mention
Raiden Finchum, Center Grove; Brenden Gough, Whiteland; Mac Ratzlaff, Indian Creek; Nolan Reed, Indian Creek; Chase Smith, Indian Creek
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Jacob Destrampe had a weekend for the ages at last month’s state meet, winning four medals and setting five school records in the process. A look at how he fared in each event:
Event;Best time;Finish
200 freestyle;1:37.15;1st
100 freestyle;44.29;2nd
200 free relay;1:22.92*;2nd
400 free relay;3:03.46;2nd
* – Destrampe’s leadoff leg of 20.27 seconds in the 200 freestyle relay also broke Franklin’s 50 freestyle record.
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