WARSAW — Yesterday at Warsaw High School, CGA Swim and Dive earned an IHSAA Sectional Championship for the fifth time in program history. CGA earned a cumulative 398, with second place Warsaw earning a team score of 386.
One CGA swimmer and two relay teams earned spots in the IHSAA State Finals February 14-15 at the Indiana University Natatorium at IUPUI, and one diver, Belle Ahlenius, will continue to the Diving Regionals this Tuesday at Penn High School.
“This is something we have been close to for years but have yet to achieve. A big congratulation goes out to all of these young ladies,” said head coach Sarah Youvan of her team’s Sectional Championship. “They swam with a ton of heart.”
Among the State Finals qualifying performances were two new Culver Academies’ schools records, including freshmen Charlie Zhang who posted a 59.54 in the finals of the 100y fly, and the 200y freestyle relay team made up of Zhang, Amina Shafeek-Horton, Mackenzie Youvan, and Autumn Baumgartner, who posted a new school record of 1:41.12. The 200y freestyle relay team will advance to the Finals, but Zhang as an individual will not.
Baumgartner also finished first in 50y and 100y freestyle events, earning herself a third consecutive trip to the State Finals as an individual.
The 400y freestyle relay team consisting of Kylie Dehner, Shafeek-Horton, up-and-coming sophomore Emily Heim, and Baumgartner took first-place, earn the team the chance to compete next weekend as well.
Heim managed to earn the first-seed position going into the 500y freestyle event and ended up placing second overall. She shed five-seconds off of her personal best and posted a 5:40.02 as her new benchmark.
“Though this is technically the end of our season, we still have work to do,” said Youvan. “I look forward to making the trip to Indianapolis with those who qualified for the Finals, and the future is bright for CGA Swim and Dive.”
