FRANKLIN – 17 DEC 16

From the Daily Journal

Underclassmen dominated the stat sheet for Franklin’s boys and girls swimming teams at Saturday’s Johnson County meet, but Grizzly Cubs coach Zach DeWitt credited intangibles for their team performance.

Franklin won both meets Saturday at Indian Creek convincingly. The boys topped Center Grove, 480.5 to 392.5. Whiteland was third with 360 points, followed by Greenwood (280) and the host Braves (269). The Cubs claimed their third straight county title.

On the girls side, Franklin repeated as champs in dominating fashion, outscoring second-place Center Grove, 538-388. Whiteland took third place with 339, followed by Indian Creek (307) and Greenwood (252).

Franklin’s girls and boys teams each won nine of 12 events, and sophomores or juniors claimed all of their individual titles. Two Cubs seniors (Abi Gibson and Aaron Lamm) swam on first-place relay teams.

Despite all that, DeWitt credited the teams’ encouraging, cheerleading style in part for both squads’ success, singling out senior Gabby Hoffman as one of the catalysts.

“We’re very good at creating a positive atmosphere,” said Hoffman, who took third in the 100 breaststroke and fourth in the 200 individual medley. “We talk about making moments every day at practice, and we cheer each other on. I’ve never felt so much positivity on a team.”

The Cubs’ underclassmen did their part to keep everyone positive. Sophomores Carla Gildersleeve and Ali Terrell dominated the girls’ meet for Franklin, along with classmates Scarlet Friend and Jessie Fraley.

Gildersleeve won the 200-yard freestyle (1:54.35) and 100 butterfly (57.10 seconds) while swimming on first-place 200 and 400 free relays. Terrell claimed victory in the 200 individual medley (2:08.59, a meet record) and 100 breaststroke (1:07.20), and swam on the winning 200 medley relay.

Friend won the 50 freestyle (24.85 seconds) and swam on winning 200 medley and 200 free relays, while Fraley took the 500 free (5:13.98) and swam on both free relays.

“It was our expectation to set an atmosphere of greatness,” DeWitt said. “The swims are starting to reflect that. This was our most complete meet to this point.”

Indian Creek’s Alexis Wilhoit and Center Grove’s Sarah Kempf prevented a Franklin sweep of the individual events. Wilhoit won the 100 freestyle (54.13 seconds) and the 100 backstroke (57.90), while Kempf took the diving competition (385.85 points).

On the boys’ side, Franklin sophomore Jacob Destrampe had a hand in four meet records. He set new marks while winning the 200 and 500 freestyle events (1:42.34 and 4:39.34, respectively), and he swam on the Cubs’ 200 medley and 400 free relays, which also set meet records (1:37.05 and 3:13.84).

Another Cubs sophomore, Griffin Edwards, set a meet record while winning the 200 IM (2:00.12), and he also swam on the record-setting 200 medley and 400 free relays. Sophomore Max Kramer won the 50 free (22.29 seconds) and swam on the same winning relays.

Franklin junior Michael Couet won the 100 breaststroke (58.98 seconds) and swam on the 200 free relay, while sophomore Gauge Creech won diving with a 378.55 score.

The Cubs’ Brock Lock, a junior who swam on the winning 200 free relay, echoed Hoffman’s sentiments about the team atmosphere.

“We’ve created a good team environment,” he said. “Coach (DeWitt) says you won’t always feel your best when you race, but you can swim fast no matter what if you’re encouraging each other.”

Indian Creek’s Tucker Brock and Nolan Reed claimed the remaining county titles. Brock won the 100 butterfly (52.68 seconds) and the 100 freestyle (49.72 seconds), while Reed took the 100 backstroke in 54.31 seconds.

2016 Franklin Community County Champions

• 200 Medley Relay – 1:48.31 Friend, Scarlet 10, Terrell, Ali 10 McCahill, Anna 11, Pheifer, Ella 11
• 200 Freestyle – 1:54.35 Carla Gildersleeve, 10
• 200 Individual Medley – 2:08.59* Ali Terrell, 10
• 50 Freestyle – 24.85 Scarlet Friend, 10
• 100 Butterfly – 57.00 Carla Gildersleeve, 10
• 500 Freestyle – 5:13.98 Jessie Fraley, 10
• 200 Freestyle Relay – 1:40.09 Friend, Scarlet 10, Gildersleeve, Carla 10 Gibson, Abi 12, Fraley, Jessie 10
• 100 Breaststroke – 1:07.20 Ali Terrell, 10
• 400 Freestyle Relay – 3:39.74* Gildersleeve, Carla 10, Pheifer, Ella 11
• McCahill, Anna 11, Fraley, Jessie 10
• * denotes Johnson County Record

• * 2016 Franklin Community County Champions*
• 200 Medley Relay – 1:37.05* Edwards, Griffin 10, Couet, Michael 11, Kramer, Max 9, Destrampe, Jacob 10
• 200 Freestyle – 1:42.34* Jacob Destrampe, 10
• 200 Individual Medley – 2:00.12 Griffin Edwards, 10
• 50 Freestyle – 22.29 Max Kramer, 9
• 11 Dives Gauge Creech, 10
• 500 Freestyle – 4:39.34* Jacob Destrampe, 10
• 200 Freestyle Relay – 1:30.96 Aaron Lamm 12, Shane O’Sullivan 10, Brock Lock, 11, Michael Couet 11
• 100 Breaststroke – 58.98** Michael Couet, 11
• 400 Freestyle Relay – 3:13.84* Max Kramer 9, Griffin Edwards 10, Aaron Lamm 12, Jacob Destrampe 10
• * denotes Johnson County Record
• ***denotes FCHS record*