Clean Sweep

February 4, 2017

FRANKLIN – While a clean sweep of the events was never part of the goal, the Lady Grizzly Cubs paced the field Saturday, winning all 11 swimming events.

Led by double winners Ella Pheifer – 50 Freestyle and 100 Freestyle, Carla Gildersleeve – 100 Butterfly and 200 Freestyle, and Ali Terrell – 100 Breaststroke and 200 Individual Medley, the Grizzly Cubs claimed their 2nd consecutive sectional title Saturday at Franklin.

“Our goal was always to get as many ladies to state as possible, and this has certainly been our most successful attempt with that,“ said Coach Zach DeWitt, in his 5th year as Head Coach, “These ladies drew up a goal of what we thought we could do on a state level, and they took a step towards that goal today.”

Pheifer, Gildersleeve, and Terrell were far from alone in leading the team to a team total of 549, which bested Center Grove’s by a total of 93 points. Two other teammates took home titles as well.

Scarlet Friend , a sophomore, took home the 100 Backstroke title, marking her first victory on a Sectional level, while another sophomore, Jessie Fraley nabbed a title of her own in an exciting victory in the 500 Freestyle.

It was a team-effort with the trifecta of relay victories, where the quartet of Friend, Terrell, Anna McCahill, and Pheifer stood out in the 200 Medley Relay winning by over 4 seconds in a relay looks promising for state finalist contention.

Later on Friend, Terrell, Abi Gibson – a senior, and Gildersleeve dominated a the field by clocking a time of 1:37.86, which won again by a margin of 4 seconds.

In the final race of the day, Gildersleeve, Gibson, Fraley, and Pheifer won a decisive race over Center Grove, managing to post a 3:33.12 – a new school and pool record. Coach DeWitt believes the same quartet has some unfinished business next week at state.

“We managed to check quite a few boxes on our list of things to do, but I know the girls feel like that have a lot more left in the tank for next week. Our relays haven’t quite had the opportunity to get caught up in a racing moment, which often brings the best out of everyone. We’re excited for the week ahead, the work ahead, and the racing ahead.”

Franklin looks to do just that, with the 2017 IHSAA State Championships beginning this Friday at 6pm at the IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis. The Grizzly Cubs boast quite the line-up for Friday’s preliminaries:

• 200 Medley Relay – S. Friend, A. Terrell, A. McCahill, E. Pheifer – Sectional Champion
• 200 Freestyle – Carla Gildersleeve – Sectional Champion
• 200 IM – Ali Terrell – Sectional Champion
• 50 Free – Ella Pheifer – Sectional Champion
• 100 Butterfly – Carla Gildersleeve – Sectional Champion, Anna McCahill – State Cut
• 100 Freestyle – Ella Pheifer – Sectional Champion
• 500 Freestyle – Jessie Fraley – Sectional Champion, Sarah Hoffman – State Cut
• 200 Freestyle Relay – S. Friend, A. Gibson, A. Terrell, C. Gildersleeve – Sectional Champion
• 100 Backstroke – Scarlet Friend – Sectional Champion, Jessie Fraley – State Cut
• 100 Breaststroke – Ali Terrell – Sectional Champion
• 400 Freestyle Relay – C. Gildersleeve, J. Fraley, A. Gibson, E. Pheifer – Sectional Champion

Place School Points
===============

1. Franklin Community FRKL 549
2. Center Grove CGRV 355
3. Whiteland Community WLAN 278
4. Indian Creek INCR 262
5. Perry Meridian PMER 160
6. Roncalli RONC 132
7. Martinsville MART 131
8. Greenwood Community GWOD 114
9. Mooresville MOOR 102
10. Southport SPOR 62
11. Owen Valley OWEN 32
12. Greenwood Christian GCA 23

For more information about Saturday’s Results, please visit the link below:
http://www.ihsaa.org/Portals/0/girls%20sports/girls%20swimming/2016-17/201617FranklinFinals.htm

For more information on the IHSAA State Finals, please visit the following link:
http://www.ihsaa.org/dnn/Sports/Girls/Swimming/2016-17/StateTournament/tabid/1986/Default.aspx#36312109-state-finals

Greetings FCHSSnD Family,

We’re quickly approaching the kick-off to the championship season with the Lawrence North JV Invite, which should not only be fun, but also fast. Teams from around the metro-Indy area will be competing, with North Central, Roncalli, Greenfield-Central, Lawrence North, and Franklin just to name a few! We had a phenomenal time last year, but we’re hoping to ramp the experience up a notch with a strong team presence (despite majority of the Boys team competing at Decatur Central).

There has been a bit of confusion from the host on the start of the meet due to a large influx of divers to the meet, so here are the details:

Location:

Lawrence North High School
7802 Hague Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46256 (Yes, the same Hague Rd of the Shane Company!)
Use the parking lot south of the high school

Timeline:

• Bus Departure from FCHS: 11am (Girls Sectional Team will still have practice beforehand as listed on the calendar, while JV Invite swimmers have the AM to sleep in – reporting at 10am to FCHS.)
• Estimated Bus arrival to LNHS: 11:45-11:50pm
• Meet Begins: 1:00pm
• Meet End Time: 3:30pm – likely

Apparel:

As fans, please wear your Franklin Blue to look united. We will be also asking that our athletes be always dressed in their warm-ups to look unified. Athletes will be making some posters (if they’re allowed) in order to get the best possible fan section around.

Suits:

No promises, but if your son or daughter does NOT have a racing suit, encourage them to ask me to borrow one. I often have some in my office (some are used, however). It’s my goal to make this event as special as possible. Suits (though the effectiveness can be debated) do help build a special moment.

Thank you for all the support of this meet. On behalf of the kids, it means a lot to us.

Coach DeWitt

Please support our local Daily Journal, who supports the FCHSSnD program on a weekly basis. They do a wonderful job highlighting our kids performances, but more importantly, their hard work and dedication. Here is a link to the original article: http://www.dailyjournal.net/2017/01/20/grizzly_cubs_roll_in_sectional_tuneup/

Grizzly Cubs roll in sectional tuneup
By Ken Severson –
1/19/17 11:01 PM

There are still a few dual meets left in the season, but Franklin boys and girls swimming coach Zach DeWitt already is looking toward sectionals, which are a few weeks away.

And who could blame him?

DeWitt limited some of his best swimmers against rival Whiteland on Thursday night but still had enough firepower for both of his teams to stay unbeaten.

The Franklin boys improved to 10-0 by beating the Warriors 108-75. Meanwhile, the Franklin girls had a perfect night, winning all 12 events to beat Whiteland 138-42 and go one win better than their male counterparts at 11-0.

Story continues below gallery

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Whitelands Brenden Gough swims to a second place finish in the 200 yard freestyle on Thursday during a meet with Franklin at Whiteland Community High School. Scott Roberson / Daily Journal
Franklins Griffen Edwards swims to a victory in the 100 yard breaststroke on Thursday during a meet at Whiteland Community High School. Scott Roberson / Daily Journal
Whitelands Kylie Perry swims to a second place finish in the 200 yard freestyle on Thursday during a meet at Whiteland Community High School. Scott Roberson / Daily Journal
Franklin’s Jacob Destrampe swims to victory in the 100 yard freestyle on Thursday during a meet at Whiteland Community High School. Scott Roberson / Daily Journal
Franklins Jacob Destrampe swims to a victory in the 200 yard freestyle on Thursday during a meet at Whiteland Community High School. Scott Roberson / Daily Journal
Franklins Jessie Fraley swims to a victory in the 200 yard freestyle on Thursday during a meet at Whiteland Community High School. Scott Roberson / Daily Journal
Franklins Shane O’Sullivan swims to a victory in the 200 yard IM on Thursday during a meet at Whiteland Community High School. Scott Roberson / Daily Journal
Whitelands Kylie Perry swims to second place finish in the 200 yard freestyle on Thursday during a meet with Franklin at Whiteland Community High School. Scott Roberson / Daily Journal
Whitelands Amir Mujkanovic during the 200 yard IR on Thursday during a meet against Franklin at Whiteland Community High School. Scott Roberson / Daily Journal
Whitelands Tad Halle swims to a second place finish in the 100 yard breaststroke on Thursday during a meet with Franklin at Whiteland Community High School. Scott Roberson / Daily Journal
Franklins Wyatt Taylor swims to a third place finish in the 100 yard breaststroke on Thursday during a meet at Whiteland Community High School. Scott Roberson / Daily Journal
Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
DeWitt has something this season that he hasn’t had through all the Cubs’ recent successes, and that’s depth. The coach wanted to give his younger swimmers a chance to show what they can do Thursday, and they were impressive.

“It’s the time of the season that we and other teams are looking ahead,” DeWitt said, so some of our starters only swam a few times, but what I wanted was to get our other kids in and they certainly showed up.”

DeWitt held out freshman sensation Max Kramer from this meet and limited sophomore Jacob Destrampe to only two individual events, both of which he won — the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle.

DeWitt also kept one of his stop female swimmers to one individual event — freshman Carla Gildersleeve, who won the 200 individual medley — but sophomores Scarlet Friend and Allie Terrell each picked up a pair of individual wins for the Cubs.

Friend won the 50 and the 100 free, while Terrell took the 100 backstroke and 500 free.

In addition to Destrampe, the Cubs had two more individual winners, with senior Michael Couet taking the 100 free and 100 back, and sophomore Griffin Edwards winning the 100 breaststroke and 500 free.

Whiteland was not without its wins. Senior Matt Kovacs claimed the 50 free in a time of 23.70 seconds. Sophomore Colin Barton won the boys 1-meter diving, and the Warriors’ 400 freestyle relay team of Kovacs, Brenden Gough, Tad Halle and Sam Walls was victorious.

Not only was it a night for DeWitt to tinker with the lineup, it was also a time for him to check out the Cubs’ future, which appears as bright as the recent past.

“We played around and had some fun,” DeWitt said. “I think (the Warriors) have some good swimmers, and they did the same thing (limiting events for top swimmers).

“We all swam hard and had a good meet.”

Author photo
Ken Severson
Ken Severson is a sports correspondent for the Daily Journal.

Please support our local Daily Journal, who does their best in order to support our FCHSSnD athletes! Link to article: http://www.dailyjournal.net/2017/01/09/grizzly_cubs_dominate_midstate/

Grizzly Cubs dominate Mid-State
By Adam Wire -

1/8/17 10:10 PM
INDIANAPOLIS — With no drama in the team championship category at Saturday’s Mid-State Conference boys and girls swimming meets, Franklin coach Zach DeWitt found a way to inject some theatrics on the individual side.

When Grizzly Cubs freshman Max Kramer tied Plainfield’s Max Wiser in the 100-yard butterfly final, DeWitt negotiated an end-of-meet swim-off rather than accepting a tie and a split first-place ribbon.

Wiser edged Kramer in the swim-off, but that result belied an otherwise dominant day for Franklin.

The girls set five meet records and tied another en route to their championship, topping Whiteland, 565-375. Plainfield was third with 358, followed by Greenwood (226), Mooresville (211), Martinsville (198) and host Decatur Central (101).

The boys broke three more conference records and topped Whiteland, 475-387. Plainfield (354), Decatur Central (255.5), Greenwood (221.5), Mooresville (203) and Martinsville (140) rounded out the team scoring.

Kramer, a freshman, already had won the 50-yard freestyle (21.96 seconds) and swam on Franklin’s winning 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays before swimming a second 100 butterfly. Wiser took an early lead in the deciding race, and Kramer stayed close but could never catch up.

“I didn’t really think much about how different it was; I just thinking about my race,” Kramer said. “I was glad to have my team there to help me through. The whole team has been making improvements.”

Franklin’s boys won all but two events, including all three relays. The 200 medley relay of Kramer, Jacob Destrampe, Griffin Edwards and Michael Couet set a meet record (1:36.95), while the 400 free relay (Destrampe, Edwards, Aaron Lamm and Brock Lock) sped to a lopsided victory in 3:16.36. It broke an 18-year-old meet record and was nearly 12 seconds ahead of runner-up Whiteland.

Destrampe set the Cubs’ other meet record, winning the 500 freestyle in 4:37.66. He also won the 200 free in 1:43.76.

Edwards also won two individual events, taking the 200 individual medley in 1:58.74 and pulling a mild upset by winning the 100 backstroke in 54.54 seconds. He was seeded second behind Plainfield’s Chaz Rhodes entering the finals.

Other Franklin winners included Lock, who took the 100 freestyle (49.63 seconds) and swam on the winning 200 and 400 free relays; and Michael Couet, who won the 100 breaststroke (58.89 seconds) and swam on the 200 medley and 200 free relays.

On the girls side, DeWitt singled out Franklin’s Ella Pheifer for having a “breakout meet.” Pheifer won the 50 and 100 freestyles in 24.97 and 54.48 seconds, respectively, and she also anchored record-setting 200 medley and 400 free relays. All three Franklin girls relays set meet records.

“For a while, I had been in a rut, and couldn’t seem to figure out how to get out of it,” Pheifer said. “I’ve been getting better mentally and physically.”

She was one several Franklin girls involved in meet records. Ali Terrell set new marks in the 200 IM (2:09.40) and 100 breaststroke (1:06.30) and swam on the 200 medley and 200 free relays. Carla Gildersleeve won the 200 free (1:54.69) and the 100 butterfly (56.76 seconds), and swam on the record-breaking free relays.

The Cubs’ Scarlet Friend tied her own meet record, which she set in Thursday’s preliminaries, in the 100 backstroke (58.90 seconds) and swam on the 200 medley and 200 free relays, while Jessie Fraley claimed the 500 freestyle (5:10.91) and was on the 400 free relay.

“Aside from the team support, I was most proud of our mental resolve,” DeWitt said. “We had a couple of kids who had poor races early and didn’t let that affect them. At the end of the meet, everyone is fatigued, but we still had strong performances.”

Whiteland coach Marci Whitford was named the conference’s Coach of the Year for her efforts in guiding the Warriors to second-place finishes in each meet.

Whiteland’s top individual efforts came from Brendan Gough, who took third in the 200 IM and 500 free, Matthew Kovacs (third in 100 butterfly) and Austin Adkins (third in diving), along with Maria Campbell, who also took third in diving. The Warriors were runners-up in the girls’ 200 free and boys’ 400 free relays.

Author photo
Adam Wire
Adam Wire is a sports correspondent for the Daily Journal.

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*