Carroll’s Dewitt, Carmel’s Berglund Drop 52.8 100 BKs at IN HS State Prelims

INDIANA HS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS – GIRLS

• February 12 – 13, 2021
• Indianapolis, IN (IUPUI Natatorium)
• Short course yards (SCY)
• Meet Central
• Results
  • Prelims session 1
  • Prelims session 2

The 2021 Indiana High School Girls State Championships got underway today, with prelims split up into two meets, odd-numbered sectional groups in one and evens in another. The finals will run tomorrow afternoon.

The Carmel girls, who have won a historic 34-straight IHSAA titles, put in the necessary legwork today to claim #35 tomorrow. They took top spots in all three relays, going 1:41.46 in the 200 medley, 1:34.41 in the 200 free relay and 3:26.01 in the 400 free relay. In the 200 medley, Franklin Community and Zionsville were both 1:42’s, as Franklin Community senior Kabria Chapman (27.63) and Zionsville junior Devon Kitchel (27.51) had big breaststroke splits. Chapman is an IU commit, and Kitchel a Michigan commit.

Kitchel claimed top times today in the 200 IM (1:59.49) and 100 fly (54.11).

The 200 medley relay lead-off leg for Carmel was sophomore Berit Berglund, who slammed a 24.54 to put Carmel well out-of-reach right off the bat. In the 100 back, Berglund unloaded a 52.87, her first time under 53. Berglund dropped a few tenths from her previous best of 53.19. She’s still 15, and she moves from #53 to #40 in the all-time 15-16 age group historical rankings.

Berglund will battle with Carroll (Fort Wayne) junior and IU commit Mya Dewitt tomorrow. At the other prelims session, Dewitt blasted a 52.85, a best by almost a second.

Carmel junior Gretchen Lueking, a Notre Dame commit, dropped a lifetime best 1:46.67 to lead the 200 free prelims ahead of Bloomington South junior and IU commit, Kristina Paegle (1:48.08). Lueking was also 54.50 in the 100 fly, with her teammate, junior Hayley Reed, in tow (54.76). Lueking sliced a couple tenths off her best, while Reed tied hers.

Meghan Christman, a Carmel sophomore, was 22.59 to hit the top 50 free time today, chopping .40 off of her old best. Her teammate Colleen Duffy, a senior and Mizzou commit, tied with Penn freshman Lily Christianson for second at 23.04. Duffy tied her best, while Christianson was off of hers (22.73) from December.

Christianson went on to hit the top time of the prelims in the 100 breast, going 1:02.39 to just miss a best. She’ll battle with Noblesville senior and Tennessee commit Sammy Huff (1:02.52), Chapman (1:02.66) and Carmel junior MacKenna Lieske (1:02.90).

Christman and Paegle met in the 100 free, as Paegle hit a 49.33 ahead of Christman’s 50.19. Sandwiched in-between was Hobart senior Emma Wright, a Houston commit, who was 50.12 in the 100 (she was also 23.12 in the 50 free).

St. Joseph’s Mary Cate Pruitt was 4:50.17 to lead the 500 free prelims, shaving almost a second off of her old best. Pruitt is a senior and Notre Dame commit.

In the 400 free relay at the second prelims session, Chesterton and Zionsville also hit 3:26’s, setting up a great race with Carmel tomorrow (Carmel was 3:26.01). Kitchel was 50.42 leading off for Zionsville.