By Travis Whitton, For The Herald Bulletin
INDIANAPOLIS — Three swimmers from Madison County got a chance to compete against the best Indiana has to offer. Kyle Johnson (200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly), Matthew Gray (50-yard free) and Jacob Childress (100-yard backstroke) all got a chance to show their skills at one of the biggest swimming venues in the world — the Indiana University Natatorium.
Johnson and Childress earned consolation spots Friday while Highland’s Josh Doggett will compete at 9 a, m. today in the diving.
Johnson, also from Highland, started off in the 200 free and finished with a time of 1:45.52. Unfortunately that put him in 20th place overall and out of a chance of placing in the elite top 16 spots. While he might have felt the lows in this event, his 100 fly was much more encouraging.
In the 100 fly, Johnson swallowed water just 50 yards into the race. While that might have proved too much to overcome for some, he coughed out the water for the next 12 yards and fought to a 16th place finish.
Finishing in the top 16 means that you have lived to swim another day. Johnson will come back today with a chance of finishing as high as ninth in the consolation finals.
Highland coach, Dave Renz said that he was proud of his swimmer and looked forward to Johnson’s chance of moving up in today.
“I’m relieved and excited we made it back,” said Renz of Johnson’s second trip to the state swimming meet. “If everything goes well (today), he’ll drop time and move up.”
Johnson said that he was happy with his swims regardless of what place he finished.
“After my race, I just got out and held my head high,” said Johnson.
Gray of Anderson swam the 50 free in the meet. Although he and his coach were slightly disappointed in his finish, overall, they were pleased that he beat the odds to even get in the state preliminaries.
After a slip up in the sectional prelims, Gray overcame the odds to swim the best time in sectional and beat the state cut time to get into the state meet. His 28th place finish would not move him on to today’s finals, but Gray had a good sense of humor about the situation.
“I got a shirt,” said Gray of the state swimming participant shirts that were given to the swimmers. “I’ll take it.”
Anderson coach, Jeff Eddy said that Gray accomplished one the team goals set out at the beginning of the season – to get to state.
“Our goal was to make it to state,” said Eddy. “And that was accomplished.”
Pendleton Heights’ Childress swam the last event — 100 back — of all the area swimmers. He, like Johnson, not only swam well enough to put himself in the consolation finals (13th place) today, but he also broke his school record, with a time of 53.06, for the third time this year in this event.
Arabians coach, Jeff Maydak was pleased with Childress’s accomplishments and said that he felt he was swimming the best he had all year. Maydak’s excitement was palpable as he checked his swimmers time and placement.
“I can’t be more happy with what he did tonight,” said Maydak. “The first time he’s qualified for state, to make it back for (today) is an outstanding achievement.”
Childress was not immediately available after his swim.
