PENDLETON — Pendleton Heights swimming has entered a new era with former assistant coach Mindy Hertzler at the helm as head coach. Hertzler is also the head coach of the Pendleton Swim Club.
Hertzler is excited in her new role and with the team she is leading.
For the girls, the Arabians are back with a solid core of swimmers returning who were also scorers in the sectional last season. Juniors Maddie Oliver, Karly Riffey, Maggie Miller and Emma Robison and sophomores Emma Weflen and Katie Wheetley return, as well as senior diver Maddie Cougill.
Three freshman club divers join the team this year.
“We’ve got depth,” Hertzler said. She said while event slots are not completely determined, the Arabians will be strong in the individual medley, 500 freestyle and both the 50 and 100 freestyle. “Having this depth gives us a lot of options,” Hertzler said.
She believes in the 200 medley relay, the Arabians may be a state contender.
Along with the veterans, the Arabians have several freshman swimmers, many of whom have swim club experience. “I’m pumped,” Hertzler said. “Even with the freshmen, they know the routine, the attitude and the atmosphere.”
The Arabians will go into the Hoosier Heritage Conference with an excellent chance at going for the title, but even though the HHC is a possibility, Hertzler said they are very much focused on the sectional and every meet, every event, will get them into the best possible position to showcase at the end of the season.
In the first meet of the year, the Arabians visited Oak Hill and returned home with a 105-81 win. Lily Brooks, Wheetley, Robison and Riffy won the 200-yard medley relay in 1:56.62. Grace McKinney won the 200-yard freestyle in 2:04.46. Robison and Jaima Link finished first and second, respectively, in the 200-yard individual medley.
Riffey won two individual events. She placed first in the 100-yard freestyle in 57.34 and the 50-yard free in 26.01.
The Arabians’ home opener against Muncie Central took place Tuesday, Nov. 27 (after press time).
Hertzler believes the boys will also find success this season. Again several veterans return who were sectional scorers last season. Seniors Evan Fredericks and Cameron Kordes will lead the Arabians, while sophomore standouts Trevor Cobb, Oliver Claxon and Tanner Keesling come in looking to repeat and better last year’s performances.
“We have 14 swimmers out this year,” Hertzler said. “That’s exciting because we need the numbers and will definitely be an asset.”
She believes the strength for the boys will be the individual medley, the butterfly and the backstroke. With the numbers, Hertzler feels everyone will fall into place for the events needed.
“Our focus is also looking to the sectional,” she said.
The boys opened their season at home with Muncie Central on Tuesday, Nov. 27 (after press time).
The Arabians play host to their own Pendleton Heights Diving Invitational at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, while the swimmers will compete in the Shelbyville Relays at 1 p.m. Dec. 8.
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Boys
Sam Allen, sophomore
Oliver Claxon, sophomore
Trevor Cobb, sophomore
Robbie Courtney, sophomore
Conner Dunn, senior
Elijah Gibson, senior
Evan Fredericks, senior
Tyler Hollendonner, freshman
Brayden Jones, sophomore
Tanner Keesling, sophomore
Pyry Kurunsaari, senior
Cameron Kordes, senior
Jonathan Pardue (diver), freshman
Cole Robison, senior
Cayden Sisson (diver), freshman
Head coach Mindy Hertzler
Diving coach Kevin Rockhill
Assistant coaches Jacob Childress and Shanna Miller
Girls
Kelsey Ayres (diver), freshman
Isabel Blosser, freshman
Lily Brooks, freshman
Maddie Cougill (diver), senior
Makenzie Cougill, sophomore
Ella Dixon, freshman
Reannin Donati (diver), freshman
Catherine Dudley, freshman
Allison Gentry, freshman
Jaima Link, freshman
Grace McKinney, freshman
Maggie Miller, junior
Hannah Nielsen, sophomore
Maddie Oliver, junior
Karly Riffey, junior
Emma Robison, junior
Karrah Schroeder (diver), freshman
Kendra Schroeder, freshman
Allyson Simpson, freshman
Chloe Steinke, sophomore
Alexis Sutton, freshman
Emma Weflen, sophomore
Kaitlyn Wheetley, sophomore
Chloe Williams, junior
Claire Wittkamper, freshman
Head coach Mindy Hertzler
Diving coach Kevin Rockhill
Assistant coaches: Jacob Childress and Shanna Miller
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Pendleton boys and girls swim schedule
5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27 — vs. Muncie Central
6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29 — @ Richmond
5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4 — @ Yorktown
5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6 — @ Greenfield-Central
10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8 — Pendleton Heights diving invite
1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8 — @ Shelbyville Relays
5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11 — vs. New Palestine
5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13 — vs. Anderson
5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 3 — HHC diving preliminaries @ Greenfield-Central
11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 5 — HHC swimming/diving championships @ New Palestine
5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8 — @ Shelbyville
5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10 — vs. Delta/Adams Central
5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15 — @ New Castle
5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17 — vs. Mt. Vernon
5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22 — vs. Liberty Christian
5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4 — @ New Palestine
5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14 — swimming sectional preliminaries @ Hamilton Southeastern
9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 — Diving sectional preliminaries @ Hamilton Southeastern
Friday, Feb. 22 — Indiana High School Athletic Association State Finals @ Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
Saturday, Feb. 22 — Indiana High School Athletic Association State Finals @ Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
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