By GREG MENGELT
Jeffersonville and Floyd Central are the two teams with the best shot at knocking off four-time defending Hoosier Hills Conference boys’ swimming champion Bedford North Lawrence at Madison on Saturday.
According to the seeding, Jeffersonville is the favorite, with the Highlanders close behind. Seymour and the Stars also appear to be within striking distance.
“I think it’s really in the hands of Floyd Central and Jeff. BNL is the four-time defending champ, and I think they have a good shot, but if Floyd or Jeff swims very well, I think they’ll be hard to beat.”
“If you just play the points out on paper, we’re seeded second, so we’re in a good place to be,” Highlander coach Joe Perkins said. “We have a lot of kids who I think could move up through the day. That’s what we’ve talked about being able to do on Saturday.”
Even though the Red Devils are favored according to the seeding, which doesn’t include diving, Gast gives the nod to the Highlanders, who beat Jeff, 95-91.
“Floyd won our dual meet by a little bit, so I think they’d give them the edge,” he admitted.
Jeffersonville’s Zach Blankenbaker, Floyd Central’s Drew Cato and Seymour’s Kameron Chastain should all sweep their individual events. What the conference title will likely come down to is places 2 through 12.
“I think it’s going to come down to which team has a couple of second or third swimmers who step up,” Gast said. “If Zach wins the 500 (freestyle) by 20 seconds, we still only get 16 points, but if our No. 3 500 swimmer moves up two or three spots, that could make a difference.”
“Depth will be the difference,” Perkins agreed. “Whichever team has swimmers seeded 13th or 14th and they move up a couple of spots and score, or those swimmers seeded seventh or eighth can move into the top six, that’s going to be the key for all four teams.”
Although the four-time defending champion Stars have lost in dual meets to Jeff, Floyd and Seymour, both Perkins and Gast refuse to count them out.
“Bedford worries me a little bit,” Perkins said. “They haven’t swam well throughout the season — against us or against Jeff or Seymour — but they have a lot of seniors on that team that have won the meet three years in a row now. Experience-wise, they could step up and have a great meet. (Star coach) Mark (McKay) always has them ready to go.”
“I think they have an advantage that they have won it several times and they guys on their team know what it’s like to swim well at a big meet,” Gast said. “That’s why I wouldn’t count them out. I’m sure they’re going to come in on Saturday and feel like they have something to prove. They will be a dangerous team.”
Although Evan Truman, Luke Lete and Aaron Zinner are contenders in individual events on Saturday, New Albany figures to finish somewhere between third and fifth place.
“They have some quality kids,” Gast said of the trio. “I think the problem they’re going to have is that they just don’t have the depth that Jeff and Floyd do. They have some guys who are going to make a difference. I just don’t think they have enough of them.”
Truman is the top seed in the 100 freestyle and is seeded second, closely behind Chastain, in the 50 free. Lete is the second seed in the 100 butterfly to Jeffersonville’s Austin Smith.
“New Albany’s going to play a role in taking points away from the top teams,” Perkins said.
