Chesterton wins 12th straight title

Updated: March 23, 2011 9:30AM

It surely can't be said that Chesterton swim coach Kevin Kinel doesn't spend his fair share of time in the water. At least not after big accomplishments.

Moments after being interviewed about his team's 408-249 sectional victory over runner-up Valparaiso, Kinel started stripping his socks and shoes. And from there the coach headed to the diving board, still clad in khaki shorts and a golf shirt. A successful cannonball. Splash.

One by one came the athletes off the board and into the water. After all, it's nothing new for the Trojans.

"After conference and sectionals the winning team gets to go off the boards," Chesterton sophomore Julia Campbell explained.

With eight firsts, including a sectional and pool record in the 200 free relay (won by Lauren Foor, Kate Curley, Campbell and Olivia Kabacinski in 1:37.52), there was plenty to celebrate. Now 19-time champion Chesterton has won 12 straight.

Kinel was less than pleased with the girls' performance on Friday night in the preliminaries.

"We came to qualify and nothing more," Kinel said. "Today we were excited and had a better meet."

"I just let them know (on Friday) I wasn't happy with what it is."

Those words seemed to do the trick. Multiple swimmers walked away with firsts, in both individual and relay races. On that list is Campbell (200 free and the 200 free and 400 free relays). Campbell just missed another first in the 500 free by .02 seconds to LaPorte's Carly Jackson, who finished in 5:03.32. Jackson also broke a sectional record with her time of 57.63 in the 100 fly.

"At the end, I just knew I could do it and pulled out everything at the end," Jackson said.

Spurred by sophomore Khalela Elnaggar's score of 407.95 in the diving, the Vikings took the first three of the four advancing spots. The trio, plus Portage's Lauren Haddox, will compete on Tuesday at the Penn diving regional.

"The girls, they jell together really well, they support each other and that's something we needed to happen here," Vikings diving coach Bill Chappo said.

Third-place Portage (162.50 points) got a first in the 100 breasttroke from Sierra King (1:08.68).

Chesterton's win came after missing many practices, throughout the week, due to the region's powerful snow storm. Kinel expects better results next weekend at state.

"I don't see many of the races, today, as our best races," he said.

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