Timeout Swimming Extras

Updated: January 23, 2012 9:20PM

Swimming extra

Merrillville turning things around

Sometimes it’s just a matter of waiting for everything to come together. At least that’s the case for the Merrillville girls swimming team.

For the past few years, the Pirates haven’t finished better than .500 and haven’t advanced individuals or teams out of a sectional. Along with constant retooling had been the three-year long decline of the Merrillville swim club. Without that feeder system it’s meant the training of raw athletes.

But through these ups and downs, coach Ladd Downham has remained hopeful. After all, Downham (four years as the head coach and three as an assistant) remembers the past and points to the recent reformation of the swim club this past fall. Not to mention 12 juniors who will be the senior leadership next season.

“We may not have as many wins as we may definitely like to,” Downham said, “but seeing the kids being able to drop those personal times to see the best that they can do is pretty rewarding too.”

The Pirates’ current effort is spearheaded by seniors Hailey Holden (breaststroke and IM) and Mackenzie Milon (50 and 100 free) and sophomore Kennedy Wilck (fly and 200 free) who each have around 10 wins each.

Post-tribune Top 5

GIRLS: 1. Chesterton, 2. Munster, 3. Crown Point, 4. Lake Central, 5. Valparaiso

BOYS: 1. Chesterton, 2. Munster, 3. Crown Point, 4. Lake Central, 5. Valparaiso

Swimmers
of the Week

Tori Lunsford, Clark

Lunssford won the 100 back (1:19.22) and the 200 IM (2:48.12) and was part of a winning 200 free relay team as Clark tied with Gavit (with 299 points) to win the GLAC Conference meet on Saturday.

Mike Kukurugya,
Crown Point

The junior won the 50-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke in the Bulldogs’ 101-85 victory over Lake Central on Tuesday and took first in the 200 free and 100 butterfly in a 136-41 win over Lowell on Thursday.

— By correspondents Mike Clark and Josh Lichtenfeld

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