Concord’s 200 free relay team celebrates its sectional title. (Photo by Nick Goralczyk)

INDIANAPOLIS – Dreams will become reality for swimmers and divers all around the state this weekend as teams and individuals will gather at The Nat for the 41st annual IHSAA Girls Swimming and Diving State Finals. As in years past, there are plenty of local athletes competing at the big event.

Warsaw, Wawasee, Concord and Northridge will all be represented among the area hopefuls in Indy of making a big impact Friday night to get into Saturday’s top-16.

Warsaw’s Brenna Morgan showed some rare emotion on the podium after setting the sectional record, and tying her school record at 24.07, in the 50-yard freestyle at the Warsaw Girls Swimming Sectional. (Photo by Mike Deak)

Brenna Morgan will be the lone representative for Warsaw at the finals as she will compete in both the 50 and 100 free. Morgan tied her own school record at last weekend’s sectional by swimming a 24.07 in the 50. Morgan also broke a 24-year old meet record in the 100 at the sectional with a 52.33. Last year Morgan qualified for Saturday’s consoles and placed 15th in the 50 (24.15) while winning her console race in the 100 with a school record time of 51.64.

For Morgan, getting physically prepared is the easy part of state finals week. Training herself mentally is the challenge.

“I’m just going to give it my all these next few practices,” Morgan said after the sectional. “The mental part is definitely going to be the harder part getting in that right mindset and looking ahead to who I’ll be facing. There are so many great competitors down at Indy.

“I just need to trust myself, trust my coach and trust the work that I’ve put in this season.”

Wawasee will be represented in six events after a strong showing at last weekend’s sectional.

The Warriors qualified for the finals in both the 200 medley relay and the 400 free relay in addition to four individual events. Bre Robinson and Paige Miller highlight the group heading to state.

Miller will compete on both relays and will also work in the 200 IM and 500 free. Miller swam in both individual events at last year’s finals as a freshman, making the consoles in both. Last year Miller had her sights set on breaking the five minute mark in the 500; she swam a 5:03.91. At the sectional this year the sophomore placed second, swimming a 5:03.76. Those times leave the goal the same for Miller as she prepares for state.

Paige Miller swims the 200 IM during the sectional. Miller will look to break the school record at state. (Photo by Nick Goralczyk)

“I just want to break five,” Miller said with a laugh. “That’s really my only goal. It’d be nice to get a school record in the IM but I just want go down there, race well and see how well I taper.”

Miller swam a 2:07.47 at the sectional in the IM. Cathy Lundin holds the Wawasee school record at 2:05.87.

Robinson will return to state in the same events as last season, the 100 back and 100 fly. Robinson had a solid showing in both events at last year’s finals, taking second in each. While a state title would be a welcome addition to Robinson’s already decorated career, she is just focused on making sure her last state experience is enjoyable.

“My main focus is just to have fun,” Robinson said. “This is my last high school state ever so I just want to go down and have a good time and enjoy the time with my teammates.”

Robinson and Miller will be joined by Mikala Mawhorter and Shelby Adams for the medley relay. The team swam together for the first time at the sectional and set a school record (1:48.35) in the process.

Bre Robinson is all smiles while taking the podium following her sectional win in the 100 fly. (Photo by Nick Goralczyk)

Kayla Hershberger and Kendra Miller will make up the other half of the 400 free relay along with Paige Miller and Robinson. The group finished second in the sectional with a 3:34.46. Wawasee’s 400 team finished 14th at last year’s finals.

The Northern Lakes Conference will have some other representation at state this weekend with Concord and Northridge.

Northridge qualified for state in the 200 medley and 400 free relays. Katie Hughes will represent the Raiders in the 200 and 500 free while Lauren Miller will compete in the 100 free.

Mariah DeFreese will represent Concord in the 50 free. Ashley Schrock will rep the Dunlap school in the 100 breast and both girls will compete on the team’s 200 free and 200 medley relay teams.

The preliminaries are set for a 6 p.m. start Friday evening. The diving prelims and semifinals begin at 9 a.m. Saturday with consolations and finals in all events starting at 1 p.m.

Carmel is looking to make history Saturday at the 41st annual State Finals. The Greyhounds have won 28 straight girls swimming state championships. Carmel, the heavy favorite again this year, can tie a national record with its 29th in a row on Saturday. That mark is held by the boys swim team from Punahou High School in Honolulu from 1958-86.

The Greyhounds won their first state title back in 1986. At that time, girls swimming was a fall sport in Indiana.