Wihebrink Raises Bar, In Position For Title
INDIANAPOLIS – It’s going to take the swim of her life, but Delaney Wihebrink has already done it once before.
The Warsaw senior is up against some serious odds, but has already left her mark on the IHSAA Girls Swimming State Finals after setting yet another record Friday night in the state prelims. Wihebrink lowered her school record in the breaststroke, going 1:03.45, the first time in her career to drop below 1:04, and currently sits fourth after the first round of the finals at IUPUI’s Natatorium.
The entire breaststroke field is chasing the national record holder and defending state champion, Emily Weiss of Yorktown, who is sitting in pole position at 59.46. Her 58.40 from last year’s championship is the all-time best in Indiana. Also making the championship final of the breaststroke are Northridge’s duo of Haley Dygert, who is sixth at 1:04.03, and Jenna Nethercutt, who is seventh at 1:04.21.
Wihebrink had two other swims Friday night, teaming with Leah Reinholt, Taylor Gunter and Olivia Herman to swim a 1:53.66 for 26th in the medley relay and joined Herman, Gunter and Lillian Boston for a 1:43.02 in the 200 free relay which finished 29th. Both relays are out of Saturday’s final round.
Gunter took her shot in the individual medley and swam a 2:24.58 to take 32nd.
Northridge’s Elsa Fretz again stepped up under the spotlight and came out of Friday with a pair of top times in the 50 and 100 freestyles. In the shortie, Fretz posted a 23.07 to lead the group, then came back with a 50.24 to also stand atop the leaderboard heading into Saturday’s finals. Joining Fretz in the 100 finals is Grace Brenneman of Concord, who posted a 51.13 for sixth. Autumn Baumgartner of Culver Academy is swimming in both freestyle consolations after qualifying ninth and 13th. Brenneman is currently eighth and alive in the 200 freestyle finals after her 1:51.21.
Also qualifying for Saturday swims are Northridge’s medley relay (11th), 200 free relay (3rd) and 400 free relay (4th); Dygert in the IM (13th); and Concord’s 200 free relay (10th) and 400 free relay (16th).
The top eight places from Friday swim for the state championship, the ninth through 16th places swim the consolation round.
The divers will get to work Saturday morning with its prelims, where area divers Kaitlin Simons and Jiselle Miller of Northridge will be among the lot.