Wawasee junior Paige Miller was all smiles after setting a school record in the 500 freestyle, but also qualifying for the IHSAA State Finals with her 4:57.27. Miller also qualified for state in the 200 freestyle with a cut time of 1:51.81. (Photos by Mike Deak)

DUNLAP – Sometimes it’s OK to be happy with not winning. In a society fueled by wins and losses, Paige Miller proved being second place is perfectly fine.

In a personal crusade Saturday, Wawasee’s junior swimmer set a pair of personal records and grabbed two tickets to the IHSAA Girls Swimming State Finals by meeting state cut times. Miller, who ‘lost’ both the 200 and 500 freestyles to Northridge’s Katie Hughes, ‘won’ the personal battle and achieved both goals she set for Saturday’s Concord Girls Swim Sectional.

Kayla Hershberger of Wawasee swims the 100 freestyle.

“I’ve been trying to break five (minutes) in the 500 since my freshman year, and it feels really good to be able to do that,” Miller said. “I don’t care if I finish second. It was about the time. I knew I had to get the state cut (5:05.15) and that was all I was worried about. Katie is an awesome swimmer. She deserved to win. It was all about the time for me.”

Miller was right on the heels of Hughes in the 200 free in a sight similar to the Northern Lakes Conference championships. Miller nearly caught Hughes – who led the entire race – with Hughes hitting the wall at 1:51.31 and Miller a half-second back at 1:51.81, Miller’s time more than three seconds faster than her previous personal best.

In the 500, Hughes again took command early, forcing Miller to chase. As Hughes emerged for her final 25 yards in front, Miller was gaining but ran out of open water to catch Hughes. The Northridge star clocked at a meet-record 4:56.87, Miller coming home at 4:57.27. The time for the Wawasee star also broke the old meet record, shattered her previous school record and set into motion what could be a monumental weekend in Indianapolis next Friday and Saturday.

“Being there swimming, it really is all about time right now,” Miller said of next week’s state finals. “If I can get the times I want, it doesn’t matter what place I am. The higher, obviously, the better. But if I hit the goals I want to set for myself, that’s what I came to do. I just want to perform how I know I can.”

Also of note in the 500 was Northridge’s Melissa Bailey, who chopped 17 seconds off her preliminary time to meet the state cut time with her 5:04.96, setting off a celebration between Bailey and Hughes that showed a true moment of sportsmanship as Hughes cheered her teammate’s race to a state ticket above her own championship.

Wawasee had eight other swims in championship events and all three relays working at the sectional.

Kayla Hershberger concluded her fine career at Wawasee with fifth place in the backstroke (1:03.22) and sixth in the 100 free (55.46) while classmate Mikala Mawhorter also had a pair of finals swims, taking fifth in the 50 (25.98) and eighth in the butterfly (1:04.30). Wawasee’s third senior, Hannah Rhoades, finished eighth overall in diving at 311.45.

Wawasee’s Zoe White takes a look for other swimmers in pursuit during the individual medley.

Junior Madi McBride also swam two finals, taking seventh in the breaststroke (1:15.07) and eighth in the 100 free (58.72) while classmate Shelby Adams was fourth in the breaststroke at 1:11.50. Sophomore Alyssa Koch was seventh in the backstroke at 1:04.80. Junior Riley Kunkle placed 13th in diving with 252.30 points.

Wawasee was in the top half of all three relays, placing third in the 400 (3:43.13), fourth in the 200 (1:43.68) and fourth in the medley (2:00.11).

Wawasee head coach Julie Robinson wasn’t phased by the lack of state representation, sticking to theme that Saturday was about building with her very young squad. Among the notations were small victories like Caitlin Kingrey in the breaststroke consolation and Macie Stuckman in the backstroke consoles. Not championship performances on the scoreboard, but just what Robinson was looking for.

“For someone who never swam club or anything like Caitlin had coming in, to swim a 1:20 in the 100 breaststroke at a sectional was unbelievable,” said Wawasee head coach Julie Robinson. “Macie came in with a goal, set the goal and really blew past that. It was great to see young kids be able to do that. It sets us up for next year to see what we are capable of doing and try to achieve more of these goals.”

Northridge again reigned supreme on the scoreboard, winning its 13th sectional team title with 508.5 points, well ahead of Concord’s respectable 395 points. Elkhart Central was third at 280.5 and Wawasee fourth in the 11-team field with 274 points.

The Raiders won nine total events, six of which were new meet records. Its medley relay (1:46.30), 200 free relay (1:36.95) and 400 free relay (3:31.48) all set new standards while Sydnee Emerson set two of her own in the individual medley (2:05.25) and breaststroke (1:06.13). Lauren Miller won the backstroke for the Raiders at 55.95 and Sydney Boyer was the 100 free champ at 53.19.

Concord had Maddisen Lantz claim a title in the 50 at 24.15, and teammate MaKayla Miller right on the state cut line (24.48) and Lantz is also qualified in the backstroke with a cut time of 57.67. Concord’s medley relay made the state cut with a time of 1:48.86.

Elkhart Central’s Sydney Dygert won the butterfly with a 57.27 winner.

Minuteman diver Lauren Boone three-peated with a championship set of 485.30, a new meet record, with Northridge’s Sara Troyer qualified for regionals with what also broke the old meet record with her 482.75 points. Northridge divers Mary Grossman (458.30) and Rylee Dahlman (457.35) will join Boone and Troyer at Mishawaka for regionals Tuesday night.

Preliminaries for the IHSAA Girls Swimming State Finals begins at 6 p.m. at the IUPUI Natatorium Friday, with diving opening up Saturday morning at 9 a.m., and finals swims for the top 16 swimmers at 1 p.m.

Wawasee’s Alyssa Koch speeds through the backstroke at the Concord Girls Swimming Sectional.