No. 26 Brownsburg aims to defend title at IHSAA Sectionals
By Drew Sandifer
The No. 26 Brownsburg Girls' Swimming & Diving team returns to action on Feb. 4 & 6 with IHSAA Sectional 13 action at the Brownsburg Aquatic Center. The Bulldogs are seven-time defending IHSAA Sectional Champions, but does not come in this year as the top-ranked school in their sectional coming into the postseason.
After a rough start to the season, Brownsburg (No. 26 in state) has won six of their last eight individual meets , including a 103-83 vcitory over their most likely competitor for the Sectional crown, No. 11 Pike. Brownsburg returns multiple high-performers at last year's Sectional 13, which saw Brownsburg tally 555 points, pacing themselves ahead of Pike's 410 points.
Junior Annika Schaekel won the 100 Butterfly with a sub-minute time to take the sectional title a year ago, while senior Ella Wilson took home the 500 Freestyle top place in 2020's meet. Scheakel was also a part of the winning 400 Freestyle Relay, along with now-senior Rory Smith and Margie Miller. The Bulldogs also took home the 200 Freestyle Relay, which featured Miller and Maria Gutzweiler. Senior Emma Wolf came in second in last year's event to Brownsburg's Maya Lemen. Wolf is the favorite to take this year's title.
Pike figures to be the biggest threat to Brownsburg making it eight Sectionals in a row, as the Red Devils come into the postseason ranked 11th in the state. Pike returns Olivia DiRuzza and Kailey Myers, who combined one four of the heats in last year's Sectionals, but it was the Bulldogs' depth that carried them to the win. The Red Devils will seek revenge on their loss to Brownsburg earlier this season.
Brebeuf is the only other ranked team in this competition at No. 36 in the state. The Braves looked to improve upon their third place finish in last year's Sectionals, finishing behind Brownsburg and Pike. While Brebeuf graduated their top swimmer after last season, a mix of Elizabeth Dolan, Alice O'Brien and Cate Gramelspacher should be in the mix in some of these heats.
Also competing at the Brownsburg Aquatic Center this week are simmers and divers from Ben Davis, Decatur Central, Arsenal Tech, Cardinal Ritter, Shortridge, International School of Indiana, Park Tudor, Speedway and Tri-West. The first half of Sectional play will begin on Feb. 4 at 6:00 p.m. with the finals taking place on Feb. 6 at 9 a.m. and then again at 1 p.m.
