02/10/2008

Associated Press

Carmel tied a national high school record by winning its 22nd straight championship in Saturday's IHSAA Girls' Swimming and Diving State Finals at the Indiana University Natatorium on the IUPUI campus.

The Greyhounds took three events and scored in every other event, usually with multiple finishers in the top eight. According to IHSAA officials, the Greyhounds tied the national all-sports winning streak established from 1974 to 1995 by Punahou High School of Honolulu, which also set the standard in girls' swimming.

Carmel also won in 1982 and started its streak in 1987.

Carmel sophomore Trish Regan won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:49.8 and joined senior Emily Dibenigno, junior Megan Detro and freshman Devon Mason to win the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:35.28. Senior Samantha Partridge won the 500-yard freestyle in 5:01.45. That had been the only event Carmel had not won in any previous state meet.

Second-year coach Chris Plumb said tying the national mark was "very special.

"I couldnt be happier for the athletes," he said. "They work hard on a daily basis, and this is their reward."

Carmel has always shown depth in its winning streak, but unlike last season, the Greyhounds also won races this year.

"Not only depth, but top-end depth," Plumb said. "We were able to win races, as well as have two or three in a lot of the finals."

Center Grove senior Michelle McKeehan set a new high school national record of 1:56.87 in winning the 200-yard individual medley. McKeehan also was a double winner, taking the 100-yard breaststroke in a state record 1:00.12.

She became only the second competitor in girls state swimming history to win her two events in all four seasons. The first was Lindsay Benko of Elkhart Central (1991-94), who went on to swim in the 2000 Olympics.

West Lafayette Harrison senior Jenny Connolly also was a double winner. She won the 100-yard butterfly in a state record 53.91 seconds, then won the 100-yard backstroke in 54.00. She had set a new state backstroke record of 53.53 in Friday's preliminaries.

Hamilton Southeastern, which finished second, opened and ended the meet with state records.

The foursome of seniors Christina Jacobs and Lindsay Rogers, junior Maegan O'Connor and sophomore Carly Mercer won the 200 medley relay in 1:43.39. Rogers, Mercer and sophomores Paige Copeland and Aubrey Hertzler took the 400 freestyle relay in 3:26.61.

Carmel scored 387 points to 317.50 for Hamilton Southeastern, 216 for Homestead, 165 for Center Grove, 129 for North Central and 123 for Columbus North.