Indians turn in respectable performance in the pool, despite limited roster

In only the program’s third season, Indian River High School’s varsity swim team is learning that the sport can be just as much a numbers game as it is something based on performance. Both the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams fell short to Sussex Tech this past Tuesday, Dec. 20, as they hosted their meet at the Howard T. Ennis School in Georgetown.

Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark
Indian River sophomore Christian Diakos pierces through the water in a freestyle event this past Tuesday, Dec. 20, during a meet hosting Sussex Tech.

“Even though our swimmers put up good times,” said Indian River boys’ head coach Colin Crandell, “it’s tough to compete when you only have 10 guys to their 30. Even if you have guys swimming and placing first and second, they can accumulate points just by swimming more guys.

“The relays are especially tough,” he noted, “because the scores are doubled. In our case, we only had one relay team for each event, and they were able to fill two or three lanes each time. It’s frustrating, but our guys did great and kept their heads up.”

To compensate for the lopsided rosters, Crandell focused the team’s attention on a variety of priorities taken from previous swims.

“I told our guys not to worry about the score itself,” he said. “I challenged them to get five first-place finishes and eight personal bests, and we exceeded that.”

The boys’ team nabbed five first-place finishes and earned 11 personal-best times, breaking six more school records and earning two more state-cut times, adding to a progressing number of state qualifiers as the season rolls on.

Sophomores Carter Michael and Merrick Kovatch each remained undefeated on the season, as Michael came in first in the 100-meter freestyle and the 100-meter backstroke and Kovatch finished on top in the 200-meter and 500-meter freestyle races. The two each helped hold down the 4-by-100-meter relay team, which finished first and broke their previous school record by nearly 4 seconds.

“These guys are really the core of our team,” said Crandell, “and others have really stepped up to grab those second- and third-place finishes when I needed them to. They only got us by 15 points and, considering the way we were outnumbered, I’m pleased with that.”

For the Lady Indians’ swim team, several standouts helped keep the competition respectable, despite the loss. Freshman Marissa Fox earned a first-place finish in the 50-meter freestyle, while sophomore Karlie Smith capped the afternoon off with two individual first-place finishes, in the 100-meter freestyle and the 100-meter breaststroke.

Both Fox and Smith also helped contribute to the girls’ 200-meter freestyle relay team, along with Seung Son and Rebecca Webb, finishing first and clocking a school record in the event, breaking the elusive two-minute mark.

“Sussex Tech has a really strong program,” said the head coach of Indian River’s girls’ team, Donna Smith. “They have five or more swimmers qualify for states every year, and a lot of them swim for club teams. When you add that depth that they have, it’s going to be tough to beat them, but our girls are having a blast. They’re always smiling, and you can tell they’re having a good time with it all. To them, it’s not all about the score. They want to enjoy themselves and improve their times.”

Coach Donna Smith has seen strides made by individuals throughout the roster.

“Girls like Natalie Gano and Kirsten Goodman are right up there, too,” she said. “They may not get the first-place recognition like others, but Natalie has done great in the 100 fly, and Kirsten is always improving in the 200 free. They really help to carry a great attitude on the team.”

Crandell said he has noticed a priority shift within the team from last year to this season.

“Coming from a swimming background,” he said, “I’ve always been used to setting goals and paying attention to times. We tried to establish that last year, but it wasn’t there. Now, at practices and meets, they’re constantly comparing their times to last year’s state cuts. They’re really taking to it themselves, and it shows their motivation. That drive has really boomed this season. I want them to be proud of their performance, but I like that they’re never too satisfied. They’re always pushing themselves a little harder.”

“Our girls are always going really strong,” Smith added. “In a sport like swimming, conditioning is a key factor. In other sports, like field hockey and softball, you can still get by with your skill and performance, even if you’re winded, and it’s more of a team effort.

“In swimming, it’s individualized, and it’s all coming down to your conditioning and endurance. Everybody on the team works hard, and they want it to pay off in dropped times. That’s where the reward is.”

To maintain their success into the new year, Crandell and Smith are holding voluntary swim practices over the holiday break.

“I’ve told our guys,” said Crandell, “if they take off from swimming these next two weeks, it’s essentially like starting over, in terms of conditioning. We’ve got practices lined up, and I think our team is motivated enough to keep going.”

“We want the kids to get really good feedback and push even harder,” said Smith, who is expecting a solid turnout at practices over the break, as well.

The Indians’ swim team will pick back up after the turn of the year, with a meet against Cape Henlopen at the Sussex YMCA in Rehoboth Beach on Thursday, Jan. 5.