The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, November 21, 2012 D-5 nothing more than to repeat as conference champions this season. They have seven seniors that hope to attain that feeling again. They open the season Monday against the Heritage Hills Patriots on the road. The team, front from The Pike Central Chargers boys swimming and diving team would like left, includes: Head Coach Jason McKinney; Assistant Coach Mike Bohnert, Manager Destinee McKinney, Jorge Hurtado, Aaron Keepes, Kyle Keepes, and Colton Corlett. In back are: manager Jayde Sturgeon, Brady Like, C.J. Popp, Maverick Henson, Ethan Rolens and Alex Keepes. 2012-13 Chargers Boys Swimming the Pike Central Chargers boys swimming and diving team won the Pocket Ath- letic Conference champion- ship, and the 2012-13 ver- sion of the Chargers hopes a repeat is in the cards for this season. The Chargers will miss The 2011-12 version of By Mike Johansen graduate seniors Brandon Bohnert and Beau Johnson. Both were among the top performers when the Char- gers won the PAC champi- onship in February 2012. There are eight seniors McKinney. He is assisted by former Pike Central swim- mer Mike Bohnert. "He went to Regionals last year in diving, and that was the first time we had anyone go to Regionals in a long time. Hopefully, he will get to the point where he can get back on the board and back in the pool. He is a big part of the team." The returnees include on the team, and seven of them were part of the cham- pionship team last season and they have high hopes for this season—if things work out. One of the things to be worked out is the health of senior diver Christian Wil- son. He was the PAC cham- pion in diving last year and would like nothing more than to repeat that task this season. He also helped with the freestyle relays if called on. practice dives this past fall he had an accident on the diving board, hitting it with his leg, causing a severe injury. He is still recover- ing from that injury. "We have to wait and see where we stand in regards to his recovery and how well that injury is healing," said Pike Central Head Coach Jason However, while doing senior Ethan Rolens in the backstroke and freestyle events. "Ethan is a hard worker and one of our team captains. He is kind of the go-to guy that keeps every- one motivated," said Coach McKinney. "It is his senior year. He is really going to be the kid we will hate to lose. He is a great worker and an all-around great kid." He did the backstroke in is another kid we will hate to see graduate," added the coach. Popp was in the re- lays including the winning 400 freestyle, the 200 free- style relay that was second, and he was fourth in the 100 butterfly in 1:07.13. He was also fifth in the 50 free in 25.72. be doing the freestyle and breaststroke. "Alex is an- other captain. He is a hard worker that comes in each morning and each evening," Senior Alex Keepes will style sprinter. He is in just his second year of swim- ming and the coach expects him to do well in the short distance events. He was on the first place medley relay in the PAC meet that Pike Central won by 128 points. He also did some diving finishing third in the PAC event. He was third in the 50 yard freestyle in 25.40 seconds. He was also on the 200 freestyle relay team. "He did a great job last year and was at the top of This Week's Meets Monday, Nov. 26, 6:30 the first place medley relay event and was on the first place 400 meter relay along with C.J. Popp and the two graduated seniors. Rolens was third in the 100 yard freestyle in 59.08 seconds. He was third in the back- stroke at 1:07.46. C.J. Popp will be doing Boonville, Gibson Southern, at Home Thursday, Nov. 29, 6:30 at Heritage Hills the butterfly and freestyle. "C.J. is a senior and another one of our team captains. He is a hard worker as well and knows what it takes to be on a winning team. With the younger kids watching him in his workouts, they can see the work he puts in and they will follow that. He In any sport, Four Star Fabricators encourages all Pike Central athletes to work hard, play tough and win in life. Good Luck This season! Fabricators P.O. Box 67, Petersburg, IN 47567 Four Star www.fourstarfab.com Phone: 354-9995 Fax: 354-3809 Serving the Aluminum, Coal and Power Industries with Quality Steel Fabrication said Coach McKinney. "He knows what it takes to be on a winning program and puts in a lot of hard work to get ready for the sea- son. It will be fun watching him compete as a senior in his last year of swimming at the high school level." Keepes was second in the 100 breaststroke in the PAC meet in 1:14.63; eighth in the 200 freestyle in 2:29.40; and third in the individual medley in 2:31.73. He was also in the medley relay. Another of the seniors is Maverick Henson, a free- the conference meets in freestyle. He will be fun to watch as this year goes on because he has a lot of po- tential to do a good job this year," said the coach. In his second year of swimming as well is senior Brady Like. He switched to swimming after an injury forced him to give up foot- ball and wrestling. He is also a baseball player. "He is a strong swimmer and a strong individual," said the coach. "He did a great job in the freestyle events for us last season. We expect good things from him this season." Like was 11th in the 100 free at the PAC meet last season and swam some relay events during the reg- ular season as well as other freestyle events. Senior Paul Heldring is in his second year of swim- ming in the freestyle events. "He did a good job for us in his first year of swimming last year in the freestyle events. He was in the top six in the PAC. He is one of the hardest-working individuals I know. He works hard in practice. He is a great fit on our team, he gets along well with everyone. We expect good things from him," said the coach. Jorge Hurtado-Pledrahi- ta is a foreign exchange stu- dent who asked to come out for swimming to give it a try. He will be in the freestyle events and is learning to compete in the sport for the first time. "We have come to find out he is going to be a really good swimmer. He is a very hard worker and fun to have on the team," said Coach McKinney. Among the juniors is GO Kyle Keepes in freestyle and the backstroke events. He was fourth in the PAC in the backstroke in 1:08.51 and is already showing improve- ment. He was sixth in the individual medley in 2:46.20. He could swim in the relays as well. "Kyle improved a bunch last year in the back- CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS & CONSULTANTS Gregory K. Willis, CPA Carla D. Willis, CPA WILLIS & COMPANY, P.C. Members American Institute of Certified Public Accountants • Indiana CPA Society 705 E. MAIN ST., PETERSBURG (812) 354-6274 FAX: (812) 354-6974 stroke and freestyle, and we look for that to continue. We look for good things from him this season," added the coach. is out for the first time. "Colton played football and he is a very good athlete. He wanted to come out and try swimming and found out he could be a very good swim- mer," said McKinney. "We will have him in the free- style events and we actually expect some pretty good things from him." The lone sophomore is Junior Colton Corlett Aaron Keepes. He swims the breaststroke and free- style. "Aaron did a great job for us in those events and he is another great kid to have on the team. He brings a lot of enthusiasm to the team," said the coach. Aaron was seventh in the PAC in the 500 freestyle with a time of 6:43.91 and he was eighth in the 200 free in 2:29.40. He also can swim the relays. "Last year was our first conference championship in a long time. We have a lot of seniors back this year and we have great quality swim- mers all down the line," said Coach McKinney. "We have good swimmers and hard working kids. Not only do they work hard, but they get along great. These guys know what it takes to win and they are looking for- ward to trying to repeat in the conference." Chargers