Making a splash at state

The move to the fall brought participation declines and pool issues for Central's swimming team, but the Tigers fought through the difficulties and find themselves in a familiar position heading into this weekend's state swimming meet.

Central will be well represented once again this season and could put a swimmer on the podium for the first time since 1999.

The Tigers will begin action today at the St. Peter's Rec-Plex.

"We got off to a slow start because of a lot of issues with the pool situation, but we've still worked hard with what we have and accomplished a lot of our goals," senior Jake Meyr said. "We've had a good season so far."

Added coach Dayna Powell: "It's definitely been a roller-coaster season with the facilities situation and scheduling. ... I think the boys have stepped up to the challenge this season."

With less than 15 swimmers on the roster this season after an adjustment that moved swimming from the winter to the fall, Central's focus turned to individual events. The Tigers will have four swimmers competing in two events apiece, as well as two relays.

"This year is definitely more the individual events," junior Peyton Waggener said. "We don't have the depth to compete in the relays. We've had to focus on our individual strokes."

Waggener, freshman Sam Gramling, Meyr and Hunter Givens all will participate in two individual competitions as well as two relays. The Tigers qualified for all three relays, but will not compete in the 200-meter free relay.

This will be the third trip to the state meet for Waggener, who will compete in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke.

"I feel pretty confident this year. I'm ready," Waggener said. "I've seen pretty much all the competition there. I'm not too nervous this year. That's nice."

Meyr made a late push at the season-ending conference meet to qualify for his first state meet last year. He saw his times drop as the season went along, with his biggest drop at the Lindbergh Invitational, when he finished the 500 free in 5:07. Meyr will also compete in the 200 free.

"Jake had a tremendous meet at Lindbergh and went 5:07 and dropped nearly 20 seconds," Powell said. "I think Jake's really ready to swim well in his last meet."

The newcomer among Central's state qualifiers in Gramling. A year-round swimmer, Gramling will compete in the 200 and 500 freestyle events individually. With his club swimming career taking him to national meets, Gramling should be ready for the big stage of the state meet.

"State is just another meet I want to conquer," Gramling said. "It's another meet I can look forward to in the year. My goals are to get two top-eight qualifying times in my events. I want to come back all-state.

"I feel confident. It's just something I've got to do on my own. Sometimes you can't always predict what you're going to do."

Hunter Givens, another state veteran, will compete in the 100 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. The two events are consecutive, which could affect Givens' times.

"We feel like his strongest event is the 100 free, and that's his second event," Powell said. "We're hoping the heats work to our advantage."

Central will also swim in the 400 free relay and the 200 medley relay. Matt Holmes will go as an alternate for the Tigers in case they need to substitute someone on a relay.

"I really feel we have some guys that can score some points and be competitive," Powell said. "I'm hoping to get someone up on the podium and get some medals."

While the focus is on this weekend's meet, once the meet is over the main focus will become recruitment. If the Tigers' numbers shrink any lower it will be hard to field a team in the coming years.

"We'll have to recruit some swimmers for next year," Powell said. "We're losing three seniors out of 10 or 11 swimmers and we only have one freshman, although he's a good one in Sam."

Notre Dame, also hit hard by the move to the fall, used a late time trial against Central to qualify a pair of relays. Logan Bollinger, Edward Doyle, Jacob Buckenmyer and Aaron Thomaszewski have been among the main swimmers on Notre Dame's top relays this season. The Bulldogs will bring all 10 team members with them on the trip to state.