Carmel Girls Swimming Stalking 35th Straight Indiana Title (Psych Sheet)

Carmel junior Gretchen Leuking. Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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Carmel Girls Swimming Stalking 35th Straight Indiana Title (Psych Sheet)

They say there are three certainties in life: death, taxes and Carmel girls swimming winning Indiana high school state. The Greyhounds have won the Girls High School State meet at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis every year since 1987, and the margin over second place hasn’t been less than 100 points since Hamilton Southeastern nearly broke the streak in 2008.

Psych Sheet

The three largest margins of victory in IHSAA girls swimming and diving state championships history all came within the last six years. In 2015, they won by 266 points over Fishers. In 2019, they beat Franklin Community by 245.5 points, and in 2016, they beat Hamilton Southeastern by 244.5.

In 2021, the IHSAA girls state meet looks like more of the same: Carmel dominance with a race for second place. Excluding 2020, the Carmel girls have won nine of the last 11 public school national titles awarded by this publication, including six overall national titles. One of the things that makes Carmel so dominant in the state of Indiana is their ability to shoot for a national title at the state championships, and the Greyhounds have certainly delivered, and could be in line for yet another national title this year.

Carmel is led by senior Colleen Duffy, committed to Missouri, and junior Gretchen Leuking, recently committed to Notre Dame. On the psych sheet, Carmel only has two top seeds: sophomore Meghan Christman in the 50 free, and senior Maggie Love, who is committed to Purdue, in the 100 breast, although they will likely have more standing on top of the podium by the end of the meet.

Devon Kitchel. Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Last season, Fishers won the battle for the runner-up spot as the team this year led by sophomores Josephine Ramey, Kate Mouser and junior Lydia Reade will be looking to get back to that spot. Only two teams in the state walk home with a trophy, and with Carmel winning 34 years in a row, that leaves all the other teams battling for one spot, much like the American men in the 200 butterfly for a long time.

Mary Cate Pruitt. Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

This year however, Zionsville looks like the team to beat, led by junior Michigan commit Devon Kitchel and senior Indiana commit Elyse Heiser. Kitchel is the top seed in the 200 IM and 100 fly, however the Eagles don’t have the depth that Fishers has, although they do have upperclassmen experience on their side.

South Bend St Joseph senior Mary Cate Pruitt, committed to Notre Dame, will be back to defend her state title in the 500 and will battle for the win in the 200 free alongside Bloomington South senior Kristina Paegle, who is also the top seed in the 100 free.

The meet is expected to come down to the final relay for second place between Fishers, Zionsville, Chesterton and Hamilton Southeastern, with Carmel girls swimming taking the title for the 35th straight year.

All competition will be streamed live at IHSAAtv.org via pay-per-view for $9.95 for Friday’s preliminaries only or $14.95 for both days.

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