Records fall as Penn girls swimming cruises to another sectional title

Tribune Staff Report
·3 min read

The Penn girls swimming team won another sectional title and shattered numerous records in the process.

The Kingsmen were responsible for four of five new meet records set during Saturday's sectional meet at Penn. Lilian Christianson set new records in the 50-Yard Free (22.60) and 100-Yard Free (49.26). Alayna Riggins set the record in the 100-Yard Butterfly (54.70) and the duo, along with Avery Woods and Anike Guenther combined to set the new 200-Yard Medley Relay record (1:41.87)

South Bend Adams' Addy Szakaly set the record in the 100-Yard Backstroke (56.66)

South Bend Saint Joseph's Claire Dobrydney also qualified for next weekend's IHSAA state meet in Indianapolis in the 200-Yard Freestyle and 500-Yard Freestyle.

Here are Saturday's other local state qualifiers:

Penn’s Lilian Christianson competes in the 100-yard freestyle event during the girls sectional swimming preliminaries Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023 at Penn High School.
Penn’s Lilian Christianson competes in the 100-yard freestyle event during the girls sectional swimming preliminaries Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023 at Penn High School.

State qualifiers from Penn regional

Team scores: Penn 554, SB Adams 358, SB Riley 309, SB Saint Joseph 254, New Prairie 243, Mishawaka 137, Bremen 126, Mishawaka Marian 106

200-Yard Medley Relay: Penn (Avery Woods, Anika Guenther, Alayna Riggins, Lilian Christianson, 1:41.87, MR)

200-Yard Freestyle: Claire Dobrydney (SB Saint Joe, 1:53.93)

200-Yard IM: Anika Guenther (Penn, 2:06.84), Addy Szakaly (SB Adams, 2:07.21)

50-Yard Freestyle: Lilian Christianson (Penn, 22.60, MR), Alayna Riggins (Penn, 23.51)

1-Meter Diving (advance to regionals): Lilly Deeds (Mishawaka, 353.65), Arriana Beckham (Penn, 352.65), Kailey Corban (SB Adams, 336.95), Avery Curtis (SB ADams, 295.10)

100-yard Butterfly: Alayna Riggins (Penn, 54.70, MR), Celeste Hollis (Riley, 56.35)

100-Yard Freestyle: Lilian Christianson (Penn, 49.26, MR)

500-Yard Freestyle: Claire Dobrydney (SB Saint Joe, 5:0.82)

200-Yard Freestyle Relay: Penn (Anika Guenther, Alayna Riggins, Jordan Koszyk, Lilian Christianson, 1:35.14)

100-Yard Backstroke: Addy Szakaly (SB Adams, 56.66, MR)

100-Yard Breaststroke: Anika Guenther (Penn, 1:04.01)

400-Yard Freestyle Relay: SB Adams (Addy Szakaly, Addison Skube, Willa Kricheff, Elisa Nerenberg, 3:37.87)

Other state qualifiers

At Elkhart Sectional

Team scores: Concord 499, Northridge 398, Wawasee 308, Goshen 205, Angola 178, NorthWood 172, Elkhart 172, East Noble 100, DeKalb 46, Eastside 41

200-Yard Medley Relay: Northridge (Izzy Melvin, Tavia Bratt, Sydney Nethercutt, Americis Ingling, 1:45.47), Concord (Ella Lantz, Isabella Sponseller, Sophia Stutsman, Mya Ernsberger, 1:46.03)

200-Yard Freestyle: Catherine Brenneman (Concord, 1:49.51), Sydney Nethercutt (Northridge, 1:52.22)

50-Yard Freestyle: Audrey Lantz (Concord, 24.04)

1-Meter Diving (advance to regionals) : Ryleigh Robinson (Concord, 454.30), Delaney Trigg (Concord, 355.70), Kalia Starzyk (Concord, 343.75), Caleah Kiel (NorthWood, 298.80)

100-Yard Butterfly: Audrey Lantz (Concord, 56.33), Sophia Stutsman (Concord, 57.30)

100-Yard Freestyle: Ella Lantz (Concord, 52.13)

500-Yard Freestyle: Sydney Nethercutt (Northridge, 4:59.36), Catherine Brenneman (Concord, 5:01.20)

100-Yard Backstroke: Ella Lantz (Concord, 56.25)

100-Yard Breaststroke: Izzy Melvin (Northridge, 1:04.74)

200-Yard Freestyle Relay: Concord (Audrey Lantz, Mya Ernsberger, Isabella Sponseller, Catherine brenneman, 1:35.31), Northridge (Sam Hunter, Americis Ingling, Tavia Bratt, Sydney Nethercutt, 1:37.84)

400-Yard Freestyle Relay: Concord ( Catherine Brenneman, Sophia Stutsman, Ella Lantz, Audrey Lantz, 3:29.26)

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Lilian Christianson, Alayna Riggins break multiple records in sectional meet