Fernando Was Fantastic In Clinching Swimming State Finals Appearance

Monday, February 19, 2018 at 6:27 AM

By Mike Perleberg Fernando Gomez atop the podium after winning the 100 yard breaststroke championship at the IHSAA Swimming & Diving Sectional held at Columbus North High School on Saturday, February 17, 2018. Photo courtesy Milan Athletics. (Columbus, Ind.) – Milan High School swimmer Fernando Gomez has punched his ticket to the state finals. Gomez won the 100 yard breaststroke at the IHSAA Swimming & Diving Sectional meet held at Columbus North High School on Saturday. He completed the final heat in 59.64 seconds, well ahead of the second place finisher from Bloomington South High School. Per the IHSAA, the sectional champion in each event at sectionals is given an automatic lane at the IHSAA State Finals to be held next weekend.

Thanks @MilanAthletics @MilanSwimTeam @heathermt11 parents, relatives and swimmers #weRmilan pic.twitter.com/e8X0tis1Ff

— Fernando Gómez (@FerGoGo67) February 18, 2018 Gomez, however, will be alone in representing southeastern Indiana at the state finals. No other athletes from a local school qualified for the state meet. The junior Indian was part of two Milan relay squads. The 200 yard medley relay team and 200 yard freestyle relay team from Milan each placed fourth. Milan teammate Noah Haessig earned a third place finish in the 100 yard freestyle final at 49.73 seconds, as well as a fifth-place finish in the 50 yard freestyle by clocking in at 22.60. East Central’s Alex Ketcham completed his senior season with a third-place finish in the 50 yard freestyle. Little brother and sophomore Jackson Ketcham was fourth in the 500 yard freestyle. With a time of 1:39.49, the Ketcham brothers were part of the 200 yard medley relay team for EC that just missed state by coming in second about 2.5 seconds behind Bloomington South. Junior Trojan Jacob Weber was third in the 100 yard butterfly. East Central’s 400 yard freestyle relay team placed third. The 200 yard freestyle relay team was fifth.

It’s going to be a great day on Saturday at Sectional Finals! Diving starts at 9am and Swimming starts at 1pm! Let’s support these guys as the continue an undefeated season! #AquaTrojans pic.twitter.com/BtZylD2bDS

— ECHS Swim Team (@ECHS_Swim) February 16, 2018 South Dearborn’s best showing of the sectional meet was seventh place in the 400 yard freestyle relay. Isaac Houze, William Townsend, Blake Chapman, and Lukas Bryant combined for a time of 3:55.17. Lawrenceburg’s best event was the 200 yard freestyle relay. The Tigers’ team of Pablo David, George Beiderhake, Matthew Ohlhaut, and Jackson McCool were seventh in the event with a time of 1:40.76. Columbus South claimed the team sectional championship with 496 points. Columbus North was second with 421 and Bloomington North third with 265. East Central was fourth with 242, Milan sixth with 170, South Dearborn ninth with 58, Batesville 10th with 57, and Lawrenceburg 11th with 35.5. Find full sectional meet results at http://www.ihsaa.org/dnn/Sports/Boys/Swimming/2017-18/StateTournament/tabid/2092/Default.aspx. The IHSAA Boys Swimming & Diving State Finals will take place at the IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis begin with prelims on Friday, February 23. The finals will be held Saturday, February 24.