By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – What a way to go.
Bedford North Lawrence honored its senior class, and the farewell performance in the home pool was one for the ages as the Stars swept to a victory in every event and swamped Bloomington South 100-86 in the boys meet on Tuesday night.
The Panthers prevailed in the girls meet 131-52.
Nobody could remember a BNL victory over the Panthers, at least not in the last 25 years, so seniors Skyler Bates, Zeke Thompson, Dayson Sorrells, Andrew Swenson and Jacob Werley went out in style. This one won’t be forgotten.
“All I have to say is Wow!” BNL coach Terry Tlustek said. “It was a great way to send the seniors off. They really deserved it.”
Sorrells, Werley and Swenson were all double winners, and they teamed with sophomore flash John Allen to break the school record in the 200 freestyle relay (1:28.65, shattering the old mark of 1:29.92 set in 2013).
Sorrells touched first in the 200 individual medley (2:09.18) and 100 breaststroke (1:05.03), Werley whirled in front in the 50 free (22.49) and 100 free (48.15), and Swenson claimed the 100 butterfly (54.49) and 100 backstroke (56.21). They were ready for the last races in their home water.
“It’s about the hard work and dedication we’ve put in,” Werley said. “Obviously we’ve had a lot of fun along the way as well.”
BNL’s others wins came from Bates (229.55 points in diving), Allen (1:53.49 in the 200 free) and Alexander Swenson (5:09.77 in the 500 free), plus the 200 medley relay (1:42.96) and 400 free relay (3:26.86). Bates even did a celebratory cannon-ball dive as his last warm-up, although his six required dives didn’t make many waves.
“It makes it fun and you want to get that win a little bit more,” Bates said.
In the girls meet, BNL won only one event as Shaylee Summers, Georgia Sites, Ursula Patton and Shelby Slaughter took the 200 medley relay in 2:06.48. Summers, Sites and Emily Webb took their final bows as upperclassmen.
“All of these girls are solid kids,” Tlustek said. “They will go on to accomplish great things.”
“It’s really special,” Summers said. “It’s a big accomplishment to go through this for so long.”
“We’re definitely going to cry,” Sites added.
Sydney Anderson (100 free in 58.16 and 50 free in 26.69), Kristina Paegle (5:03.61 in the 500 free and 1:58.47 in the 200 free) and Gillian Boggs (1:02.57 in the 100 backstroke and 1:00.97 in the 100 butterfly) were double winners for the Panthers.
BNL will compete in the girls Hoosier Hills Conference meet on Thursday (prelims) and Saturday (finals).
