Receiving individual awards at Seymour’s swimming and diving banquet on Tuesday was, front from left, Katya Cox, Maren McClure, Lillian Sunbury and Ellen Zabor; back row is Paul Montgomery, Will Cottrill, Clayton Greenawalt, Pedro Cerino Rico, Larry Simons and Kaleb Brown.
Arv Koontz | The Tribune
Maren McClure has been near the top of the point list for the Seymour girls’ swim team the past four winters.
When the swimming and diving team held its awards program in the school cafeteria Tuesday night, McClure received the most valuable swimmer award for the fourth straight year. McClure actually tied Sandy Cerino Rico for that award a year ago.
Coach Dave Boggs said she is the fourth girl to receive most valuable honors four straight years. The others were Nicole Stevens, Kyla Jungclaus and Paiton Chastain. Stevens and Jungclaus tied for the honors three straight years.
This season McClure scored 249 points to finish 36 points ahead of Katya Cox.
Paul Montgomery and Pedro Cerino Rico tied for most valuable honors for the boys for the 2021-22 season.
McClure, who was a state finalist in the breast stroke her junior year, swam the fastest times in the 100 breast, 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley for the Owls this season. She was also on the 200 medley, 200 free and 400 free relay teams when they swam their fastest times of the season.
Kate Connell posted her best diving score of the season in the sectional (283.30) and qualified for the Jasper Regional.
Boggs said the points on the boys’ side was so close that co-most valuables were named. Montgomery, a junior, had 270.5 points and Cerino Rico, a sophomore, had 257.5 points.
Montgomery became the second male swimmer in SHS history to place first in four events at sectionals as he won the 50 and 100 freestyles and swam on the winning 200 and 400 free relay teams.
Montgomery and Cerino Rico teamed up with Clayton Greenawalt and Will Cottrill to break the school record in the 200 free relay. The same foursome made up the 400 free relay team that advanced to state.
Kameron Chastain was the other Seymour male swimmer to place first in four events at sectionals.
Montgomery had the fastest time for the boys in the 50 free, 100 free, and was on all three relays that turned in the fastest time of the season.
Cerino Rico had Seymour’s fastest times in the 200 free, 100 back, 100 fly and 200 IM, and was on all three relay teams that turned in fastest times of the season.
Boggs also presented most improved, mental attitude, 110 percent and coaches awards. He said the awards were voted on by the swimmers.
Cox received the mental attitude for the girls and Greenawalt received that honor for the boys.
Cox turned in the second-fastest time for the girls in the 50 free, 200 free and 100 back.
Greenawalt had Seymour’s top time in the 100 breast and was second on the team in the butterfly in addition to his success in the relays.
Most improved honors went to Stephanie Lopez for the girls and Cottrill for the boys.
Lopez swam the 50 and 100 freestyles and the 100 back, while Cottrill swam the sprint freestyles, plus the 100 back and 100 breast in addition to the relays.
The 110 percent awards went to Lillian Sunbury for the girls and Larry Simons for the boys.
Sunbury was No. 1 for the girls in the 200 free and 500 free, and also swam the 100 free and in relays.
Simons had Seymour’s top time in the 500 free, and he also swam the 100 fly.
Ellen Zabor received the coach’s award for the girls and Kaleb Brown received that honor for the boys.
Zabor swam the 50 and 100 freestyles, the 100 back and 100 fly and in relays and Brown competed in the 50 and 100 freestyles and relays.
All of the special award winners scored points in relays.
There were 25 on the girl’s team, and they had a record of 13-1-2, marking the 28th consecutive winning for the SHS girls. The boys were 11-4, marking their 29th consecutive winning season. The girls placed third and the boys fourth in Hoosier Hills meets, and the girls were third and the boys second in the sectionals.
Boggs said, “During the season I got bored and changed their (daily) workouts. The athletes really liked that. We had daily quotes. I like to have athletes that give back to the community. They need to keep track of their hours.”
Four senior girls received academic all-American honors: McClure, Sunbury, Zabor and Samantha Jacobi. Greenawalt and Cottrill received academic all-American honors for the boys. Boggs said he has now had 35 girls and 26 boys that have been academic all-Americans.
Another senior member of the girl’s team was Kaylynn Zarate. Boggs said, “The seniors did a great job of leading. They meant a lot to the program.”