JASPER – Bedford North Lawrence’s girls swimming season came to a conclusion with a second-place finish in the IHSAA sectional at Jasper on Saturday.
The Stars totaled 297 points, while Jasper won the team title with 567. The winner in each individual event qualified for the state finals. BNL had four second-place finishes, including all three relays.
“I need to express how happy I am with the performance,” BNL coach Adam Young said. “They brought it Thursday (during the prelims) and stepped it up today. It’s the first time we have finished second since 2019, and that was with zero points from diving.”
BNL’s Ava Lipp, Emma Heinzman, Cookie King and Francesca Orozco combined to finish second in the 200-yard medley relay in 1:58.52. Orozco, Heinzman, Mia Manke and Sabrina Lipp teamed to finish second in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:47.89. Both Lipps, King and Manke settled for runner-up in the 400 free relay in 3:59.13.
Ava Lipp was second in the 100 backstroke in 1:00.75.
“I am really proud of these girls,” Young said. “They have put together a quality team. They worked hard and saw the results.
“This season was just a first step though. There is a lot of opportunity ahead. I hope we take advantage of it. That sectional is now ours if we want it. We will see if the girls do what is needed in the offseason to make it happen.”
