At Indiana High School Championships, Talent Is Once Again Striking (Psych Sheets)
On Friday, the best swimmers in the state of Indiana will gather at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis for the 2023 IHSAA Boys Swimming & Diving State Finals. Swimming in Indiana is a big deal, especially on the high school level, with multiple USA Swimming National team members and Olympians competing in this meet at some point in their career.
As the next generation of Indiana’s top swimmers get set to take the water, a few athletes stand out. More, a few will leave their mark on the state meet long after they have left high school.
Qualification
To be able to display their dominance at the state meet, athletes have to qualify first. There are three ways to qualify for the state competition, the first of them by winning a race at one of the 20 sectional competitions that took place last weekend. Next, swimming under the state cut time will earn a bid. That invitation requires a time faster than the average mark of the 16th-place finisher from the previous three years. The final opportunity to qualify is to be called down, which means having a time that wasn’t a state cut but fills the entry lists to the required 32 spots. Additionally in Indiana, unlike other states, swimming is a one class sport, meaning only one championship competition.
After the official psych sheets were released last weekend, four swimmers stood out in a talent-filled pool. These are the swimmers to keep an eye on as they take the water this weekend.
Aaron Shackell
If there is any continuity between the two lists of swimmers to keep an eye out for at the state meet, it’s the last name Shackell. The older brother to three-time IHSAA State Champion Alex Shackell, Aaron is also a force to be reckoned with in the water.
A senior at Carmel and a class of 2023 commit to Cal-Berkeley, Aaron won the 100 butterfly last year and was the runnerup in the 200 freestyle. Although he won the fly last year, becoming the eighth Carmel swimmer to win the event, he isn’t even swimming it this winter. Instead, he has opted for the 200 freestyle and 500 free.
As Aaron gets set to take the water for his final meet as a Carmel Greyhound, the career he has had as an Indiana High School swimmer has been nothing short of outstanding. Shackell was a member of the NFHS record-setting 200 medley relay last year, and this year he has the opportunity to close out a great high school career with some big swims in the 200 and the 500 free.
Will Modglin
The 2022 Swimming World High School Swimmer of the Year and the best swimmer in the class of 2023, Will Modglin is looking to make history in the pool this weekend. A senior at Zionsville High School and a Texas commit, Modglin has already racked up four individual state championships over his high school career, and this weekend he looks to add his name to the IHSAA history books.
As a sophomore, Modglin became the first swimmer from Zionsville to win a state championship in the 200-yard IM and then later became only the second swimmer from Zionsville to win a title in the 100 backstroke. During his junior season, he repeated both feats, winning both the 200 IM and 100 back by more than 2.5 seconds. This year, he looks to be even more dominant.
Last weekend, at his sectional competition, he just missed setting the national high school record in the 100 back, going a 45.53. This weekend, to no surprise, Modglin comes in as the top seed in both the 200 IM and 100 back, and with wins he will add his name to the record book as a three-time state champion in two different events.
Matthew Klinge
Only a junior from Harrison, Matthew Klinge burst onto the scene last year by winning the 50 free by a tenth of a second over Carmel senior Christopher Holmes, going a 20.43. This year, Klinge has continued his dominance in the sprint events.
After dropping a blazing 19.74 in the 50 at his sectional meet last weekend, to no surprise he comes in with the top seed time. On top of being the top seed in the 50, he also comes into the meet as the second seed in the 100 fly. Klinge is a heavy favorite in that event as well.
What stands out the most about Klinge’s performance in the 50 from sectionals is that he dropped that time as only a junior. The national record is a 19.11, set by Davis Curtiss in 2021. Given Klinge’s talent, it will be interesting to see how close he can get to Curtiss’ standard.
Brandon Malicki
Brandon Malicki, a junior at Carmel High School, is looking to add to his school and family dynasty at the state competition. Malicki will compete in both the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke, coming in as the fourth and first seed, respectively.
Carmel’s best breaststroker, Malicki is looking to continue the dominance his brother, Ryan, enjoyed the past two years. Now that his brother is gone, Brandon has his chance to leave a mark in the IHSAA history after finishing fifth last year, and sixth his freshman year. Although he comes in the top seed, he will have a challenge on his hands with Carroll’s Adam McCurdy and South Bend Riley’s Christopher Bartmess making a push for that top spot.
Interestingly enough, with a win in the 100 breast this weekend, it will make the streak three years since someone not named Malicki has won the event.
The Team Race
Unlike the Girls State Meet, the boys meet will have more teams challenge at the top. Carmel is still the heavy favorite, and the seven-time defending champions come into the meet 80 points ahead of Zionsville, based upon the psych sheet score.
What stands out the most about the boys state meet is the spread of talent among all schools. From Carmel to Zionsville, Fishers to Carroll, South Bend Riley to Homestead in the race for a trophy, all teams that brought depth from their sectional meet have a shot.