Record-breaking performance earns Shelbyville swimmer trip to state championship meet

Riley Everette shattered a school record at the New Palestine Sectional and qualified for the IHSAA state championship meet.

The Shelbyville junior finished second in the 100-yard butterfly in 57.01 seconds to break the previous record of 58.41, set by Grace Lux in 2020, by 1.40 seconds. And while she finished second in the final to Greenfield-Central’s Taylor Parsons (56.84), her time was fast enough to earn an automatic berth into the 51^st Annual IHSA Swimming and Diving State Finals at the Indiana University Natatorium in downtown Indianapolis.

Everette will compete Friday in preliminary races. She will need a top-16 finish to advance to Saturday’s championship and consolation races.

Shelbyville diver Chloe Claxton finished third at the sectional to advance to Tuesday’s Brownsburg Regional. Five sectionals feed into that regional. Claxton will need a top-8 finish to advance to the state championship meet.

Everette also finished third in the 200 individual medley and was part of two relay teams that finished third and second.

Other Golden Bears competing in sectional championship races Saturday at New Palestine were Claxton (seventh in 200 freestyle), Anne Marie Fansler (eighth in 200 individual medley) and Paige Bohman (sixth in 50 freestyle, seventh in 100 freestyle).

Consolation race participants were Meeghen Bushfield (10^th in 50 freestyle, 12^th in 100 breaststroke), Addie Stieneker (15^th in 50 freestyle, 16^th in 100 freestyle), Ella Breedlove (12^th in 100 butterfly, 15^th in 100 breaststroke), Fansler (ninth in 100 breaststroke) and Naomi Garringer (11^th in 500 freestyle, 11^th in 100 backstroke).

Also for Shelbyville, Chloe Higdon placed 13^th in the diving competition while Kira Wiedersatz finished 14^th.

The Golden Bears opened the sectional Saturday with a fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay. Garringer, Bushfield, Claxton and Fansler touched the wall in 2:11.76.

Everette, Fansler, Bushfield and Bohman finished third in the 200 freestyle relay (1:45.89).

Everette, Claxton, Bohman and Garringer finished runner-up in the 400 freestyle relay (3:56.16).

Shelbyville placed fourth in the team standings behind Greenfield-Central, Mt. Vernon and New Palestine.

Shelbyville head coach Coen Weiler (photo) was selected Coach of the Year.

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