Backstroke, IM star Smith is back-to-back RTC Swimmer of Year

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

RTC Boys Swimmer of the Year Marcus Smith

It might be considered unusual for a swimmer to drop an event from one’s program after making the state finals in that event the previous year, but Marcus Smith is not like most swimmers.

The Tippecanoe Valley sophomore made state last year in the 100 butterfly but dropped it in favor of the 100 backstroke this year. Meanwhile, he got even better in his other individual event, the 200 individual medley.

Altogether, he made state in four events after making it in three events last year.

And after leading Valley to a historic third-place finish at the Warsaw sectional, he is our RTC Boys Swimmer of the Year.

The following is the list of swimmers who will join Smith on the All-RTC boys swimming team.

Since swimmers often had different roles in dual meets, we place an emphasis on the conference and postseason meets. Just about everything a swimmer does during the season is designed to get them to be at their fastest once we get to Warsaw in mid-February.

We take full responsibility for this list, and we welcome your feedback.

First team

• Marcus Smith (Tippecanoe Valley) – Smith won the 200 individual medley at the Three Rivers Conference meet by 15 seconds. And then he trimmed 11 seconds off that time after he tapered and finished 16th at state. The clock is his opponent more than any other person.

• Isaac Whetstone (Tippecanoe Valley) – Whetstone broke the magical five-minute mark in the 500 freestyle, and he made state in that event. Like Smith, he’s only a sophomore, and he’s only going to get faster.

• Jake Seuferer (Rochester) – Seuferer was third in the 200 freestyle and second in the 500 freestyle at the sectional, and Whetstone is the only area swimmer who is in Seuferer’s league in the distance events.

• Carson Parker (Tippecanoe Valley) – Butterfly and breaststroke are an interesting combination of events, but Parker, a junior, makes it work, consistently going under 55 seconds in the 100 butterfly and under one minute in the 100 breaststroke.

Honorable mention

• Austin Brooke (Pioneer)

• Wes Steininger (Rochester)

• Ian Kitchell (Pioneer)

• Karl Parker (Tippecanoe Valley)