The third installment in our ‘Top Moments of the Year’ series features the Crawfordsville Athenians. Cville had great performances this year from many different teams and athletes. From record setting performances from volleyball superstar Macy Bruton, to having Whitman Horton place on the podium at the Boys Swimming State Finals, that was just the tip of the iceberg that you’ll see on this list.
Let’s take a look at the top moments for the Athenians. Once again these moments were chosen with the help of the athletic directors and are in no particular order.
1. Whitman Horton makes history for Athenian boys swimming
For the first time in 16 years, Crawfordsville boys swimming had a swimmer place on the podium at the State Finals. Junior Whitman Horton placed sixth overall in the backstroke and finished ninth in 200IM by winning his consolation heat. Horton broke countless records this past year for Crawfordsville on his way to the State Finals. His time of 1:52.47 was a lifetime best in the 200IM.
“With a little hard work and a lot of dedication to honing your craft this is where you can get and Whit is a shining example of that,” Crawfordsville coach Kevin Hedrick said at the State Finals. “Winning against some of these giant schools is really tough to do and for him to be in the top 10 without the class system is pretty special and he is special guy.”
Horton will look to continue making history for the Athenians with what many hope is an even better season this coming winter.
2. Cville tennis wins county, conference and sectional titles
Both Crawfordsville boys and girls tennis teams shined on the courts this season. In the fall the boys team captured their first Sagamore Conference title since 2015 to go along with winning both the county and sectional titles. It was the first sectional title for CHS since 2017. Not to be out-done in the spring, the girls team also matched the boys by winning county, conference, and their third straight sectional title. The Sac title was also the girls’ first since 2015.
“These girls have worked hard all season and we knew it was going to be a tough thing to do,” Crawfordsville coach Kara Amundson said after winning the out-right SAC title. “We’ve just had so many girls step up this year and play great tennis. It’s worked out well for us and I couldn’t be more happy with them.” Cville coach Craig Brainard was equally proud of his group back in the fall.
“It feels surreal,” Brainard said. “We have such a young team, with no seniors. We won the county a couple weeks ago (vs North Montgomery), which was a huge goal for us this season, and now we cap off a perfect conference season. It is this type of experience, that winning experience, that makes you realize how great it is. I’m hoping this is the start of another winning tradition here at Crawfordsville.”
3. Track and Field has break through seasons
Just like both tennis teams, you can’t talk about one of the Athenian track and field teams without mentioning the other as each of them had seasons to remember. First for the boys, sophomore Alec Saidian broke onto the scene in the hurdles as for CHS and advanced to the Regional. Then you had the special 4x800 relay team of Max Brumett, Ryan Miller, Roman Contreras, and Tyson Fuller who broke the school record twice this season and also advanced to the Regional. The record now sits at 8:20.75
On the girls side the 4x100 relay team of Na’arah Byard, Campbell White, Parker Hartman, and Lily Hummel matched the boys by breaking the school record twice as the current time stands at 50.31.
“That record has been in the back of their minds ever since the end of last year and all season long,” first-year Cville coach Mike Jones said of his 4x800 boys team. “That record is a result of a year’s worth of dedication and hard work. What the best part for our girls is that they’re only going to continue to improve in the next several years and really see what their potential can be.””
4. Boys Soccer captures first sectional title since 2016.
Crawfordsville boys soccer has always had the talent and has been close to a sectional title multiple times in the last few years. This past fall Cville broke through and hoisted their first sectional title since 2016 as they out-lasted Cascade in a 4-3 thriller. With just over two minutes left Jazier Gil-Herrera delivered the game winning penalty kick to give the Athenians the win.
“This game was full of different swings and emotions, but our guys kept their heads down and continued to compete for the full 80 minutes,” Crawfordsville coach Marcus Hale said after the sectional title win. “When you do that, good things tend to happen. This group gets along with each other so well and fights for one another out on the field. I couldn’t be more proud for this group of guys.”
Cville had the fourth leading goal scorer in the state last season in junior Patrick Corado who ended with 39 goals. Along with goalie Alec Saidian Cville will look to defend their sectional crown this fall.
5. Kelly Johnson calls it a career with Athenian volleyball
There’s no question that this had to be on this list. This past fall Crawfordsville volleyball coach Kelly Johnson called it a career after being at the helm for 39 years. Johnson was met with a rousing standing ovation from everyone in attendance which included former players and of course Johnson’s family who joined her on the court before the game. Johnson ended her career with 625 career wins and coached CHS to three straight 20-win seasons the last three years.
“I’ve put my heart and soul into Crawfordsville volleyball for a long time,” Johnson said as she reflected on 39 years at the helm after Cville’s season ended in the sectional semi-finals. “We’re going to miss the community for sure but it’s time for a change and for me to spend time with my family. We’ll stick around and watch these girls and this program. I couldn’t be more proud to be their coach.”
What made the season just as special was that senior (now UIndy commit) Macy Bruton led the state in kills with 631. She ended her career by reaching a milestone that not many players get to accomplish with 2, 147 career kills and 1,107 digs).
Johnson routinely called Bruton the best player she’s ever coached. That speaks volumes when it comes from someone who has been coached for four decades.
