North Vermillion High School Athletics

On February 13, 2025, the North Vermillion boys' swim team achieved a historic milestone, defeating Fountain Central 75-73 for the first time in program history. In a meet that came down to the final races, the Falcons delivered clutch performances, setting multiple personal bests and dominating the 500 Freestyle to secure a hard-fought victory over the 14-time Wabash River Conference champions. Key Performances: Emery Strubinger set the tone early with a win in the 200 Freestyle (2:25.03), while Payton Russell added key points with a third-place finish. Brady Dryer and Owen Hazelwood’s 2-3 finish in the 200 IM helped offset a first-place finish by Fountain Central. Austin Ball dropped 0.8 seconds to set a new personal record in the 50 Freestyle (25.82), securing 1st place. Brandon Miller delivered a 6.61-second drop in the 100 Freestyle, finishing 2nd (1:02.35), while Austin Ball took 3rd. The 500 Freestyle proved to be the turning point, as Brady Dryer (1st - 7:24.40), Brandon Miller (2nd - 7:42.81, PR by 11.38 sec), and Payton Russell (3rd - 8:50.81) combined to earn 13 crucial points for the Falcons. Strubinger also claimed victory in the 100 Backstroke, setting a personal best (1:12.52). Owen Hazelwood set a new PR (1:35.40) in the 100 Breaststroke, finishing 2nd, while John Clay made his debut in the event, taking 3rd (1:40.27). The 400 Freestyle Relay team capped off the night with a clutch first-place finish (4:58.21), sealing the historic victory. The Falcons, who have competed in high school swimming since 1979, had never beaten the Mustangs in 28 seasons until now. The landmark victory is a testament to the team’s hard work, perseverance, and strategic execution. North Vermillion will now look to carry this momentum into the final stretch of the season as they prepare for Sectionals next week at Crawfordsville.