It started as a joke, but little did Chesterton teammates Maisyn Klimczak and Veronika Ozimek realize how much it’d catch on.

Following the diving portion of the Duneland Athletic Conference meet on Saturday, Klimczak and Ozimek started flexing their muscles to their coaches, parents and even the Chesterton boys team in the stands.

“This is a meet where we’re getting ready for sectionals, so we’re doing anything to try and get the girls happy, laughing and excited to swim,” Klimczak said.

“If we’re all in a better mood, we’re all gonna swim better,” Ozimek added.

The pair showed off in and out of the pool Saturday. Klimczak, a junior, defending her titles in the 200- and 500-yard freestyles. Ozimek, a sophomore, won the 200 individual medley.

Junior Olivia Kroeger added a win in the 100 butterfly for Chesterton, which totaled 526 points to win its 21st straight DAC crown. Lake Central was second with 377.

“It was a nice meet for us leading into the last couple meets of the season and a real good confidence boost for the kids,” Chesterton coach Mat Pavlovich said. “I’ve been telling the girls to believe in the process. Following someone like (former Chesterton coach Kevin) Kinel, we each have our own ways of doing things, but the kids have bought into it.”

Klimczak won the 200 free in 1 minute, 53.52 seconds, and the 500 free in 5:00.42, hitting the state standard in both.

“I’ve been a little off this whole season, so coming in I really tried to keep positive and be ready to swim, and I’m very happy with how I did,” Klimczak said. “Everyone was a little nervous with the new coach coming in this season, but having him here has been a really good thing. Some of us even had better times than last year, so we’re all feeling really good.”

Pavlovich said for Klimczak, a distance swimmer, it’s all about continuing to grind.

“She hadn’t been doing what she did today in meets, but I knew at some point it’d click for her because she’s just such a talented swimmer,” Pavlovich said. “She hasn’t been swimming badly — like her last 25 (yards) in that relay was like, ‘Oh my God.’ She’s a big, tall girl who is gonna do good things.”

Klimczak and Ozimek, who won the IM in 2:07.19, also were on the victorious 400 free relay team. Ozimek held off Lake Central junior Paige Bakker, who had edged Ozimek by five-hundredths of a second in the 100 free. Pavlovich said Ozimek may be the team’s most versatile swimmer.

“It’s nerve-wracking every single time,” Ozimek said of the relay. “Swimming against (Paige) earlier in the 100 free set me up for the relay, so I was really ready for it. I felt really good, better than I have all season. I’m really proud of all the girls today.”

Built for the postseason:With four to five swimmers that are threats to win multiple events, Lake Central is a team that is set up to score better as the meets become more important.

In addition to Bakker, sophomore Jourie Wilson won in the 100 backstroke for the Indians on Saturday and was third in the 100 free. Junior Hanna Spoolstra was second in the 500 free and added a third in the 200 free. Senior Maggie DePirro was third 100 fly, and senior Michaela Spears was third in the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke.

“They really carry a lot of weight when it comes to these championship meets,” Lake Central coach Todd Smolinski said. “I’ve seen improvements from all of them. They’re focused, and they personally want to do well, as well as team-wise. They’re working hard to get where they want to be.”

CJ Peters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.