By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
The Stevens Point Area Senior High School girls swimming team dominated while winning a double dual meet against La Crosse Central and La Crosse Logan Tuesday, Oct. 9, at the SPASH pool.
The Panthers defeated Central, 112-58, and Logan, 128-30.
"I think as a team we swam very well," SPASH swim coach Casey Nye said. "We are swimming through a lot of injuries right now, shoulders, knees and joints. Now we've also got colds and allergies and bronchitis."
Against Logan, Panther swimmers took first and second place in every event and the top three in all but two events. Against Central, the Panthers won eight of the 11 events, placing either first or second in each event.
Individuals taking the firsts in both meets were Lynsey Martin in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:15.36, Liz Herder in the 50-yard freestyle in 26.58 and 100-yard freestyle in 58 seconds, Jesse Thompson in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:05.70 and Sharissa Hillstead in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:13.21.
All three relay teams also won their events in both meets. They were the 200-yard medley relay team of Thompson, Hillstead, Herder and Callie Wild; the 200-yard freestyle relay team of Megan Ziolkowski, Hillary Loomis, Melissa Burant and Corrine Alinea; and the 400-yard freestyle relay team of Thompson, Wild, Herder and Hillstead.
Taking first places against Logan, in addition to the eight above, were Hillstead in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:25.32; Loomis in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:10.35 and Burant in the 500-yard freestyle in 6:00.08. They were all second in the Central meet.
Panther swimmers placing second against Central, in addition to Hillstead, Loomis and Burant, were Wild in the 50 and 100 freestyle, Loomis in the 100 butterfly, Addy Browne in the 100 backstroke, Emily Olson in the 100 breaststroke and the medley and 200-yard freestyle relay teams.
The medley relay team members were Browne, Olson, Corinne Alinea and Rebecca Potter. The 200 freestyle team included Kelly MacDonald, Potter, Kelly Koziczkowski and Erin Fenlon.
Taking thirds against Central were Alinea in the 100 butterfly, Thompson in the 100 freestyle, Natalie Olson in the 100 breaststroke and the 400 freestyle relay team of MacDonald, Ziolkowski, Alinea and Loomis.
Fourths against Central went to Fenlon in the 200 freestyle; Burant in the 200 individual medley; Kim Tanguay in the 50 freestyle; Ziolkowski in the 100 butterfly; Sara Crotteau in the 100 backstroke; the 200 medley team of Crotteau, Natalie Olson, Alinea and Potter; the 200 freestyle team of Natalie Olson, Lea Watson, Loomis and Nikki Mefford; and the 400 freestyle team of Crotteau, Emily Olson, Loomis and Browne.
In the Logan meet, the Panthers took the first three places with their three teams in each of the relay events.
They also swept the first three places in the 200 freestyle with Martin, Fenlon and Potter, the 100 butterfly with Loomis, Alinea and Ziolkowski; the 100 freestyle with Herder, Wild and Thompson; the 500 freestyle with Burant, Rachel Koehler and Martin; the 100 backstroke with Thompson Browne and Crotteau; and the 100 breaststroke with Hillestead and Emily and Natalie Olson.
Other seconds against Logan were recorded by Burant in the 200 medley and Wild in the 50 freestyle.
Fourth places went to Koehler in the 200 medley and Tanguay in the 50 freestyle.
Nye said the team continues to train relatively hard and is preparing for a busy week, with a meet Thursday against Rhinelander, one of the biggest conference rivals, then on Saturday the Panthers participate in a large invitational at Homestead High School in Mequon.
The team then takes a long break from competition, until the conference meet at Rhinelander on Oct. 26.
Nye said he's pleased with the team's progress, singling out the 200 medley relay team of Thompson, Hillstead, Herder and Wild, which won Tuesday's meet with a time of 1:57.46.
Last year the team would have had the fastest time in the first heat of the state meet, he said. "They have a chance to be in the top 16. There's a group that's really grown together."
Hillstead, a freshman, has improved as the season has gone on. "She's had a great season," Nye said, "She's a state hopeful. If she hits her best times, she will make it to state. She's a hard trainer and is developing the mindset."
He said he feels good about the team's training this year. "As a team we don't have a lot of top, top swimmers," he said. "Our depth is really what makes it good. It's how we win meets."
The team has a large number of participants and Nye said that's beneficial. "We have a huge middle group with a lot of competition for spots. As a coach, it's great to have so many."
With a large group of nearly equal swimmers, there can be a down side, he said. "It's tough on them to bounce from junior varsity to varsity and back, yet it's good for them, it's a healthy competition for them."
That competition has brought the team together. "They back each other in the lineup," he said. "They do a great job really supporting each other."