By MIKE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
MADISON - The 200-yard medley relay grabbed a seventh place finish to lead the Stevens Point Area Senior High girls swimming team to a 13th place showing at the WIAA state championship Saturday.
The four SPASH competitors - April Burant, Kara Martin, Jacci Menzel and Liz Potter -teamed on both Panther relays and set season-best times in their last meet of the year.
"I'm very pleased," SPASH coach George Klingbail said. "It's some pretty tough competition."
In the first event of the day, the 200-yard medley relay team knocked a one-half second off of its best time, to finish seventh in 1:53.49. Hartland Arrowhead won the event in 1:48.35.
The 400-yard freestyle relay, which entered the event seeded 19th, swam its best time of the year by three seconds and moved up to take 10th place in 3:46.71.
Individually, Martin gave SPASH a ninth place finish in the 100-yard backstroke (1:00.66). Sarah Wanezek of Brookfield East took the title in 55.75 seconds.
Burant competed in two individual events, taking 15th in the 100-yard butterfly (1:01.54) and 21st in the 100-yard backstroke (1:03.04). Wanezek also won the 100-yard butterfly in a state record-breaking 54.55 seconds.
The meet was the last for seniors Burant and Menzel while juniors Martin and Potter will be back for more next fall.
"Both Jacci and April can go out feeling really good about themselves," Klingbail said. "And Kara and Liz can feel good about what they did today and can look forward to next year."