Division 1 preview

The big question entering the 2008 girls season: Can Madison East repeat its remarkable run to a state title? The Purgolders won their first state title last year, edging crosstown rival Madison Memorial by a mere 3.5 points. It was all the more remarkable, given that East won the title with just six swimmers.

Head coach Matt Matteson returns a strong corps of swimmers from last year's title team, including: sophomore Aja Van Hout, one of the few swimmers in recent state history to win two individual state titles (500 free, 200 IM) as a freshman; senior Ruby Martin, who won the 50 free last year and is arguably the best sprinter in the state; and junior Becca Soderholm, who had two top-four finishes (fly, IM) at state last year. Add in sophomore Ivy Martin and freshman Chelsea Soderholm, and Matteson has the foundation for another run at a state title.

Make no mistake; East is a squad geared for the state meet, as they have the ability to qualify all three relays for state, as well as score well in individual events. But their margin of error is thin, as the team carries just 14 swimmers and lacks the kind of depth seen in most of the state's other top D1 programs.

Other top teams and contenders:

-- The list of contenders for the state title has to start with Madison Memorial. Memorial last year appeared poised to end Hartland Arrowhead's six-year stranglehold on the state D1 title, only to see East swim a near-perfect state meet. Head Coach Jason Verhelst returns a strong group of swimmers from last year's runner-up squad, including: senior sprinters Kayla Smith and Mackenzie King, distance swimmer and backstroker Jackie Powell, breastroker Kendra Loch, and distance swimmer Dana Johnson. The Spartans always feature great depth, often qualifying multiple swimmers from individual events and qualifying three relays for state. It's also a veteran group of swimmers, and one that's probably hungry to improve on last year's 2nd-place finish at state.

-- Middleton finished third last year at state, and returns state qualifiers Katie Delaney (200/500 free), Kayla Beckwith (50/100 free), Talia Horner (back) and Ashley Ryan (fly). Middleton also usually features very good depth, and they return last year's third-place finisher in diving in sophomore Lauren Callen.

-- Hartland Arrowhead's remarkable run of six state titles came to an end last year, but HA returns a solid group of swimmers who qualified for state last year, led by sophomore butterfly champion Emma Goral.

-- Waukesha South/Mukwanago finished a surprising fourth last year at state, and returns several state meet veterans led by senior sprinter/butterflier Arianna Gorenc. The team will be looking for swimmers to move up to the top-tier in individual races; the highest individual finish for the team last year at state was 5th.

-- Memorial has supplanted Madison West as the top team on the city's west side, but the Regents are establishing a solid nucleus of young swimmers. West is led by seniors Abby Mundt and Maddie O'Keefe, and augmented by sophomore Ilsa Feierabend (state qualifier in both the 200/500 frees) and state relays swimmers Margaret Ntambi, Carolyn Curran and Kirkley Doyle. West also returns junior Kylie Rosenstock, the state dive champ.

Other individuals to watch this year include: Waukesha West junior Stephanie Armstrong, state champ on the 100/200 free; Wisconsin Rapids sophomore Becca Weiland, who had two 3rd-place finishes in the 50 and 100 free sprints at state; Janesville Craig junior Hailey Schneider (4th IM, 5th breaststroke), and Badger/Big Foot sophomore Emily Russart, who set the only record at the state meet in winning the 100 breaststroke.