Early-season match-ups

Coaches sometimes loathe big early-season matchups -- swimmers are pounding on the yards, individual events are being sorted out, and relays may not have taken shape yet.

But D2 saw two big early season meets between teams that should find themselves near the top of the state meet standings in November.

On Thursday, Monona Grove took on DeForest at the Norskies' home pool. DeForest is the two-time defending state champs, but lost several top swimmers -- including 7-time state champ Kelly Winckler -- to graduation. MG, meanwhile, returns five of the six swimmers that scored last year at the state meet to help the Silver Eagles finish 3rd.

In the end, DeForest emerged with a win, 96-74, despite MG winning two of the three relays and five of the eight individual events. MG's Hayley Martin, one of the state's top swimmers, handily won her two events (50 free in an impressive 24.78; 100 free in 54.39) and sophomore Kelsey Millin doubled up in winning the fly (a solid 1:00.74) and back. But DeForest usually features good depth and good distance swimmers, and Thursday was no different -- picking up lots of 2nd and 3rds, while sweeping the first two spots in both the 200 and 500 frees. Freshman Leah Winckler also had an impressive meet, with solid efforts in the fly and breaststroke and an impressive fly split on the winning medley relay.

The same night, over in Milwaukee's northern suburbs, Shorewood took on Grafton in a non-conference meet. Shorewood emerged victorious, 92-86, led by its super twosome of Elli Sellinger and Claire Chamberlain. The pair each won two individual events with impressive times (Sellinger: 200 free -- 1:57.64; fly -- 59.41; Chamberlain: IM -- 2:15.54; back -- 1:01.11) and swam on the team's winning medley and 400-free relays. For Grafton, Brianna Dietz -- 5th last year at state in the 500 free -- won her speciality in 5:24.35.