Midway point of the season

We're halfway through the 2008 girls season, so here's a quick rundown of what to expect at the D1 and D2 state meets Nov. 14-15.

D1:

The race for the D1 team state title appears to be between last year's state champs (Madison East), East's Big Eight Conference rival and last year's runner-up (Madison Memorial), and the team whose five-year run as state champs was broken last year (Hartland Arrowhead). Call it a matchup among the few (East), the many (Memorial), and the young guns (Arrowhead).

East's chances of defending its title center on senior Ruby Martin and sophomore Aja Van Hout. Martin is the defending state champ in the 50 free, and with defending champ Stephanie Armstrong not swimming this year, the favorite in the 100 free. Van Hout is the defending state champ in the 200 IM and 500 free, and has been tearing through meets this season (setting four East High team records already). In short, they are probably the two best swimmers in the state; put them together on any two relays, and those relays are unlikely to lose, given the quality swimmers East can use to augment the duo. It's not inconceiveable to suggest East would go into the state meet favored to win six events (four individual events, two relays) -- that's 160 points right there, or a pretty good foundation upon which to defend the state title.

Memorial relies on depth and more depth, although junior Jackie Powell is a threat to win the D1 100 back title. The Spartans will certainly qualify three top relay teams for the state meet; their relays last year finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd last year at state, and all but two of the swimmers on those relays return, augmented by some new additions to the team. Memorial may be the only D1 team in the state with a legitimate shot at qualifying a swimmer in each of the eight individual swimming events.

Arrowhead's been strengthened with an influx of freshmen, notably freestyler Haley Pietila and backstroker Kate Jones. They join sophomore Emma Goral, defending state champ in the 100 fly, to provide a solid core of young swimmers who will likely qualify with fast times for the state meet and form the foundation for the team's relays.

At the Wisconsin Invitational held in mid-September at the UW-Madison Natatorium, Arrowhead beat out Memorial 337-297, with East in third with 262 points. Two weeks later, however, Memorial turned the tables on Arrowhead at the Middleton Invitational, edging them by a 408-402.5 margin. Of course, down the stretch of the season, East and Memorial will face off three times in two weeks before the state meet -- their dual meet Oct. 22 at East, the Big Eight Conference meet Nov. 1, and the Middleton sectional Nov. 8.