Back after a 10-year absence

Little-noticed among the results that poured in from last week's sectionals was a 5th-place finish by the 200-yard freestyle relay from Jefferson at the Div. 2 Waunakee sectional. The relay's time of 1:35.03 was good enough to qualify for the Division 2 state meet this Friday.

For Jefferson, one of the smallest schools in the state to offer a full-fledged, non-co-op boys program, it was a very big deal. The school will be making its first appearance in 10 years at the Div. 2 state meet. Seniors Doug Posorske, Lee Olson, and Eric Beccue -- who serve as tri-captains for the team -- joined freshman Marcos Lares in swimming on the relay that got the school its first bid to the state meet in a decade. Posorske added to the achievement by qualifying for state in both of his individual events -- the 50 free (seeded 13th) and the 100 butterfly (seeded 7th).

For the Jefferson relay, it was the culmination of a season-long goal. The team had targeted its 200-free relay for a state bid all season long, and during the course of the season the foursome had broken the school record three times. They broke it again at the Waunakee sectionals, and when results from around the state were posted Saturday night, the relay had made it to state.

This time of year, at schools like Madison Memorial, Hartland-Arrowhead, and McFarland, qualifying for the state meet is expected -- something that's routinely done, year after year. At a school like Jefferson -- far from the swimming meccas of Madison and greater Milwaukee -- it's not. Jefferson's 200-yard free relay probably won't win a state title (it's seeded 15th), but, importantly, it will be at the UW Natatorium, competing for one.

So here's to the swimmers from Jefferson and head coach Vicki Schuyler. Most schools at the state Div. 1 and 2 meets will bring more swimmers; few will bring a prouder group of student-athletes.