Relays are fun to watch, and the 200-free relay is arguably the most fun to watch. It's all about speed and starts -- a whirlwind of activity. A friend of mine whose children participated in swimming called the 200 free relay "the best event -- by far -- in high school swimming."
So it was with a great deal of anticipation that the 200 free relay teams from Wausau East and Wisconsin Rapids matched up against each other last week. Wausau East was the surprise runner-up in the event last year the Div. 1 state meet; seeded 4th, the East relay knocked off two relays ahead of it -- Hartland-Arrowhead and top-seeded Waukesha South/Mukwonago -- to claim the runner-up spot behind Madison East's record-setting relay. With four underclassmen on the relay, including three sophomores, Wausau East could lay claim to being favorites in the relay this year at state.
Standing in their way last week was Wisconsin Rapids and anchor swimmer Becca Weiland, having a monster of a season a year after being sidelined by a bum shoulder. The two relays battled it out in their dual meet last week at the Wisconsin Rapids 25-meter pool, with East emerging with a narrow win -- .11 seconds -- as anchor Lea Koenig held off Weiland on the last leg.
"That was a great race," Wisconsin Rapids coach Todd Wiedenhaft told the Wausau Daily Herald. "I was happy with our girls tonight. I wanted them to come in and battle with East and they did."
There are likely opportunities for a rematch this year. The two teams go up against each other in the conference meet later this fall, as well as sectionals and -- I wouldn't bet against it -- maybe even the D1 state meet.
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WHAT WAS THE TIME?
Oops -- sorry about that.
1:55.47 for Wausau East
1:55.58 for Wisc. Rapids.
Meter pool. One conversion tool I've used has it as 1:44.03, but I'm a bit suspicious of that conversion. Seems a bit slow.
Eau Claire Memorial may have a little to say about that sectional 200 free relay. I believe memorial already beat Rapids at ec relays.
A few million years ago this relay wasn't part of the high school lineup. It really changed the strategy for high school meets. The other thing it has done is make high school swimming even more focussed on free style sprints. There are 60 swims in a 6 lane meet. (3 relays at 12 swims each, and 8 individual at 3 swims). 33 of those swims are either the 100 or 50 free.
"Eau Claire Memorial may have a little to say about that sectional 200 free relay. I believe memorial already beat Rapids at ec relays."
Moose:
Could you encourage your local paper (the Leader-Telegram) to write a bit more about swimming there? I know football's big, but I have to wade through a dozen football stories to even find one on local swimming. And you have one of the state's best swimmers at EC Memorial. Just asking :):)
Your are right about the paper in Eau claire. They sometime post results but you never know what you get. Pronschinske swam a 104.1 last weekend at the U of M. Broke a meet record.
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