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.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
So far, pretty fast
Times are starting to trickle in to the Wisconsin state swim coaches website, which tracks top-30 times reported by coaches (see http://www.wisca.net/top30). Some of the more notable times I've seen:
-- Wisconsin Rapids' Becca Weiland with a time of 23.38 in the 50 free. That's faster than any seed time for last year's D1 state meet in the 50 free by more than half-a-second. To put that in context, Weiland's 50 time is faster than all but one of the past five winning D1 50 free times at state -- only Madison East's Ruby Martin with a 23.10 last year (swum with the now banned blue70 suit) has gone faster.
-- Sturgeon Bay's 200 free relay -- sisters Sierra and Savanna Townsend, McKenzie Trelka and Erin Hogan -- with a time of 1:39.36. That's less than half-a-second off the state D2 record in that event, set last year by Monona Grove's winning 200 free relay. Few D2 teams in the history of the state have gone under 1:40 for the 200 free relay.
-- Hartland-Arrowhead's Emma Goral with a 56.84 in the 100 butterfly. Goral may be the strongest favorite in any single D1 race this year; the junior has won state titles in the fly her first two years, each by more than a second.
-- Hartland-Arrowhead's 200 medley relay has posted a 1:48.66, fast enough for All-American status, according to the WISCA website. HA has several versatile swimmers it can place on this relay; who swims on it at sectionals and (presumably) state will depend on how HA arranges its other two strong relays. But pencil in Goral for the butterfly leg; she's the key to the potential success of this relay.
-- Badger-Big Foot's Emily Russart with a 1:04.15 in the 100 breaststroke; like Goral, Russart is a two-time defending champion in the event. Only Russart herself swam faster at last year's D1 state meet.
With the season about halfway done, swim teams will start to gear up for conference and sectional meets, and face each other in some of the bigger invitationals of the season. Look for more fast times as the season progresses.
-- Wisconsin Rapids' Becca Weiland with a time of 23.38 in the 50 free. That's faster than any seed time for last year's D1 state meet in the 50 free by more than half-a-second. To put that in context, Weiland's 50 time is faster than all but one of the past five winning D1 50 free times at state -- only Madison East's Ruby Martin with a 23.10 last year (swum with the now banned blue70 suit) has gone faster.
-- Sturgeon Bay's 200 free relay -- sisters Sierra and Savanna Townsend, McKenzie Trelka and Erin Hogan -- with a time of 1:39.36. That's less than half-a-second off the state D2 record in that event, set last year by Monona Grove's winning 200 free relay. Few D2 teams in the history of the state have gone under 1:40 for the 200 free relay.
-- Hartland-Arrowhead's Emma Goral with a 56.84 in the 100 butterfly. Goral may be the strongest favorite in any single D1 race this year; the junior has won state titles in the fly her first two years, each by more than a second.
-- Hartland-Arrowhead's 200 medley relay has posted a 1:48.66, fast enough for All-American status, according to the WISCA website. HA has several versatile swimmers it can place on this relay; who swims on it at sectionals and (presumably) state will depend on how HA arranges its other two strong relays. But pencil in Goral for the butterfly leg; she's the key to the potential success of this relay.
-- Badger-Big Foot's Emily Russart with a 1:04.15 in the 100 breaststroke; like Goral, Russart is a two-time defending champion in the event. Only Russart herself swam faster at last year's D1 state meet.
With the season about halfway done, swim teams will start to gear up for conference and sectional meets, and face each other in some of the bigger invitationals of the season. Look for more fast times as the season progresses.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Another installment on suits
Reachforthewall.com -- the very good website that tracks developments in the swimming world -- has a story on how suit enforcement may take place in the coming months.
As devoted swim followers well know, the sport's governing bodies have moved to ban the high-tech, full-body suits that have sparked controversy in the swimming world. The WIAA has announced that the suits will not be allowed in state competition for this year's girls and boys seasons.
But that's left some to wonder -- what is a legal suit? The sports governing bodies -- USA Swimming and FINA (and in turn the WIAA and the national high school sports association) -- have yet to provide a legal list of suits, and have suggested it may be up to coaches and meet officials to make a decision. (The primary guidance so far has been on suit length -- nothing longer than jammers for boys, and knee-length to neck for women.)
Here's how it might work; see this story (although it focuses on Washington, D.C.-area swim clubs, it provides some insights into how suit disputes may be resolved elsewhere):
http://reachforthewall.com/2009/09/22/what-to-wear-if-it-looks-legal-it-is/
Note this important section of the story:
More specifically, USA Swimming President Jim Wood said, officials will be advised to make judgments in three areas: Is the suit the appropriate length? Is it free of zippers or fasteners, which are now banned? And is the material, whatever it is, the same throughout — in other words, no visible panels, such as those found on Speedo’s popular LZR?
The answer to all three questions must be yes.
“We don’t want to go around feeling materials, but those three [evaluations] are pretty easily made,” Wood said.
As devoted swim followers well know, the sport's governing bodies have moved to ban the high-tech, full-body suits that have sparked controversy in the swimming world. The WIAA has announced that the suits will not be allowed in state competition for this year's girls and boys seasons.
But that's left some to wonder -- what is a legal suit? The sports governing bodies -- USA Swimming and FINA (and in turn the WIAA and the national high school sports association) -- have yet to provide a legal list of suits, and have suggested it may be up to coaches and meet officials to make a decision. (The primary guidance so far has been on suit length -- nothing longer than jammers for boys, and knee-length to neck for women.)
Here's how it might work; see this story (although it focuses on Washington, D.C.-area swim clubs, it provides some insights into how suit disputes may be resolved elsewhere):
http://reachforthewall.com/2009/09/22/what-to-wear-if-it-looks-legal-it-is/
Note this important section of the story:
More specifically, USA Swimming President Jim Wood said, officials will be advised to make judgments in three areas: Is the suit the appropriate length? Is it free of zippers or fasteners, which are now banned? And is the material, whatever it is, the same throughout — in other words, no visible panels, such as those found on Speedo’s popular LZR?
The answer to all three questions must be yes.
“We don’t want to go around feeling materials, but those three [evaluations] are pretty easily made,” Wood said.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
About those Milton freshmen...
...they are pretty good.
A couple of commentators on the blog have mentioned the prowess of Milton's incoming freshmen class. Yesterday's Milton Invite showed just how good they are.
Milton won its invitational 300-283 over Monona Grove Saturday in a meet that saw the two solid Division 2 programs go back-and-forth for the top spot throughout the meet. Milton came out on top in the end, and it can thank its freshmen for putting the team there.
Milton won the opening 200 medley relay, with freshman Katelyn Holmquist getting her relay off to an early lead on the backstroke leg, and fellow freshman Meagan Roberts providing a solid anchor leg to clinch the relay win. Twin sisters Katelyn and Abby Holmquist also swam legs on Milton's winning 200 free relay, while Abby Holmquist, Roberts, and freshman Katelyn Kirk comprised three-fourths of the team's 1st-place 400 free relay. The Holmquist sisters also contributed three wins in individual events -- Abby in the 200 and 100 frees (the 200 by nearly four seconds over multiple state qualifier Emily McClellan of Delavan-Darien), and Katelyn in the 100 back with an eye-popping time of 59.57. Roberts and Kirk provided top-four finishes in their individual events, as well.
Notable for Milton was that it won its invitational without a first-place in an individual event from star senior Jennah Haney. She twice finished second in what were the two most exciting and closest races of the meet -- to MG's Kelsey Millin in the 100 butterfly (where Haney swam a 59.33 to Millin's 59.13), and to D-D's McClellan in the 100 breaststroke in a match-up between two of the five swimmers who broke the state record last year in the race (Haney swam a 1:08.23 to McClellan's 1:08.10 -- very fast times for this stage of the season).
Milton had some big holes to fill after the graduations of state qualifiers Hailey Foss and Kaitlyn Kincaide. Looks like they are well on their way to filling them this year.
A couple of commentators on the blog have mentioned the prowess of Milton's incoming freshmen class. Yesterday's Milton Invite showed just how good they are.
Milton won its invitational 300-283 over Monona Grove Saturday in a meet that saw the two solid Division 2 programs go back-and-forth for the top spot throughout the meet. Milton came out on top in the end, and it can thank its freshmen for putting the team there.
Milton won the opening 200 medley relay, with freshman Katelyn Holmquist getting her relay off to an early lead on the backstroke leg, and fellow freshman Meagan Roberts providing a solid anchor leg to clinch the relay win. Twin sisters Katelyn and Abby Holmquist also swam legs on Milton's winning 200 free relay, while Abby Holmquist, Roberts, and freshman Katelyn Kirk comprised three-fourths of the team's 1st-place 400 free relay. The Holmquist sisters also contributed three wins in individual events -- Abby in the 200 and 100 frees (the 200 by nearly four seconds over multiple state qualifier Emily McClellan of Delavan-Darien), and Katelyn in the 100 back with an eye-popping time of 59.57. Roberts and Kirk provided top-four finishes in their individual events, as well.
Notable for Milton was that it won its invitational without a first-place in an individual event from star senior Jennah Haney. She twice finished second in what were the two most exciting and closest races of the meet -- to MG's Kelsey Millin in the 100 butterfly (where Haney swam a 59.33 to Millin's 59.13), and to D-D's McClellan in the 100 breaststroke in a match-up between two of the five swimmers who broke the state record last year in the race (Haney swam a 1:08.23 to McClellan's 1:08.10 -- very fast times for this stage of the season).
Milton had some big holes to fill after the graduations of state qualifiers Hailey Foss and Kaitlyn Kincaide. Looks like they are well on their way to filling them this year.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Growing the sport of swimming -- in Pewaukee
Wise swim followers say a successful showing by the United States in swimming in an Olympic year is almost always followed by an uptick in swim participation. So it's no surprise to see increased swimming numbers following last year's Michael Phelps-dominated Olympics.
One high school program experience strong growth is Pewaukee, in the western suburbs of Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's "Focus on Swimming" feature this week highlighted the girls swim team at Pewaukee; see here:
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/59687192.html
Pewaukee now has 47 swimmers, a sizeable number for a Div. 2 team. That includes 20 swimmers new to the sport, a pretty good sign of the sport's growing popularity. Pewaukee qualified one swimmer last year for state -- current sophomore Lacey Leist in the 100 back -- and also returns all of its swimmers from its medley and 200 free relays that could contend for state qualifying berths this year.
Making Pewaukee's growth all the more remarkable is that the school lacks a pool; swimmers have to commute to nearby St. John's Northwestern to practice.
"I call them the most devoted high school swimmers in the state," Pewaukee coach Angie Gatzow told the Journal-Sentinel.
One high school program experience strong growth is Pewaukee, in the western suburbs of Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's "Focus on Swimming" feature this week highlighted the girls swim team at Pewaukee; see here:
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/59687192.html
Pewaukee now has 47 swimmers, a sizeable number for a Div. 2 team. That includes 20 swimmers new to the sport, a pretty good sign of the sport's growing popularity. Pewaukee qualified one swimmer last year for state -- current sophomore Lacey Leist in the 100 back -- and also returns all of its swimmers from its medley and 200 free relays that could contend for state qualifying berths this year.
Making Pewaukee's growth all the more remarkable is that the school lacks a pool; swimmers have to commute to nearby St. John's Northwestern to practice.
"I call them the most devoted high school swimmers in the state," Pewaukee coach Angie Gatzow told the Journal-Sentinel.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
New sheriff in town
It's always healthy to see programs develop and grow -- swimming tends to center around a few areas and several well-established programs, so up-and-coming programs are worth noting.
One such program is the Burlington co-op, comprised of five schools: Burlington, Burlington Catholic Central, Wilmot United, East Troy and Waterford in southeastern Wisconsin. The Burlington co-op hasn't even scored a point in the last five Div. 1 state meets, but that should change this year.
Burlington showed why last weekend at the Shorewood Invitational, where they topped two strong D2 squads -- Shorewood and Whitefish Bay -- along with D1 Bay Port. And they did so pretty handily, netting 455.5 points to comfortably top runner-up Bay Port (388 points, with Shorewood in 3rd with 368.5 and WBay in 4th with 365.5). Burlington won the opening medley relay to set the tone for the meet, captured three individual titles, and closed out its win with a 1st-place in the closing 400 free relay.
"Across the board, we just had a lot of strong swims," Burlington coach Ken France told the Racine Journal-Times. "We showed that our top swimmers are extremely good and that we have great depth."
Of course, it helps to have one of the best sister acts in the state -- Anna and Sara Brooks. Both are good enough to have qualifed for this summer's junior national meet in Florida for their Waukesha Express club team. Anna, a freshman, won both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke at the Shorewood Invite, delivering a particularly impressive time of 2:07..06 in the IM. Sara, meanwhile, finished 2nd in the 100 back and swam along with her sister on the winning medley and 400 free relay teams. Freshman Serena Wanasek also contributed a win in the 500 free in a time -- 5:22.27 -- that stamps her as a contender in the race at the Kenosha Bradford sectional.
One such program is the Burlington co-op, comprised of five schools: Burlington, Burlington Catholic Central, Wilmot United, East Troy and Waterford in southeastern Wisconsin. The Burlington co-op hasn't even scored a point in the last five Div. 1 state meets, but that should change this year.
Burlington showed why last weekend at the Shorewood Invitational, where they topped two strong D2 squads -- Shorewood and Whitefish Bay -- along with D1 Bay Port. And they did so pretty handily, netting 455.5 points to comfortably top runner-up Bay Port (388 points, with Shorewood in 3rd with 368.5 and WBay in 4th with 365.5). Burlington won the opening medley relay to set the tone for the meet, captured three individual titles, and closed out its win with a 1st-place in the closing 400 free relay.
"Across the board, we just had a lot of strong swims," Burlington coach Ken France told the Racine Journal-Times. "We showed that our top swimmers are extremely good and that we have great depth."
Of course, it helps to have one of the best sister acts in the state -- Anna and Sara Brooks. Both are good enough to have qualifed for this summer's junior national meet in Florida for their Waukesha Express club team. Anna, a freshman, won both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke at the Shorewood Invite, delivering a particularly impressive time of 2:07..06 in the IM. Sara, meanwhile, finished 2nd in the 100 back and swam along with her sister on the winning medley and 400 free relay teams. Freshman Serena Wanasek also contributed a win in the 500 free in a time -- 5:22.27 -- that stamps her as a contender in the race at the Kenosha Bradford sectional.
Monday, September 14, 2009
As if there was any question...
...Hartland Arrowhead has a really good girls swim team.
HA ventured south to Kenosha for the Tremper Trojan Invitational and came away with a convincing win against some top teams. HA finished with 648.5 points, nearly 100 points more than runner-up Waukesha South/Mukwonago (460) and Muskego (455.5). Those two teams finished 4th and 5th, respectively, at the Div. 1 state meet last year, and with a healthy core of swimmers returning, are expected to represent some of HA's toughest competition this year.
But HA showed it can overwhelm teams with talent and depth. At the Trojan Invite, Haley Pietila won the 50 and 100 frees, and Emma Goral the 100 fly as expected. But HA really dominates with its relays, all of which won at the invitational. Pietila and Goral both swam on the winning medley and 400 free relays, while newcomer Julia Mikota contributed legs on the winning 200 and 400 free relays. State meet veterans Kate Jones and Holly Johnson also contributed on the relays, all three of which could be contenders for state titles this November. The relay times -- 1:48.66 for the medley, 1:39.77 for the 200, and 3:34.75 -- are certainly respectable at this stage of the season.
Individual titles are fine and dandy, but state trophies in swimming are earned with relays. HA showed why it will be a likely favorite this November in Madison.
HA ventured south to Kenosha for the Tremper Trojan Invitational and came away with a convincing win against some top teams. HA finished with 648.5 points, nearly 100 points more than runner-up Waukesha South/Mukwonago (460) and Muskego (455.5). Those two teams finished 4th and 5th, respectively, at the Div. 1 state meet last year, and with a healthy core of swimmers returning, are expected to represent some of HA's toughest competition this year.
But HA showed it can overwhelm teams with talent and depth. At the Trojan Invite, Haley Pietila won the 50 and 100 frees, and Emma Goral the 100 fly as expected. But HA really dominates with its relays, all of which won at the invitational. Pietila and Goral both swam on the winning medley and 400 free relays, while newcomer Julia Mikota contributed legs on the winning 200 and 400 free relays. State meet veterans Kate Jones and Holly Johnson also contributed on the relays, all three of which could be contenders for state titles this November. The relay times -- 1:48.66 for the medley, 1:39.77 for the 200, and 3:34.75 -- are certainly respectable at this stage of the season.
Individual titles are fine and dandy, but state trophies in swimming are earned with relays. HA showed why it will be a likely favorite this November in Madison.
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