The GNC conference title hung in the balance until the final event of Friday’s meet in Tomahawk. Ladysmith and the Hatchets both broke the 400 free relay record in that event, but the Lumberjills’ edge was enough to offset the THS ‘B’ squad edging out Ladysmith for fifth.
The Lumberjills topped Tomahawk 315-311, while Lakeland edged Medford for third 220-214.
“What a night!” THS coach Theresa L’Esperance said. “From a coaching perspective, I cannot be sad, we swam the meet of our lives!
“This is the best Tomahawk swim team ever! We had 42 PR’s, and counting new record relays it was 47. We could feel sad, we were so close, but this is the highest finish for a Tomahawk Swim team.
“As the meet progressed past the 100 butterfly, it was Ladysmith and Tomahawk battling for 1st.
“We knew we might be down slightly after the breaststroke and would have to win the 400 relay to clinch the meet. Ladysmith had not won one event all night, having been touched out by either Medford or us.
Ladysmith saved their best for last, swimming a blistering 3:48.42 relay to Tomahawk’s 3:49.31! Both times broke the conference record. (Lauren) Hilt swam one of the fastest relay legs in the state going 52.74, but it was just not enough. Ladysmith pulled out the win and the conference championship by just four points over Tomahawk.”
Tomahawk would capture five of 11 events over the course of the meet, and actually ranked 1-2 in the 100 free with Hilt (:54.54) and Morgan Weber (:56.95). Hilt also won the 200 free in 2:02.42, while Weber was first in the 50 free (:25.47). Hilt cut more than a half-second off the GNC record in both the 100 (:55.07) and 200 (2:02.95).
Other wins came from Katherine Russell in the 100 fly (1:06.05) and the 200 free team (Weber, Michaela Galganski, Baylee Dallman and Hilt) tied the GNC mark of 1:45.17.
Russell was second in the 100 back (1:07.63), as was the 400 free squad (Karli Cecil, Weber, Mikhayla Kleich, Hilt, 3:49.31). The 200 medley group (Russell, Galganski, Cecil, Dallman) was third in 2:01.59.
Fourths came from: Galganski (100 brea, 1:17.17); and the 200 free ‘B’ team (Taylor Hansen, Jackie Elliott, Jamie Sterr, Kleich, 1:50.42).
Fifths were turned in by: Cecil (100 fly, 1:08.57); and the 400 free ‘B’ group (Hansen, Samantha Kleich, Sterr, Russell, 4:03.98). M. Kleich was 6th in the 500 free (5:51.28). Sevenths came from: Cecil (200 IM, 2:34.03); Elliott (100 back, 1:11.25); and the 200 medley ‘B’ team (Maddy McPherson, Emma Bushey, S. Kleich, Hansen, 2:06.77).
Placing eighth were: M. Kleich (200 free, 2:11.90); S. Kleich (100 fly, 1:11.17); and McPherson (100 back, 1:12.60).
“Our 400 B relay, whom we changed swimmers at the last moment and went with an all junior/senior group, had just witnessed Ladysmith B swim their best time of the year with all swimmers swimming 102’s, something our group of girls had never swam,” L’Esperance said. “The pressure was on. All four girls swam personal records: Hanson (1:01), Sterr (1:02), Sami (1:01), and Russell (:58)! I cannot say enough about the determination of a senior in their last meet of the year. Sami and Jamie led this small band of swimmers. They stepped to the block and revealed great pride and athleticism in their last meet of their swimming careers! That’s what seniors do! I am very proud of them.”
Those seniors were backed up by hungry underclassmen.
“Russell came out fired up,” L’Esperance said. “I have never seen her this excited to swim in her past two years! I truly believe we awakened a fierce competitor this year!
“With five yards to go in the 100, (Weber) was in third place, but with a great photo-finish, she out-touched Loertscher of Medford by four one-hundredths of a second. Both of Morgan’s times were good enough to qualify for state last year, so with a race suit on next week, we are hoping to see her make it to the big dance in Madison.
“There will be some tough decisions to make on who will be swimming our relays. This is also a first for the coaching staff. We have such great depth, any number of swimmers can step in and be apart of the ‘A’ relays.”
Russell, Hilt, Sterr, Elliott, all came up with 4 PR’s, while Bushey, Casey, McPerson, Weber, S. Kleich, Hansen, Zurfluh each had 3, and Dallman, M. Kleich and Galganski came up with 2.
The team set ‘B’ records in 200 free and 400 free relays, while the ‘C’ squads set marks records in all three relays.
Team standings-Ladysmith 315, Tomahawk 311, Lakeland 220, Medford 214, Rhinelander 102, Colby/Abby 57, Antigo 51, Wittenberg 32.