The MHS swimmers put forth an extra effort and it paid off with two of the finer performances of the season in the space of three days last week, with both meets in Stevens Point.
They hung tight to the Panthers in Thursday’s dual, then amassed 200 points in Saturday’s Pink Panther Invite.
“It was a blast,” MHS coach Lisa Siewert said of the Pink Panther. “We all dressed up in our finest pink attire. Most exciting was Kendyl Pettit winning the 100 free and taking second in the 50 free. Faith Wheat and Alexis Kanitz also swam close to their best times in the 500 free. Caitlyn Kolehouse and Miranda Jahnke both dropped time in the sprint free events, which is excellent going into the last two weeks of the season.
“Most notably, the 200 medley relay dropped 2.5 seconds, which is wonderful! This was accomplished by a great swim by Kendyl Pettit in the backstroke, Miranda Jahnke in the breast, Caitly Kolehouse in the fly, and Hanna Cohrs in the free.”
Pettit took the 100 free in 1:01.08, while Jahnke (4th, 1:03) and Kolehouse (7th, 1:04.70) backed her up. In the 50 free, MHS ranked 2nd, 4th, 6th, with Pettit (:27.54), Kolehouse (:28.05) and Jahnke (:28.56). Wheat was 5th in the 500 free (6:42.57).
The 200 medley team of Pettit, Jahnke, Kolehouse and Hanna Cohrs finished fourth in 2:14.14.
Team standings– Wausau E. 477, Eau Claire Memorial 394, SPASH 361, D.C. Everest 234, Merrill 200, Wausau W. 177.
SPASH splash
The Bluejays hung within 87-56 of Stevens Point on Thursday.
“It was very exciting when Hanna Cohrs won the 50 free,” Siewert said. “The whole team was proud of her accomplishment. I was very impressed by Stevie Booher’s swimming. She dropped 10 seconds in the 200 IM and nearly seven seconds in the 100 back. It’s encouraging to see that at this point in the season.”
Wins came from: Cohrs (50 free, :31.81); Rachael Hoeppner (100 brea, 1:31.80); Kolehouse, Cohrs, Jahnke, Pettit (200 free, 1:57.67/400 free, 4:28.40).
MHS placed 2-3 in the 100 back (Morgan Norton, 1:24.26/Boohers, 1:25.73), and Kolehouse was the 100 free runner-up (1:06.00). Thirds came from: Norton (200 free, 2:34.40); Jahnke (200 IM (2:46.79); Pettit (500 free, 6:23.84); and the 200 medley (Norton, Jahnke, Pettit, Kolehouse, 2:20.29).