Jared Schmeltzer
Reporter
The Merrill swim team flutter kicked their way past Marshfield on Tuesday night, Oct. 1, defeating the Tigers 96-74. Amber Winter would have another spectacular night for the Jays, topping her previous record breaking swim in the 100 breaststroke.
“We had another week of great swims with most of the team at or near their personal best,” said Merrill head coach Kristie Winter. “This meet was won because everyone pushed past comfortable and drove hard to the finish. Marshfield had some strong swimmers who really challenged our girls to give 110% it was a really fun meet to watch.”
The dual meet would start with the 200 medley relay, which Merrill would win with a swim of 1:58.83. The relay was swam by Camryn Schulz, Amber Winter, Trinity Kanitz and Erin Kanitz. Later the 200 freestyle relay team, consisting of Erin Kanitz, Winter, Schulz and Evelyn Blennert, took first place in the event with a swim of 1:47.05.
The 100 breaststroke saw Winter break the Merrill High School record, which she already held in the event, swimming a time of 1:12.17. Winter would also take second place in the 200 IM with a time of 2:25.13. The 50 freestyle saw Schulz and Trinity Kanitz finish neck and neck, with Schulz inching out Kanitz with a swim of 26.48 seconds to Trinity’s swim of 26.60 seconds. Trinity would however take first place in the 500 freestyle, swimming a time of 5:35.30, beating the second place finisher by only one second. Blennert had a nice showing in the 100 butterfly, swimming a first place time of 1:02.40. Erin Kanitz rounds out Merrill’s first place finishers, swimming a time of 58.37 in the 100 freestyle.
As of Oct. 3, the Merrill swim team remains tied for the top spot in the Wisconsin Valley Conference with D.C. Everest, who also sits at 3-0. The Jays will face off with the Evergreens on Thursday, Oct. 10, at Everest, where only one team will leave undefeated in conference duals. The meet will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the DCE High School.