The Hatchet swimmers wrapped up a perfect 7-0 dual conference record for the first time in school history with Thursday’s 108-62 triumph over Medford.
“Thank you to all our fans, parents and administration for supporting our team,” THS coach Theresa L’Esperance said. “The senior class girls are so happy. These girls swam through years of the team not winning many meets, in fact only one dual win their freshman year. I couldn’t be happier for the senior class. They are great gals, and will have successful futures.”
Not that the clincher came off without a hitch.
“I think this meet was one of the most stressful I have experienced,” L’Esperance said. “I pulled top swimmer Baylee Dallman because of dizziness right after the second event. Then I had girls dropping out of races, girls using buckets, the lineup changed three times in the course of the night. Thanks to Coach Tassler and manager Elizabeth Ierulli, they handled the changes effortlessly. Also, Coach Hilt warmed up the girls while I helped with computer issues. My staff handled all crises with expert care.”
The team went 1-2 in the: 50 free (Lauren Hilt, :25.15/Morgan Weber, :25.52); 100 free (Weber, :56.79/Rachel Dallman, :57.98); and 100 back (Katherine Russell, 1:07.64/Jackie Elliott, 1:10.76). Other wins in the 10-of-11 run came from: Hilt (new THS record 100 fly, 1:02.14); Mikhayla Kleich (200 free, 2:07.47/500 free, 5:51.19); R. Dallman (200 IM, 2:28.75); the 200 medley (Russell, Michaela Galganski, Hilt, Weber, 1:58.22); the 200 free (R. Dallman, Galganski, Kleich, Weber, 1:46.96); and the 400 free (Dallman, Kleich, Russell, Hilt, 4:00.98). Also placing second was Kirstin Marcks (100 brea, 1:17.05).