By Nick Beversdorf
Reporter
On Thursday, the Merrill swimmers traveled to UW-Stevens Point to participate in the last conference meet of the season. Although they came in last place with a team total of 123 points, many of the Jays moved up in position from last year and/or set new records.
Trinity Kanitz placed sixth in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:52.24, an improvement of 8.54 seconds and setting another MHS team record. She also placed eighth in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:11.52.
Caitlyn Kolehouse placed seventh in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 26.44 seconds, an improvement of a quarter second, and she also placed ninth in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 59.36 seconds, an improvement of 0.85 seconds.
Rylee Hoeppner, Rachel Hoeppner, Kaytlin Woller and Alliyah Pillai were all also individual point earners. Rylee Hoeppner placed 16th in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:45.87, an improvement of 4.96 seconds, Rachel Hoeppner placed 16th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:25.56, Woller placed 15th in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 1:06.63 and Pillai placed 16th in the 100-yard fly with a time of 1:15.19, an improvement of 1.46 seconds.
The Merrill A-Team consisting of Trinity Evans, Pillai and Rachel & Rylee Hoeppner placed 16th in the 200-yard medley relay with a combined time of 2:18.9. The B-Team consisting of Rianna Dowds, Alexis Kanitz, Stevie Booher and Ruth Mile placed 19th with a combined time of 2:35.15.
In the 200-yard freestyle relay, the A-Team consisting of Kolehouse, Woller, Katy Ball and Trinity Kanitz placed 12th with a combined time of 1:55.83. The B-Team consisting of Trinity Evans, Pillai and Rachel & Rylee Hoeppner placed15th with a combine time of 2:04.92.
Lastly, in the 400-yard freestyle relay, the A-Team consisting of Kolehouse, Woller, Ball and Trinity Kanitz placed 10th with a combined time of 4:18.1. The B-Team consisting of Faith Wheat, Dowds, Trinity Evans and Ananda VanWie placed 15th with a combined time of 4:54.28.
“While we still were in last place, I checked the conference archives and this was the highest score (123) we achieved in at least 13 years,” comments head coach Kristie Winter. “The girls really came together and swam well with 18 personal best swims throughout the night.”
The Bluejays will swim at UW-Stevens Point in the Division II Sectional on Saturday, Nov 5, at 1 p.m.
For full stats, click here.
