By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
Four members of the Elkhorn Area High School girls swimming team will swim at state after strong performances Nov. 8 at the WIAA Division 2 Sectional Meet at Cudahy High School.
Megan Leahy in the 50-yard freestyle and Leahy, Sarah Broga, Bethany Buikema and Rachel Anderson in the 400 freestyle relay will participate in the WIAA Division 2 State Girls’ Swimming & Diving Championships Friday and Saturday at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium in Madison.
Leahy finished second in the 50 freestyle in 25.19 seconds. The winner of each event in four Division 2 sectionals and the next 12 fastest times in each event statewide advanced from the sectional meet to State. The 400 relay finished fifth in 3:49.90.
“I’m happy with where we’re at,” Elks coach Jamie Richardson said. “They dropped a ton of time in that relay and it’s awesome. I was so excited for them.”
Richardson said the relay’s finish at Cudahy established a new personal best time, and beat the previous mark by seven seconds.
“I think they were just mentally ready,” Richardson said. “We talked a lot about visualization this last week and mentally preparing for the meet. I think we were just in the zone and had that mental toughness, which is good.”
Leahy dropped .38 seconds off her previous best in her 50 swim. It might not sound like much, but every little bit adds up in a race as quick as the 50.
Notable performances among those who did not advance to State include Buikema finishing fifth in the 100 (56.21) and Anderson, Buikema, Broga and Leahy finishing fifth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:44.82).
Anderson finished sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:13.01). Amanda Robers finished eighth in the 100 butterfly (1:06.97) and Gabby Pinnow ninth in the 100 backstroke (1:08.46).
Richardson said Josie Longhorn dropped more than 10 seconds off her previous best in the 500 freestyle. Longhorn finished 17th (6:12.29).
Richardson admitted the meet turned bittersweet when she realized some of the program’s seniors, including Longhorn, Abby Ahl and Robers, finished their time in the pool with the Elks at Cudahy.
“I’m just happy with everybody, but it’s also bittersweet because some of my seniors that I just love, this is their last meet and I’m sad to see them go,” Richardson said.
Broga, a freshman, is making her State debut with the Elks.
“She’s swam club before, so she’s got that experience under her belt, and with a season under her belt, she’ll be fine,” Richardson said.
Several of the Elks participated in the state meet last season. Anderson swam on the Elks’ 11th-place 200 medley relay and finished 16th in the 100 breaststroke. Leahy and Buikema swam on the Elks’ 12th-place 400 freestyle relay and Leahy swam on the Elks’ 13th-place 200 freestyle relay.
