By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
It must be considered an overwhelming success any time a high school sports team ends its season in Madison.
Megan Leahy, Sarah Broga, Bethany Buikema and Rachel Anderson enjoyed such lofty heights Nov. 14 & 15 at the WIAA Division 2 State Girls Swimming and Diving Championships at the UW-Natatorium in Madison.
“I think they did the best they could do, and as a coach that’s all you can ask for,” said Elks coach Jamie Richardson.
Leahy competed individually in the 50-yard freestyle and with Broga, Buikema and Anderson in the 400 freestyle relay.
Leahy finished second in the 50 freestyle in 25.19 seconds Nov. 8 at Division 2 Cudahy Sectional at Cudahy High School and the 400 relay finished fifth in 3:49.90.
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.
Leahy finished 15th in the 50 in 25.44 seconds at state. Grafton’s Samantha Senczyszyn won the event in 23.58 seconds.
Senczyszyn set the Division 1 state record in the 50 last year when she won the state title in 22.91 seconds.
“It was tight race, and the 50 is like that,” Richardson said. “That’s what makes it exciting.”
Richardson said Leahy started well, swam well into her flip turn and finished strong.
“It was exciting to see her qualify as senior for the state meet in an individual race,” Richardson said. “I’m going to miss her next year. I had a nice group of seniors.”
That group of seniors included Buikema and Anderson. Richardson said Leahy led the Elks’ 400 relay with an awesome split. Buikema and Anderson also posted solid times in their Elkhorn swan song.
Broga, as a freshman, handled the pressure of state in similar fashion to her upperclassmen counterparts.
“Being at the state meet can really be intimidating, and the other girls all had experience, being up there last year,” Richardson said. “I think she handled herself really well.”
Grafton’s 400 relay of Mallory Fox, Natalie Keshemberg, Autumn Haebig and Senczyszyn won the 400 relay in 3:28.12 and set a state record.
Grafton won the Division 2 state title for the second straight season. Elkhorn finished 34th. Among other Southern Lakes Conference schools Jefferson/Cambridge finished 17th, Whitewater finished 22nd and Platteville/Lancaster finished 31st.
Hartland Arrowhead won the Division1 state title. SLC member Badger Combined, which consists of Lake Geneva Badger, Big Foot, Westosha Central, Wilmot and Williams Bay, finished 16th.
