By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
Don’t let the results of a tough meet be misleading. Though the team finished 11th, the Elkhorn Area High School girls’ swimming team performed well Oct. 4 in the Cardinal Invite at Fond du Lac High School.
“If you don’t swim against people that are better than you, you don’t rise to the occasion,” Elks coach Jamie Richardson said. “It was good competition for us. They need to see that, especially with going into the postseason in a couple of weeks.”
“That’s the kind of competition we need to get prepared for.”
Bay Port won the 13-team meet with 342 points. The Elks scored 73 points.
Elkhorn’s 200-yard medley relay of Gabby Pinnow, Rachel Anderson, Amanda Robers and Megan Leahy finished seventh in 2 minutes, 1.92 seconds. Richardson said the relay finished with a season-best time and finished seventh despite swimming in the event’s last heat.
Megan Leahy finished eighth in the 50 freestyle (26.04) and Audrey Earle, Buikema, Abby Ahl and Leahy finished ninth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:49.17).
Rachel Anderson finished 11th in the 100 breaststroke (1:15.45). Leahy, Pinnow, Buikema and Anderson finished 12th in the 400 freestyle relay (4:03.02).
Bethany Buikema finished 13th in the 100 butterfly (1:06.91) and recorded season- and personal-best times in doing so.
Richardson said Julia Los turned in an impressive time in the 100 butterfly. Los finished 32nd in 1:18.45.
“She’s been working hard,” Richardson said. “She’s dropped a couple of seconds in her 100 fly. She always does what she’s supposed to do, and it’s nice to see that pay-off.”
The Elks beat Platteville/Lancaster 115-55 and Whitewater 98-72 Sept. 30 in a Southern Lakes Conference triangular at Elkhorn.
The Elks finished 1-2-3 in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle races.
Leahy won the 50-meter freestyle (28.91) and 100 freestyle (1:04.66). Earle finished second in the 50 (31.56) and Ahl finished third (31.85).
Anderson finished second in the 100 (1:07.24) and Ahl finished third (1:10.00).
Earle, Buikema, Ahl and Leahy won the 200 freestyle relay (2:01.09).
Robers finished second in the 200 individual medley (2:48.62). Pinnow, Anderson, Robers and Ahl finished second in the 200 medley relay (2:17.34).
Buikema finished third in the 200 freestyle (2:24.37). Pinnow finished third in the 100 backstroke (1:16.75).
The Elks competed Tuesday against Edgerton in a Southern Lakes Conference dual meet at Edgerton.
