By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The Elkhorn Area High School girls swimming team turned in good performances, continued to drop times and finished fourth Oct. 18 in the Cougar Invitational at Janesville Craig High School.
The Elks “A” team finished with a team score of 244 points. Elkhorn’s “B” team finished seventh (112).
Milton won the invitational (276) and Craig finished second (266). Rockford (Ill.) Boyland finished third (252), Janesville Parker fifth (178) and Rockford (Ill.) Guilford sixth (152).
Elks’ coach Jamie Richardson said Rachel Larson performed well in the 100-yard breaststroke. Larson swam the first leg of the Elks’ 300-yard breaststroke relay. Avonlea Odling swam the second leg and Rachel Anderson the third.
The Elks finished second in 3 minutes, 55.25 seconds.
“She dropped some time in her 100 breaststroke, which is obviously where we want to go at this point in the season,” Richardson said. “She’s one of those who’s been working hard. Those people who work hard, it’s nice to see them drop time.”
The Elks’ 200 freestyle class relay of Audrey Earle, Gabby Pinnow, Sarah Broga and Megan Leahy finished first (1:49.41).
Earle, Abby Ah, Broga and Leahy finished second in the 200 freestyle relay (1:49.17) and Pinnow, Anderson, Amanda Robers and Bethany Buikema finished second in the 400 medley relay (4:31.69).
Eight Elkhorn swimmers – Josie Longhorn, Amanda Papenfus, Sarah Krupp, Earle, Ahl, Broga, Buikema and Leahy – finished second in the 400 rocket relay (3:45.20). Each participant in the rocket relay swam 50 yards.
“I thought we swam really well,” Richardson said. “The top three teams medaled, which is exciting at this point in the season. You need that, as a team, to get you over the hump.”
Some fall sports are already done and others are wrapping up, but swimmers are in the water for another three weeks. The WIAA Division 1 Girls Swimming & Diving Championships are Nov. 14 & 15 at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium.
The Elks’ 200 medley relay of Pinnow, Anderson, Robers and Ahl finished third and the 400 individual medley of Larson, Robers and Emily Kruse finished third (5:07.32). Ahl, Broga, Buikema and Leahy finished third in the 400 freestyle relay (4:01.43).
The Elks lost, 118.5-51.5, to Badger Combined Oct. 14 in a Southern Lakes Conference meet at home. Badger Combined consists of Badger, Westosha Central, Wilmot, Big Foot and Williams Bay.
“I think we did swim well,” Richardson said. “They’re a tough team and we knew that coming in. We posted some good times, and that’s what we need right now.”
Richardson said Ahl, Broga, Buikema and Leahy posted a personal best time in the 200-meter freestyle relay and finished second (2:00.68).
Pinnow finished second in the 500 freestyle (5:21.85).
“That’s a tough race, and she stepped up and swam that for us and dropped even more time from the previous week,” Richardson said.
The Elks are 4-2 in SLC dual meets with the loss to Badger Combined. Elkhorn competed Tuesday in a SLC dual meet at home against Delavan-Darien.
