Elkhorn sends four swimmers to state meet
By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The Elkhorn Area High School girls swim team finished their season on the largest stage their sport has to offer, and acquitted themselves well.
Four Elks swimmers competed in two events Nov. 11 in the WIAA Division 2 State Swimming and Diving Championships at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium in Madison.
Paige Murphy finished eighth in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:00.38 and swam with Rachel Larson, Gabby Pinnow and Anna Manak on the Elks’ 16th-place 200 medley relay (1:57.65).
“It’s a big deal just to make it to state,” Elks coach Jamie Richardson said. “It’s a different atmosphere. You step on the deck and you look in the stands and see the crowds, and it’s intimidating.”
Murphy qualified for state last season in the backstroke and finished eighth in 59.96.
“I think she did really well,” Richardson said. “She had a really good start off the blocks.”
Grafton senior Autumn Haebig broke the state record she set last year in winning this year’s title in the backstroke. Haebig won in 54.65 seconds.
Haebig swam with Emma O’Brien, Mallory Fox and Olivia Konzen’s on Grafton’s first-place 200 medley relay team (1:46.13). Three of the Elks’ for swimmers in that relay dropped time.
“You can’t ask for much, more,” Richardson said. “They swam well. We were darned close to our seed time, and three of the four kids had their best time, which was awesome.”
Larson, a senior, finished with her best time in the 50 breaststroke, and broke the 33 second mark (33.88) in doing so.
“That was a lifetime personal best for her,” Richardson said. “It makes you happy, as a coach, to see them go out with their best time.”
In the 50 butterfly, Pinnow turned in the exact time she posted last week at the sectional tournament, which Richardson said was impressive. Manak finished with a season best in the 50 freestyle.
Edgewood won the Division 2 state team title with 337 points. Among Southern Lakes Conference teams Jefferson/Cambridge finished 21st, Whitewater finished 26th and Elkhorn came in 29th.
Middleton won the Division 1 team title. Among SLC team Badger Co-op competed, but did not register any points.
