By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
The 400-meter freestyle relay of the Elkhorn Area High School’s boys swimming team is seeded No. 1 in the state in the WIAA’s Division 2 headed into today’s state meet at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium in Madison.
The Elks sent swimmers to state in 10 events out of a Division 2 sectional meet Feb. 9 at Whitefish Bay High School.
The top finisher in each event, plus the next 18 fastest times throughout the state in each event that did not win the event, advanced from the sectional to the state meet.
Elkhorn finished fifth in Division 2 at last year’s state meet. The Elks finished second to Whitefish Bay by six points – 364-358 – at this season’s sectional.
“We had a lot of personal bests,” Elks coach Jamie Richardson said. “It’s hard to say anyone surprised me. “
Lucas Koepke, Danny Bush, Willy Pinnow and Hunter Johnson won the 400 freestyle relay in 3:16.46 at Whitefish Bay, and theirs is the best time in the event by more than one second over the state qualifying field.
Richardson said she hoped to shave additional time off the relay’s performance this week in practice. Should the relay hold its seed and win a state title it would be the Elks’ first in swimming since Dalton Anderson won the 100 butterfly in 2009.
Koepke won the 50 freestyle (22.53) and 100 freestyle (49.74) at Whitefish Bay and Hunter Johnson won the 100 butterfly (52.76).
Pinnow finished second in the 200 freestyle (1:44.71) and in the 500 freestyle (4:47.00). Kruse finished second in the 100 backstroke (56.09).
The Elks’ 200 freestyle relay of Derek Gauger, Danny Bush, Willy Pinnow and Lucas Koepke finished second (1:30.59). and the Elks’ 200 medley relay of Kruse, Alex Johnson, Hunter Johnson and Derek Gauger finished third (1:43.09).
Johnson finished third in the 200 freestyle (1:47.66).
