Not even illness can keep Aquagirls from title
PLEASANT HILL — Many of the sports at Newton and around the county have been hit hard by the flu this week. And the NCMP swim team was no different.
But not even the absence of seven ill swimmers, including two state qualifiers, kept the squad from claiming first place at the Southeast Polk Invitational on Thursday night.
Led by strong leadership from the seniors and several first-place finishes, the Aquagirls swam to victory over Southeast Polk and Council Bluffs Lewis Central, who came in second and third, respectively.
“I have to admit, I was a little bummed because there was a team plaque for the winner, and I was thinking there was no way we could take the title down seven athletes,” NCMP coach Sarah Patterson said. “Well I am happy to say the girls proved me wrong. We had a great meet, and our seniors — especially Avery Amensen and Leah Norcross — did a great job of leading the way.”
Patterson was extra impressed with a team meeting Norcross and Amensen called midway through the meet.
“They fired the girls up and told them to fight for every point,” Patterson said. “I get goosebumps seeing these ladies take on such a leadership role. At that point, I was pretty sure we were going to dominate the rest of the meet.”
The meet followed an all relays format, so each event was basically doubled. And the most exciting race of the night came in the 200 medley relay where eight Aquagirls came from behind to claim the win. That team included Liz McCann, Kayla Piskula, Becky Miller, Sally Campbell, Courtney Meyer, Ellen Colville, Stephanie Griffith and Regina Starkenburg.
NCMP also got wins in the junior varsity and varsity 200 Individual Medley relays. The varsity team consisted of Colville and Sidney Griffith, while the JV winning duo was McCann and Norcross.
Other varsity first-place finishes on the night came in the 200 backstroke relay with Morgan Daniels and Meyer, the 200 breaststroke relay with Piskula and Colville, and the 400 freestyle relay of Campbell, Stephanie Griffith, Daniels, Hannah Long, Sidney Griffith, Kora Scotton, Starkenburg and Meyer.
The JV 200 freestyle relay team also took first place. That team was made up of Alexa Bainbridge, Norcross, Piskula, Hannah Squire, Lauren Norcross, Emily Biehn, Amensen and Amber Fruetel.
Two freshmen competed in the diving portion of the meet Thursday, and Lexie Cupples came away with a third-place finish, while Lea Mikkelson was fourth.
“All I can say is what a night,” Patterson said. “The girls overcame adversity and did not back down from the challenge of taking the meet all the way to the finish. I’m excited for our whole team to be healthy to take this season down the homestretch.”
The NCMP swimmers return to the pool Saturday in Marshalltown, the site of the state meet at the end of the month. The Aquagirls travel to Des Moines on Tuesday before taking part in the conference meet at Decorah on Saturday, Oct. 24.
