It’s time to showcase
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Sarah Patterson has had a lot of catch phrases and themes with her Newton-Cofax-Mingo-Pella swim program over the past 16 years.
Heading into the State Swim mMeet Saturday, Patterson wants her swimmers to “showcase” their abilities in front of the large crowd expected at the Marshalltown YMCA.
“It’s time to showcase, that’s what we are saying to the girls this week,” said Patterson, who has had at least one state qualifier in all 16 of her years as head coach of the Aquagirls. “This is a motivated group who wants to set the bar high for themselves.”
The group is made of six state qualifiers and one relay alternate. Sophomore Ellen Colville will compete in the 500 freestyle and 200 Individual Medley, while sophomore Taylor Quayle will be a part of the 50 freestyle. Making up three state-qualifying relay teams this year will be Colville and Quayle along with senior Michelle Rabedeaux, juniors Stephanie Griffith and Lindsey Hook and sophomore Courtney Meyer. The relay alternate is sophomore Hannah Long.
“Swimming at state is a pretty big stage,” Patterson said. “They’ll be able to visualize what to expect this year because most of these girls have been there before. That poise will make them more confident and more comfortable.”
Leading the way this year for NCMP is Colville, who qualified in four events for the second time in her short career. She is seeded fifth in the 500 freestyle and sixth in the 200 IM.
“I kind of let my nerves get the best of me last year,” Colville said. “I need to try not to let that happen this year.”
The goal for Colville in her two individual relays is simple: two top-five finishes.
“We think she can get top five in both but anything with a podium finish would be great,” Patterson said. “I want her to have confidence. She likes to race, and she’ll put up a fight.”
Colville finished just off the podium in both events last year when she competed at state as a freshman. She has had a goal of top five in these two events pretty much all season.
“She needs to visualize her lane, and she’ll have someone good next to her to swim against,” Patterson said.
Colville wants to medal in the 200 IM and finish in the top three of the 500 freestyle.
She enters the state meet with a qualifying time of 2:12.67 in the IM. Someone familiar to Colville and a good target in the race is Decorah’s Hannah Maher, who comes in with a 2:10.66.
In the 500 freestyle, Colville comes into the state meet with a 2:15.21. Cedar Falls Bailey Pons and Mason City’s Emily Wiltsie are the favorites but after that, it is anyone’s guess.
“Everyone is pretty close in the 500,” Colville said. “I am just going to target anyone who is ahead of me.”
Quayle comes into the state meet seeded 19th in the 50 freestyle. It is her first time at state so just swimming faster than 25.3 is her ultimate goal.
“I am pretty excited right now, but I know by Saturday I am going to be nervous,” Quayle said. “I am just trying to get under that time. And if you have a lane, you have a chance.”
The veteran of the group is Michelle Rabedeaux, the lone senior and a three-time state qualifier. She will be a part of the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.
And Rabedeaux sees the state meet as one last chance to get on the record board and swim for her team.
“It’s my last chance to ever swim in the 400 relay, and my last chance to be on the record board,” Rabedeaux said. “We are only two seconds off. I really want to get on that board.”
The 400 freestyle relay team — which also includes Colville, Meyer and Griffith — is seeded 12th so a top-10 finish is a popular goal amongst the team.
“I think if we did get the record, we’d probably be in the top 10 anyway,” said Meyer, who also qualified for state last year as a freshman. “But getting in the top 10 is my main goal.”
Griffith, who will swim in all three relays, wants to be in the top 10 but also wants to get the record for her senior teammate.
“We really want to beat the record,” said Griffith, who is making her second appearance at the state meet. “We want to do it for her because it’s her last year.”
The 200 freestyle relay team made up of Colville, Griffith, Quayle and Hook enters as the 17th seed. The 200 medley relay team of Meyer, Rabedeaux, Griffith and Quayle are seeded 21st.
Patterson would like to see the medley relay team finish better than 1:58, something that relay has never done in her time at NCMP.
“We are at a 1:58.10 now,” Patterson said. “To get less than 1:58 would move us up automatically. It’d be fun to also have everyone go a smidge faster.”
The only swimmer to have not competed at the state meet this year is Quayle. The remaining swimmers will look to lean on last year’s experience to guide them this year.
“I expect to be less surprised this year,” said Hook, now a two-time state qualifier. “I wasn’t mentally prepared for that type of crowd last year.We just want to be better than what we came in as.”
For Patterson, she is just wanting her swimmers to give their best efforts. After that, the results and quality swims will come.
“If you leave it in the pool, that’s all you can really ask for,” Patterson said.
While five of the six swimmers will be able to get back to the state meet after this year, it will be end of the road for Rabedeaux. And she knows she will have some mixed emotions.
“It’ll be kind of a relief in some ways, but I’ll be really sad, too,” Rabedeaux said. “I’ll never get to experience this again.”
The state meet will begin shortly after the parade of teams takes place at noon. The meet will take place at the Marshalltown YMCA.
