March 28, 2024

NCMP varsity takes second at Ram Relays; junior varsity wins

PLEASANT HILL — After four straight years of winning the Southeast Polk Ram Relays, the NCMP Aquagirls came up short Thursday in the varsity division. Council Bluffs Lewis Central scored 114 points to NCMP’s 102.

NCMP won the junior varsity division, defeating Lewis Central, 87-82. This meet is scored in relays.

“The swim of the night went to Hannah Rhoads and Sierra Griffith, who not only won the 200 breaststroke relay, but set a new meet record,” said Sarah Patterson, NCMP head coach. “Both girls were aggressive taking the event out and brought the race back with tempo and speed.  It was so fun to watch. The breaststroke  junior varsity  team of freshman Taylor Tremmel and junior Olivia Maharry won the event as well, with each girl turning in a great split.”

The Aquagirls won the medley relay in both divisions.

The junior varsity team of Grace Perrin, Tremmel, Madeline Wellik, Ellie Rethmeier, Kaelee Knoll, Olivia Maharry, Abby Jolivette, and Paige Reed opened the competition with a win of almost 20 seconds over the second-place team. Patterson said the B junior varsity team of Katherine Thorpe, McKenna Heisdorffer, Lynae Doland, Cassi Fitzgerald, Hannah Marston, Shelbey Cochran, Beckah Henry, and Quiana Hamm would have placed second if allowed to score points.

In the varsity medley relay, NCMP narrowly missed a meet record. The team of Rachel Prendergast, Griffith, Emily Miller, Emily Forsyth, Sydney Jenkins, Rhoads, Carly Colville, and Sarah Prendergast won the event by over 20 seconds.  Patterson said the best time splits came from Jenkins, Miller, Forsyth and Rhoads.

The 200-yard butterfly relays belonged to the Aquagirls. Patterson said the junior varsity team of Elizabeth Myers and Miller not only won their event, but would have placed second in the varsity race behind NCMP’s Hannah Scotton and Carly Colville. Scotton and Carly Colville turned in strong split times “and look to keep the butterfly powerhouse of NCMP going,” Patterson added.

Perrin, a senior, dropped nine seconds in the 500-yard freestyle and teamed up with classmate Emily Forsyth to take second in the junior varsity event. The junior varsity 400-yard freestyle team of Miller, Myers, Knoll, Shelbey Cochran, Reed, Jolivette, Forsyth and Kira Hanson posted a winning time. The varsity 400-yard freestyle team finished second in its race.

In the final event of the night, the junior varsity team of Hanson, Willa Colville, Jolivette, Perrin, Reed, Forsyth, Myers and Griffith won the 800-yard freestyle relay.

“Our varsity relay battled it out with the top ranked-team in the state in this event — Council Bluffs Lewis Central — and placed second,” Patterson said.  “This team was Hannah Scotton, Emily Miller, Sara Martin, Sarah Prendergast, Rachel Prendergast, Sydney Jenkins, Carly Colville, and Samantha Hedrick.  Every girl on this relay was at or near a personal best-time.  Rachel Prendergast and Carly Colville both dropped a half second from this year’s split times.

Next up for the Aquagirls will be the North Central Iowa Conference meet Oct. 26 in Decorah.