March 18, 2024

Aquagirls deck Southeast Polk, Marshalltown

PLEASANT HILL — Three of the top 16 swimming teams powered through the waters at Southeast Polk High School Tuesday. NCMP’s Aquagirls won out in the double dual winning four events in the meet.

NCMP head coach Sarah Patterson called the meet a dog fight between the three teams. The Aquagirls went into the meet looking for two wins to improve to 9-1. They got the two victories.

NCMP, ranked No. 11, and 12th-ranked Southeast Polk staged a close competition with the Aquagirls winning 54-48. NCMP rolled past 16th-ranked Marshalltown, 69-33, and SEP defeated Marshalltown, 62-40.

“It was back and forth all meet with Southeast Polk, until we went 1-2 against them in the backstroke and 2-3 in the breaststroke to pull ahead for good,” Patterson said.

The Aquagirls opened the meet winning the 200-yard medley relay, beating out Marshalltown, which is ranked ahead of NCMP in the event. The foursome of Sydney Jenkins, Hannah Rhoads, Samantha Hedrick and Alexis Stout posted the top time of 1 minute, 56.07.

NCMP’s B-team relay team of Sarah Prendergast, Lindsey Blommers, Emily Miller and Kaelee Knoll finished third. The four combined for a 2:03.72.

Hedrick collected two victories in the water for NCMP. Hedrick, who is ranked ninth, won the 50 freestyle in 25.04 seconds. She is second-ranked in the 100 butterfly, and won Tuesday in 56.91 seconds.

“The most exciting race of the night had to be the 100 fly where Samantha was up against Allyssa Fluit from Southeast Polk. They are both ranked swimmers, among the best in the state,” Patterson said. “Samantha was a little nervous during warmups when she found out Allyssa was in the event, but then we talked about having nothing to lose and just going for it.”

Patterson said the splits for both swimmers were close at the 50-yard mark of the race. She said Hedrick poured it on, using a fluid stroke and amazing turns to beat Fluit.

Morgann Eide captured first in the 1-meter diving event. Eide racked up a winning score of 223.75. Eide is ranked 14th in the state in diving. Alivia Hoffman had a strong night on the board also, finishing third against Southeast Polk and fourth against Marshalltown.

“These ladies were confident and poised on the board,” Patterson said of the team’s two divers.

Madeline Webb placed second in the 200 freestyle with a solid swim, and Erin VanSickle dropped four seconds from her personal best time in the junior varsity event.

Rhoads continues to be NCMP’s No. 1 individual medley swimmer and neared her season best with a third-place finish in 2:22.76. Knoll won the junior varsity 50 free in 27.53.

Webb and Jessica Zahn scored points for the Aquagirls in the 500 freestyle with Webb taking second in 5:54.15 and Zahn coming in fourth. Taylor Tremmel swam away with the junior varsity event, dropping eight seconds from her personal-best time and Brianna Fuller posted a season’s-best time in the event.

“Taylor looked so strong and aggressive in the race,” Patterson said.

In the backstroke, Jenkins and Prendergast went 1-2 against Southeast Polk and finished in second and third against Marshalltown. Blommers notched a second-place finish in the 100 breaststroke for NCMP with Sierra Griffith swimming fourth.

“Lindsey has an amazing second split — we are trying to get her to go out after it in the first 50 and then dominate the second. When she unleashed her first split, her time is going to blow her away,” Patterson said.

In the 400 freestyle relays, Patterson said the Aquagirls’ two relays battled it out with each other the whole race. The A-team of Webb, Prendergast, Jenkins and Elizabeth Myers placed second, and the team of Stout, Knoll, Miller and Rhoads placed third.

NCMP’s final regular-season dual meet is a home Thursday against Boone. It is Senior Night for the Aquagirls. Competition begins at 5:30 p.m. at Newton’s YMCA.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535
or jsheets@newtondailynews.com