GRINNELL — There are many ways to win a team championship. A year ago NCMP’s Aquagirls captured their third North Central Iowa Conference swim title by winning seven of the 12 events in the diving and swimming competition.
Saturday, the Aquagirls captured their fourth consecutive NCIC swim championship by building up points by placing second through 12th place.
They did win two events in defending their conference championship.
Senior Samantha Hedrick was a defending conference champion in the 100 freestyle, but this year she didn’t compete in that event. Hedrick became the 2015 champion in the 50-yard freestyle and the 500 freestyle.
NCMP finished with 363 points followed by Boone with 316 and Decorah with 301. Vinton/Union was fourth with 174 points. Grinnell, which hosted the 2015 meet, was fifth with 125 points and Williamsburg took sixth with 54 points. Oskaloosa had 43 points, and Charles City had 19 points.
“Our goal as a team was to win a fourth conference crown. We knew it would take everyone to pitch in because there are many good swimmers and divers in our district. Our depth and our big team would be our weapons to clinch the victory,” NCMP head coach Sarah Patterson said.
Hedrick won the shortest race of the day — the 50 freestyle — in 24.50 seconds, which was almost a full second ahead of Anne Marie DeVries of Boone. Later in the meet, Hedrick dominated the longest individual race — the 500 freestyle — posting a winning time of 5 minutes, 29.29 seconds. Katie Hagensick of Decorah placed second in 5:40.80.
“This is close to or is her fastest open 50 free time, so that is looking pretty sweet as we head down to the end of the season,” Patterson said. “This year’s seniors have been conference champs all four years. It’s a pretty cool way to cap your senior conference performance.”
Patterson said each team has an Academic All-Conference winner. Senior Hannah Rhoads was NCMP’s.
“She is an amazing student-athlete and an excellent role model,” Patterson said.
NCMP’s title defense began with a a 3-4 finish by the Aquagirls’ divers. Sophomore Morgann Eide scored 402.20 points for third place and freshman Alivia Hoffman scored 324.75 points for fourth in the 1-meter diving event.
“Seeing both girls on the podium was amazing,” Patterson said. “Kelly Rose, their diving coach, said both girls had really clean programs and dove well. She was very proud of their poise and courage.”
NCMP’s top relay teams finished second in the 200 medley, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle events. Patterson said it was tough to not see the Aquagirls win a relay at conference.
“We went into conference a little tired because we practiced full-out all week. We haven’t started to taper back on our practice distances yet. That comes this week headed to regionals,” Patterson said.
The foursome of Rhoads, Hedrick, Sydney Jenkins and Alexis Stout posted its fastest time of the season in the medley relay. Rhoads was second in the individual medley.
NCMP finshed with three thirds, six fourths, two fifths, five sixths, two sevenths, three eighths, two ninths, one 10th and two 12-place finishes. Combining all of those resulted in a fourth conference title for the Aquagirls.
NCMP prepares for the regional diving and swimming meet at Fort Dodge. The diving event is at 5 p.m. Thursday and swimming events start a noon Saturday at Fort Dodge High School.
2015 North Central Iowa
Conference Swim Meet
Team scores: NCMP 363, Boone 316, Decorah 301, Vinton/Union 174, Grinnell 125, Williamsburg 54, Oskaloosa 43, Charles City 19.
(Points award to places 1 through 12)
1-meter Diving: 3. Morgann Eide 402.20, 4. Alivia Hoffman, 324.75.
200-yd medley relay: 2. NCMP (Sydney Jenkins, Hannah Rhoads, Samantha Hedrick, Alexis Stout), 1:54.72, 6. NCMP (Kaelee Knoll, Lindsey Blommers, Emily Miller, Alexis DeVries), 2:03.83,
200-yd freestyle: 3. Sarah Prendergast, 2:07.83, 4. Elizbeth Myers, 2:08.01, 6. Jessica Zahn, 2:16.30.
200-yd individual medley: 2. Rhoads, 2:22.79, 9. Miller, 2:32.38, 10. Sierra Griffith, 2:32.80.
50-yd freestyle: 1. Hedrick, 24.50, 5. Stout, 26.35, 6. Knoll, 26.82.
100-yd butterfly: 3. Stout, 1:05.29, 4. Miller 1:05.95, 8. Myers, 1:09.47.
100-yd freestyle: 6. Prendergast, 57.22, 7. Sydney Jenkins, 57.82, 12. Zahn, 1:03.91.
500-yd freestyle: 1. Hedrick, 5:29.29, 8. Taylor Tremmel, 6:24.14, 12. Alex Inskeep, 6:33.30.
200-yd freestyle relay: 2. NCMP (Stout, Knoll, Rhoads, Hedrick), 1:46.01, 4. NCMP (Prendergast, Zahn, Blommers, Myers), 1:49.53.
100-yd backstroke: 4. Sydney Jenkins, 1:04.98, 8. Knoll, 1:08.50, 9. Lakin Jenkins, 1:09.99.
100-yd breaststroke: 4. Blommers, 1:13.72, 5. Rhoads, 1:13.90, 7. Griffith, 1:15.71.
400-yd freestyle relay: 2. NCMP (Myers, Prendergast, Miller, Sydney Jenkins), 3:53.69, 6. NCMP (Inskeep, Tremmel, Lakin Jenkins, Zahn), 4:19.74.
Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
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