Nine seniors to lead Aquagirls this season
By TROY HYDE NDN Sports Writer
With nine seniors expected to bring strong leadership, plenty of experience and different goals to the table this year, Newton-Colfax-Mingo-Pella swim coach Sarah Patterson has high hopes in the pool this season.
The most decorated senior of the bunch is Caitlyn Meyer, who returns this year after a trip to the state meet in three different events in 2007. She swam in Marshalltown in the 200 Individual Medley and two freestyle relay teams, but Patterson expects Meyer to swim just about anything that is asked of her this year.
“Caitlyn is about new challenges,” Patterson said. “She set the record in the IM last year and then advanced to state. This year, I think she would like to set the record and get to state in the backstroke.”
Patterson also said Meyer will swim more freestyle sprints this year.
“She dreams big,” Patterson said. “She has high goals, but that is what I like about her.”
The other returning state qualifier is junior Michelle Rabedeaux, who qualified in the same freestyle relay events as Meyer. She is good at everything, according to Patterson, but will primarily be used in short sprint freestyle events.
The rest of this year’s seniors include Rachel Cook, Ashley DeZwarte, Ashley Koons, Jen Hoff, Molly Hunke, Taylor Lewis, Sam Nilles and Eadie Rethmeier.
Koons just barely missed out on state last year, but Patterson said she is really focused this season and should make a run at the state meet in 2008.
The top juniors besides Rabedeaux are Becky Miller and Sally Campbell and the top returning sophomores are Morgan Daniels, Stephanie Griffith and Lindsey Hook.
The top returning diver this season is junior Jeanann Dougan. She just missed state in 2007, according to Patterson, and should have a strong chance this season. Dougan is joined on the boards by returning sophomore Megan Sinwell and first-time divers sophomore Taylor Soule and junior Cara Straka.
“The divers are sometimes the keys to meets,” Patterson said. “They can make or break. We won meets last year with our diving points, and we lost meets too.”
Patterson, who begins her 15th year as NCMP head coach, said she wants to win as many duals as they can this year and realistically thinks winning them all is within reach.
“There are some dogfights on our schedule,” Patterson said. “Dowling right off the bat will be tough, and Roosevelt will be tough. Those are the two big ones. But we have a good group of girls. If we bring our ‘A’ game, nothing is out of reach. We need to set our goals high.”
The Aquagirls went 8-3 last year at both the JV and varsity levels.
The first meet of the season takes place in West Des Moines against Dowling Catholic on Tuesday. NCMP has only beaten Dowling one time in the 15 years Patterson has been in the program.
