NCMP trio ready for individual spotlight at state swim meet

Sophomore Peyton Ray was not expecting to be an individual state qualifier when she left the Waukee YMCA after last Saturday’s regional meet.

In fact, Ray didn’t even have her name announced as a podium finisher at the state qualifier.

“I was really shocked. I thought if I made it any individual event it would be the 200 free because there are so many swimmers who are so close together in the 100,” Ray said. “I knew I wasn’t going to make it in the 200 so I just never really thought about the 100. Then my mom told me, I was like what?”

A few hours after regionals, Ray indeed learned she was a state qualifier in an individual event for the first time. Joining her from the Newton-Colfax-Mingo-Pella girls’ swim team are senior Lillie Ray and freshman Harper Barton.

The preliminary round of the individual events at the Iowa High School Girls State Swimming Championships kick off at 11 a.m. on Friday at the Marshalltown YMCA in Marshalltown. The top 16 times in each event advance to Saturday’s final round.

Lillie Ray returns to the state meet in the 50-yard freestyle. She swam in that event last year and placed 23rd.

She comes into the weekend seeded 18th. The goal for the Aquagirls’ top swimmer is to make the finals.

“Top 16. That’s two spots above my seed,” Lillie Ray said. “We are mainly working on the little things. We are working on my turns and my starts. We are trying to make sure my reaction time is quick.”

Ray’s season-best time of 25.14 seconds in the 50 freestyle qualified her 18th out of 32 participants. She will be in lane 7 of heat 3.

“We are hoping for a PR and a time under 24 seconds,” NCMP head girls’ swim coach Sarah Patterson said. “Finishing in the top 16 would be super cool.”

Barton’s first state meet includes a qualification in the 100 breaststroke. She enters the state meet seeded 20th out of 32 swimmers and will compete in lane 1 of heat 2. She qualified with a career-best time of 1 minute, 8.95 seconds.

“I would like to move up in my seed and maybe be able to race Saturday,” Barton said. “Coach P always tells me to be grippy in the water. I need to grab that water and use it to my advantage.”

Peyton Ray qualified in the 30th position in the 100 freestyle with a career-best time of 55.94. She will be in lane 7 of heat 1.

It would be natural for the sophomore to have minimal expectations, but she does want to move up the ladder.

“I hope to move up a few places,” Peyton Ray said. “I am not planning on top 16, but if that happens I would be really happy.

“We are working on a lot of sprinting stuff since most of our events at state are 50s and 100s. I need to work on my turns for sure.”