MONROE - The Green County Golden Gator swimming team will send 23 swimmers to the state YMCA swim meet this weekend at the Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer.
"I'm just so proud of them," Green County Golden Gator swimming coach Brenda Ritschard said. "That's a really good number for the size of the swimming team we have. This is the icing on the cake. This is their big hurrah."
Six swimmers from the Gators, affiliated with the YMCA of Green County, will swim the maximum events at state. The six swimmers swimming four individual events at state include Marissa Berg, Rachel Root, Leanna Schwartzlow, Hannah Swenson, Will Fenner and Kelvin Johnson.
Berg is the No. 1 seed in all four events she will swim. Berg will swim the 13-14 year-old girls 50-yard freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly; and 100 freestyle. Root will swim the 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke; and 200 backstroke. Berg will team up with Lisa Lang, Root and Schwartzlow to swim the open 200 and 400 freestyle relays. Schwartzlow will swim the 100 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 100 breaststroke; and 200 backstroke. Swenson will swim the 8 and under 25 breaststroke, 50 freestyle, 25 backstroke and 100 individual medley.
Fenner, in the 15-18 boys division, qualified for state in four individual events, including the 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 50 freestyle; and 200 backstroke. Johnson, 15, qualified in the 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 freestyle and 50 freestyle. Fenner and Johnson both will swim on the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
Grant Keith, 14, will swim in three individual events, including the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly; and 50 freestyle. He also will swim on the open 200 and 400 freestyle relays with Fenner, Johnson; and James Curran. Alex Purdy will swim the 1,650 freestyle , and he will as part of the 200 and 400 medley relays.
Noah Zimmerman is gearing up to swim four individual races and one relay at state. He will swim the 9-10 year-old 100 freestyle, 50 backstroke, 50 freestyle; and 50 butterfly. Christopher George, 10, is preparing to swim the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle at state. He also will swim on the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays. In the medley relay, he will team up with Cole Runde, Travis Wolf and Noah Zimmerman.
Mitch Keith qualified for state in the boys 11-12-year-old 50 freestyle. Eli Zimmerman, 6, qualified for state in the 8 and under backstroke.
For some swimmers it's their first chance to experience the state swimming meet at the Schroeder Aquatic Center.
"It's quite the fantastic atmosphere for the first time swimmers to walk into that pool," Ritschard said. "The awe on their faces is quite a thing to see. It's state of the art."
Samantha Ellefson, 10, qualified to swim in three individual events, including the 50 backstroke, 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke; and the 200 freestyle relay.
Grace Keith qualified to swim in the 9-10 year-old 50 backstroke, 100 backstroke; and the 200 freestyle relay along with Ellefson, Savannah Grenoble and Madelyn Hammer.
Kayleigh Nesbitt, in the 8 and under division, qualified for state in the 25 butterfly - and on the 100 medley relay she will swim with Swenson, Amanda George and Francesca Schiro. Amanda George will also swim the 25 backstroke at state.
The YMCA swimming season starts in October and runs through March.
"They have worked hard for this," Ritschard said. "They can show off all they have done through the season."
"I'm just so proud of them," Green County Golden Gator swimming coach Brenda Ritschard said. "That's a really good number for the size of the swimming team we have. This is the icing on the cake. This is their big hurrah."
Six swimmers from the Gators, affiliated with the YMCA of Green County, will swim the maximum events at state. The six swimmers swimming four individual events at state include Marissa Berg, Rachel Root, Leanna Schwartzlow, Hannah Swenson, Will Fenner and Kelvin Johnson.
Berg is the No. 1 seed in all four events she will swim. Berg will swim the 13-14 year-old girls 50-yard freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly; and 100 freestyle. Root will swim the 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke; and 200 backstroke. Berg will team up with Lisa Lang, Root and Schwartzlow to swim the open 200 and 400 freestyle relays. Schwartzlow will swim the 100 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 100 breaststroke; and 200 backstroke. Swenson will swim the 8 and under 25 breaststroke, 50 freestyle, 25 backstroke and 100 individual medley.
Fenner, in the 15-18 boys division, qualified for state in four individual events, including the 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 50 freestyle; and 200 backstroke. Johnson, 15, qualified in the 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 freestyle and 50 freestyle. Fenner and Johnson both will swim on the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
Grant Keith, 14, will swim in three individual events, including the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly; and 50 freestyle. He also will swim on the open 200 and 400 freestyle relays with Fenner, Johnson; and James Curran. Alex Purdy will swim the 1,650 freestyle , and he will as part of the 200 and 400 medley relays.
Noah Zimmerman is gearing up to swim four individual races and one relay at state. He will swim the 9-10 year-old 100 freestyle, 50 backstroke, 50 freestyle; and 50 butterfly. Christopher George, 10, is preparing to swim the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle at state. He also will swim on the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays. In the medley relay, he will team up with Cole Runde, Travis Wolf and Noah Zimmerman.
Mitch Keith qualified for state in the boys 11-12-year-old 50 freestyle. Eli Zimmerman, 6, qualified for state in the 8 and under backstroke.
For some swimmers it's their first chance to experience the state swimming meet at the Schroeder Aquatic Center.
"It's quite the fantastic atmosphere for the first time swimmers to walk into that pool," Ritschard said. "The awe on their faces is quite a thing to see. It's state of the art."
Samantha Ellefson, 10, qualified to swim in three individual events, including the 50 backstroke, 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke; and the 200 freestyle relay.
Grace Keith qualified to swim in the 9-10 year-old 50 backstroke, 100 backstroke; and the 200 freestyle relay along with Ellefson, Savannah Grenoble and Madelyn Hammer.
Kayleigh Nesbitt, in the 8 and under division, qualified for state in the 25 butterfly - and on the 100 medley relay she will swim with Swenson, Amanda George and Francesca Schiro. Amanda George will also swim the 25 backstroke at state.
The YMCA swimming season starts in October and runs through March.
"They have worked hard for this," Ritschard said. "They can show off all they have done through the season."
