MONROE - There are 25 swimmers with the Green County Golden Gators swimming team headed to the YMCA state meet this weekend at the Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer.
A big portion of the state qualifiers include 14 swimmers 9-years-old and younger who are looking to make a splash at state. One of those younger swimmers competing for a medal will be MeKenzie Hammer, 9, who is seeded third in the 50-yard butterfly (33.28 seconds) and fifth in the 100 butterfly (1:20.13).
"I think it shows that we are starting to get a good feeder program," Green County Gators coach Brenda Ritschard said. "We are starting to swim year round. Hopefully, we can get kids to stay in the program not just in the winter, but all year round. If we are going to have a good high school team, these kids are going to have to swim more than just the winter."
The top eight in each event earn medals and the top 16 get ribbons. The Gators have 13 individuals and three relays seeded in the top eight heading into the state meet. Hammer is also seeded seventh in the 50 freestyle, but the 50 butterfly is her top event.
"We have to try to put MeKenzie behind swimmers to stop her from racing fast because everything she does 24-7 is fast," Ritschard said.
Eli Zimmerman, 8, is seeded No. 1 in the 100 individual medley and the 100 freestyle and second in the 50 freestyle (:31.80) and 25 freestyle (:14.95).
"He's an experienced 8-year-old," Ritschard said. "If he gets up there and swims like he can, he will take first."
Rachel Root, 17, is seeded No. 2 in the 100 backstroke (:57.71) and the 200 backstroke (2:04.3). She is also seeded seventh in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.89). Root finished third in the 100 backstroke at the WIAA Division 2 state meet and sixth in the 200 IM during the high school season.
Ritschard said Root's incredible work ethic makes her a talented swimmer.
"She has been swimming really well this year," she said. "I just think that girl is half fish. She's a great role model for the other kids."
The 8 and younger 100 freestyle relay team of Zach Meighan, Jacob Piper, Mason Yaun and Zimmerman is seeded fourth (1:08.60). The same quartet of swimmers is seeded sixth in the 100 medley relay (1:18.68). The other top eight seeds include Samantha Schiro, 8, seeded sixth in the 50 butterfly (:44.24), Morgan Erstad, 8, seeded fifth in the 100 freestyle (1:20.59), seventh in the 50 freestyle (:35.76) and eighth in the 100 IM (1:33.55). Elsa Schaefer, 8, is seeded seventh in the 50 breaststroke (:49.96), Ellie Eichelkraut, 8, is seeded eighth in the 25 butterfly and Madelyn Hammer, 12, is seeded seventh in the 50 freestyle (:27.3). Kelvin Johnson, 17, is the No. 5 seed in the 100 freestyle (:48.62) and eighth in the 100 backstroke (:55.75).
"We have a lot of top five and six seeds," Ritschard said. "We should do really well. We had more state qualifiers this year than last year. I was really pleased this year."
A big portion of the state qualifiers include 14 swimmers 9-years-old and younger who are looking to make a splash at state. One of those younger swimmers competing for a medal will be MeKenzie Hammer, 9, who is seeded third in the 50-yard butterfly (33.28 seconds) and fifth in the 100 butterfly (1:20.13).
"I think it shows that we are starting to get a good feeder program," Green County Gators coach Brenda Ritschard said. "We are starting to swim year round. Hopefully, we can get kids to stay in the program not just in the winter, but all year round. If we are going to have a good high school team, these kids are going to have to swim more than just the winter."
The top eight in each event earn medals and the top 16 get ribbons. The Gators have 13 individuals and three relays seeded in the top eight heading into the state meet. Hammer is also seeded seventh in the 50 freestyle, but the 50 butterfly is her top event.
"We have to try to put MeKenzie behind swimmers to stop her from racing fast because everything she does 24-7 is fast," Ritschard said.
Eli Zimmerman, 8, is seeded No. 1 in the 100 individual medley and the 100 freestyle and second in the 50 freestyle (:31.80) and 25 freestyle (:14.95).
"He's an experienced 8-year-old," Ritschard said. "If he gets up there and swims like he can, he will take first."
Rachel Root, 17, is seeded No. 2 in the 100 backstroke (:57.71) and the 200 backstroke (2:04.3). She is also seeded seventh in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.89). Root finished third in the 100 backstroke at the WIAA Division 2 state meet and sixth in the 200 IM during the high school season.
Ritschard said Root's incredible work ethic makes her a talented swimmer.
"She has been swimming really well this year," she said. "I just think that girl is half fish. She's a great role model for the other kids."
The 8 and younger 100 freestyle relay team of Zach Meighan, Jacob Piper, Mason Yaun and Zimmerman is seeded fourth (1:08.60). The same quartet of swimmers is seeded sixth in the 100 medley relay (1:18.68). The other top eight seeds include Samantha Schiro, 8, seeded sixth in the 50 butterfly (:44.24), Morgan Erstad, 8, seeded fifth in the 100 freestyle (1:20.59), seventh in the 50 freestyle (:35.76) and eighth in the 100 IM (1:33.55). Elsa Schaefer, 8, is seeded seventh in the 50 breaststroke (:49.96), Ellie Eichelkraut, 8, is seeded eighth in the 25 butterfly and Madelyn Hammer, 12, is seeded seventh in the 50 freestyle (:27.3). Kelvin Johnson, 17, is the No. 5 seed in the 100 freestyle (:48.62) and eighth in the 100 backstroke (:55.75).
"We have a lot of top five and six seeds," Ritschard said. "We should do really well. We had more state qualifiers this year than last year. I was really pleased this year."
