MONROE — The Cheesemakers opened up Badger South competition with a 104-66 win over Milton Tuesday at the Green County Family YMCA.

“This was our first conference meet and the girls displayed confidence despite the nerves,” Monroe head coach Linda Moser said. “Last year we only came out on top by two points, so the girls knew they had to stay focused and give 100 percent in the water.”

The Cheesemakers won seven of the 11 varsity events against the Red Hawks.

Monroe opened the meet with a bang, as freshmen Morgan Erstad and Karley Michels teamed up with sophomore Mekenzie Hammer and senior Cammi Ganshert to win the 200-meter medley relay with a time of 2 minutes, 9.30 seconds — more than six seconds ahead of Milton’s top relay squad.

“The 200 medley relay came out strong and from that point forward no one let up,” Moser said. “They proved to each other they are more than capable of being competitive. That is important for them to know because next week we swim against McFarland — a power house in the Badger South.”

Erstad won the 200 freestyle in the next varsity race with a time of 2:15.60.

Hammer finished second in the 200 individual medley (2:33.71), six seconds off the pace of Milton’s Danielle Cramer.

Ganshert won the 50 freestyle (29.94) in a tight race over senior teammate Nina Schiro (31.00). Monroe freshman Alyssa Roelli won the 100 butterfly (1:10.37) and in the 100 freestyle event, Cheesemakers sophomore Francesca Schiro (1:03.87) beat Milton’s Ellie Parker by a half of a second.

Nina Schiro (5:14.06) and freshman Kaitlyn Elgin (5:18.73) finished second and third behind Milton’s Azia Koser (4:53.06) in the 400 freestyle. 

In the 200 freestyle relay, Ganshert, Roelli, Michels and Francesca Schiro took first (2:00.72) ahead of teammates Kendra Wenger, Peyton Yaun, Emily Meritt and Anna Newcomer (2:07.48).

Hammer, last year’s state champion in the 100 backstroke, took second (1:06.99) behind Milton’s Cramer (1:05.21), who broke the pool record that was previously held by another former Milton swimmer, Bridgette Alexander, according to Moser. Erstad was third (1:07.85).

Michels won the 100 breaststroke (1:26.08) ahead of teammates Yaun (1:28.21) and Newcomer (1:29.33), in an event the Cheesemakers took 13 of 16 allotted points.

In the final race of the night, Milton’s 400 freestyle relay team finished first (4:13.28) ahead Monroe’s four-some of Erstad, Hammer, Roelli and Francesca Schiro (4:15.86).

The Milton JV defeated Monroe 98-63.

Monroe gets back into the water Tuesday at McFarland for a conference dual meet, and hits the road again Thursday for the Stoughton Relays.