DEFOREST — The Monroe-New Glarus swim team will be represented by five swimmers in five events at the WIAA Division 2 state meet at the Waukesha South Natatorium Nov. 12.
“We are just super excited for the girls,” said MNG co-coach Haley Kaiser. “They have worked hard and are very deserving of this.”
Freshman Mazie Paradis will swim in two individual events (200-yard IM, 100-butterfly), as well as two relays (200-medley, 400-freestyle). Senior Morgan Erstad will swim in the 100-backstroke and both relays. Sophomore Riley Hoesly and freshman Delaney Lynch will join Erstad and Paradis in the 400-free relay, while Hoesly and senior Karley Michels will race in the medley relay.
At the DeForest sectional, Erstad only swam in those three events she advanced to state in. In the backstroke, she finished with a time of 1:01.11, which was eighth overall. The top 16 times of all four sectionals reach state, with only the winners of each sectional guaranteed to advance. Despite finishing eighth in the sectional, Erstad still had the 14th best time in the state and will swim in the opening heat of the backstroke. Both heats will have eight swimmers.
“I think I performed pretty well,” Erstad said.
Paradis was seventh at the sectional in the IM (2:11.55) and is seeded 10th at state. She was third in the butterfly (59.23) and is seeded ninth at state.
“I think I got myself way too nervous before my events,” Paradis said, adding that she didn’t think she swam as well as she could have.
She said she has a few things she knows she’ll need to work on in the offseason. “I can definitely improve from this season.”
Monroe-New Glarus has the 11-seed in the medley relay after finishing seventh (1:15.97) at the DeForest sectional. The 400-freestyle relay squad was sixth (3:46.35) at sectionals and seeded 12th for state.
Hoesly was 12th at the sectional in the 100-free (56.94), and finished 1.43 seconds shy of state. Four swimmers that finished ahead of her in the tight sectional also missed their shot at state in the event. Michaels was also 1.43 seconds shy of advancing to state, but in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:11.91).
Lynch missed out in the 500-free (5:42.27) by six seconds, though she did knock off nine seconds from her seed time at the sectional.
Monroe co-coach Rachel Root said all of team’s swimmers that competed at the sectional set season-best times. Kaiser is looking forward to the final meet of the season.
“We are excited to see what they can do at state on Friday,” Kaiser said.
Edgewood, the lone private school in the sectional, won the team title, amassing 410 points. The Crusaders will occupy 21 slots in the state meet, covering nine of the 12 events. In three events, all three Edgewood competitors advanced. The Crusaders have won the last six Division 2 state titles.
Baraboo (267) finished second, just ahead of McFarland (263), Sauk Prairie (255) and DeForest (233). MNG finished seventh (141) out of the 14 teams.
“It’s definitely a lot different (at sectional),” Erstad said. “You have a lot of nerves, definitely. You could tell everyone on the team had a lot of nerves. I also feel like it’s more fun because you get excited about your race and how you do, and it’s the end of the season.”
DeForest’s pool is located in the recently built high school, and includes upper deck seating, ample deck space and natural light coming from the south side of the facility. It is also 8-lanes wide, while many locations MNG swims in are just six lanes, like at home at the Green County Family YMCA, an older facility that provides limited deck space.
“Monroe’s pool is six lanes; it’s pretty tiny. This is nice, I would have to say,” Erstad said.
Erstad has battled shoulder injuries throughout her otherwise prolific career swimming for MNG. She said the state meet is likely her last competitive event.
“It’s crazy — I still feel like a freshman. I don’t think I’ve come to the fact that I am a senior and this will be my last meet,” Erstad said.
She said that the tight-knit camaraderie of the girls on the roster over the years is what she loved most about competing in high school
“You do year-round swimming, but for club swimming it’s not so much about team as it is individual swimming. With high school, you kind of learn what a team means and how it can be a family. It’s so nice to have met and become friends with all these people,” Erstad said.
