MONROE — McFarland bested Monroe-New Glarus in a Badger Conference dual Oct. 12, 95-64. The meet was the first of three this week for the Cheesemakers, which were also scheduled to face Sauk Prairie Oct. 14 and then compete at the Fort Atkinson Invitational Oct. 16.

“It’s getting down towards the end of the season, and we can tell they are getting tired, but they all pushed through and had a good meet,” Monroe co-coach Haley Kaiser said. 

October is the month when the swimmers go hardest, the coaches said. 

“We still had girls last week that broke record and had their best times,” Kaiser said.

MNG has one more home meet Oct. 19 at the Green County Family YMCA against Baraboo. The Cheesemakers then take part in the UW-Platteville Invite Oct. 23, and the Badger Conference meet at McFarland Oct. 30. From there, the team has just one week left before the DeForest sectional.

“Swimming is so different (from other sports), and October is the hardest month because you’re being pushed the hardest as you are doing all of the competition,” said Rachel Root, Monroe’s other co-coach. 

Generally speaking, times are still dropping for swimmers in the pool — but that rate should increase in the final weeks as late season rest and tapering will allow the bodies to recover a bit in time for sectionals and state.

“Right now, we want them to be tired so when we rest, they can go really fast. They are right where we want them to be,” Monroe co-coach Rachel Root said. “Conference, sectionals and state will be the three big ones that they are actually feeling good for.”

McFarland has consistently been one of southern Wisconsin’s top programs over the past decade-plus. In the dual Oct. 12, MNG could only muster three first-place finishes in the 11 events. In those three, the Cheesemakers outscored the Spartans from top to bottom.

In the 200-meter individual medley, MNG freshman Mazie Paradis finished first overall with a time of 2:30.73, with senior teammate Morgan Erstad placing second (2:40.83). Senior Peyton Yaun (2:52.70) was fourth, giving MNG 12 of the 16 possible points in the race.

In the 100-meter butterfly, Paradis again took first (1:07.31), with seniors Samantha Schiro (4th, 1:21.41) and Elsa Schaefer (5th, 1:24.81) also scoring points, giving the Cheesemakers 9 of 16 points in the event.

The 100-meter breaststroke was the second-to-last event of the meet, and MNG senior Karley Michels was first (1:23.64), with Yaun third (1:26.87) and Schaefer fourth (1:27.18), which was good enough for 11 of 16 points.

“I think a really exciting event to watch was the 100-breaststroke,” Root said. “Peyton Yaun had a really strong meet and had best times in her 200-IM and breaststroke for the season. She’s really looked like a strong swimmer. And Karley had a great swim, too. It was fun to watch them push it.”

Riley Hoesly finished second in the 50-meter freestyle, with a time of 29.98 (first place was 28.75). MNG’s 200 medley relay squad of Erstad, Michels, Paradis and Delaney Lynch finished second (2:12.81), less than five seconds behind McFarland. The Cheesemakers were also second in the 400-freestyle relay (4:24.20), in which Hoesly, Lynch, Erstad and Paradis finished less than five seconds behind the Spartans in the final race of the evening.

MNG’s other third place finishes include:

●  Delaney Lynch, 50-meter freestyle, 30.42 seconds; 400-meter freestyle, 5:13.50

●  Riley Hoesly, 100-meter freestyle, 1:06.93  

●  Morgan Erstad, 100-meter backstroke, 1:15.75

●  Keeley Mulligan, Karley Michels, Danika Doll and Riley Hoesly, 200-freestyle relay, 2:09.08

One of the disadvantages the Cheesemakers have at each meet is simply the lack of overall numbers in the program. The team participates in only a handful of junior varsity events each night, and even some varsity events have MNG competing with less than all three lanes filled. That means less chance at stealing some more points in the dual, as well limiting the flexibility of who swims in what race.

Despite that, the team has persevered, and the chemistry of the girls on the roster is apparent. 

“It’s difficult that we have a smaller team, because that puts us at a disadvantage in some meets,” Kaiser said. “But they are a close group and have swum together for a while.”

“It’s been fun to watch them blossom throughout the season, too. They just support each other more,” Root said.