MCFARLAND — The Cheesemakers swim team lost to McFarland, one of the top teams in the state, Tuesday 115-55. The Spartans have finished in the Top 4 in each of the last five seasons, including a pair of second-place finishes to Madison Edgewood.

“The girls knew it was going to be a tough meet and it was,” Monroe-New Glarus head coach Linda Moser said. “Swimming in the Badger South week after week is grueling because of how tough the competition is, but in the end, it works in our favor because we are ready for sectionals and the success we need there to get to state.”

The Cheesemakers won just one race on the evening — sophomore Mekenzie Hammer won the 200-meter Individual Medley by nine seconds with a personal record time of 2 minutes, 31.65 seconds. In the 100 backstroke, Hammer, the defending state champion, finished second (1:07.30) behind McFarland’s Mara Freeman (1:04.50), who set a new pool record.

Monroe-New Glarus took second place in seven of the 11 events. 

“I am very proud of what they did tonight in the water,” Moser said. “I know they are disappointed because some of their swims were a little off, but it is that high expectation that they hold for themselves that will push them to work even harder.”

Moser made note of Nina Schiro, who finished the 400 freestyle in second place with a time of 5:03.63, as well as teammates Kaitlyn Elgin (5:16.68) and Elsa Schaefer (5:47.69). 

“Not every swim was off by a second or two,” Moser said. “Nina Schiro (had an) 11-second improvement. Her teammates Kaitlyn Elgin and Elsa Schaefer did the same in the 400 free — both cutting time.”

Monroe-New Glarus competed in the Stoughton Relays Thursday and host Watertown Tuesday in the Badger South Conference dual.