By Adam Krebs
editor@themonroetimes.com
MONROE — While Monroe-New Glarus celebrated Senior Night, it was a freshman Mazie Paradis that stole the show. Paradis broke two team records Sept. 28 in her team’s dominating dual win over short-handed Portage.
Paradis’ time of 4:43.14 in the 400-meter freestyle broke the previous mark held by teammate and senior Morgan Erstad. In the 200-freestyle, Paradis broke the team mark with a 2:13.72 victory.
Portage was unable to field a complete team, traveling with just six swimmers, assuring MNG a clear victory. Team scores aside, the Cheesemakers saw plenty of strong swims up and down the lineup.
“I think we have some really good senior leaders, and we have younger kids stepping up. It shows in their times,” co-coach Haley Kaiser said.
Paradis teamed with Delaney Lynch, Danika Doll and Keeley Mulligan — all freshmen and sophomores — for a 2:06.07 victory in the 200-free relay. Paradis, Lynch, Riley Hoesly and Karley Michels finished the 400-free relay with a time of 4:35.40.
Michels, one of seven seniors honored during the competition, won the 100-breaststroke with a mark of 1:23.78. She also paired with Hoesly, Mulligan and Doll to win the 200-medley relay (2:21.17), the first race of the day.
MNG took first place in 10 of the 11 events. Hoesly was first in the 100-back (1:15.68). Mulligan won the 100-free (1:12.30). Samantha Schiro came out on top in the 100-butterfly (1:19.14), and Elsa Schaefer won the 200-IM (2:52.19).
This year’s senior class, which also includes Schaefer, Schiro, Alyvia Schulz, Taylor Rufer and Peyton Yaun, has had an interesting journey. After their freshman season, longtime head coach Linda Moser retired. Rachel Root, a Monroe alum and collegiate swimmer, came back to be an assistant coach with Kendra Kalvin in 2019. The 2020 season was delayed and shortened because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the team didn’t participate in the sectional. This fall, Root and Kaiser took over as co-head coaches. They had competed as teammates in high school, having already established that chemistry as coaches.
“We have that background and we work at Northside together, so it’s going well,” Root said.
While this season is more normal than a year ago, the changes in the offseason, contact days with coaches, and changing coronavirus protocols has forced the Class of 2022 to be leaders to their younger teammates all while adjusting to the changes on the fly.
“It definite feels much better this year. Being with the girls makes it easier,” said Michels, who added that the pandemic has taught her not to take as much for granted. “It’s definitely given me more perspective and made me work harder and enjoy the time I have left with this team.”
To get through the stress and the headaches involved with life outside of the pool, being in the water together has helped the roster bond.
“I’m going to miss all the girls so much. Practices with them makes it so much better. They push me to work harder. They know how to make everything fun and how to make me better when I’m having a bad race or anything like that,” Michels said.
MNG still has eight competition dates on the schedule, and the sectional isn’t until Nov. 6 at DeForest, which gives the team further time to develop. It also gives the seniors extra opportunities to soak in their final season in the water.
“I’m going to miss it when I’m done,” Yaun said. “I’ve learned to always work your hardest and to never give up on your dreams or anything — because you never know when you’re going to get your next shot.”
Usually competing once or maybe twice a week, MNG has a full slate coming up, however. A dual against Sauk Prairie was originally scheduled for Oct. 5, but was pushed back by more than a week. Coupled with a weekend invitational, the Cheesemakers are scheduled to compete four times in an 8-day stretch: vs. McFarland Oct. 12, at Sauk Prairie Oct. 14, at the Fort Atkinson Invitational Oct. 16 and vs. Baraboo Oct. 19 in the final Badger Conference dual of the season.
A three-day break follows, with another invitational Oct. 23 at UW-Platteville, with one final invitational at McFarland a week later.
“They’ve definitely put in a lot of work at practice, and I think it helps to just have the mentality that if they want to do well at the end of the season then they need to do that extra work. They push each other at practice,” Root said.
