MADISON - No one would blame Monroe senior Randi Robertson if her heart was racing.
Robertson helped set the tone for the Cheesemakers at the WIAA Division 2 state swimming meet Friday night at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium, swimming the opening leg backstroke in the 200-yard medley relay.
"It didn't hit me that we were at state until I went up to the blocks and all our fans were here," Robertson said.
Robertson teamed with junior Leanna Schwartzlow, freshman Rachel Root and senior Jessica Weeden to finish 14th with a personal-record time of 1 minute, 55.27 seconds.
"We didn't set the (school) record, but we did our best," Robertson said. "We made it to state. That's better than nothing."
Sturgeon Bay-Sevastopol spoiled DeForest's bid to win a fourth straight state championship as the Norskies were outdistanced, 201-186, for the title. Monroe finished 23rd out of 38 schools that scored at state.
"There is a lot of pressure at this meet," Monroe coach Linda Moser said. "It's more than just another meet. They put a lot of pressure on themselves."
However, the Cheesemakers' quartet of swimmers dealt with the pressure and turned in several personal-best times.
Root finished 10th in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:00.79. Root, who broke Alanna Bader's school record in the backstroke last week at the Baraboo sectional, hoped to place.
"I was excited and nervous," Root said. "I think I did OK. I wanted to improve my time. I want to come back next year. I just have to keep working hard."
Weeden finished 13th in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:00.90 and 13th in the 100 butterfly with a personal-best time of 1:01.37.
"I went out too hard," Weeden said. "I thought it was what I needed."
Weeden said she figured it would take a 1:56 to reach the podium and earn a medal in the 200 freestyle. Instead, sixth-place finisher Abby Holmquist of Milton, took the last medal with a time of 1:57.01.
Weeden, who has set school records in the 200 freestyle (1:58.75) and 400 freestyle (4:55.14), closed out a record-breaking season by taking her success in stride.
"It was disappointing, but it's OK," she said of the 200 freestyle. "I am thankful that I am here. It really is my last meet."
Schwartzlow took 13th in the 200 individual medley with a personal-best time of 2:17.42 and Root was 14th (2:17.89). Schwartzlow also swam her best split time in the breaststroke in the 200 medley relay, and took 15th in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.56).
"They swam really well," Moser said. "They improved their time. What else can I ask for? This is the icing on the cake."
Schwartzlow said before the 200 medley relay that she was just thinking about not psyching herself out, and just swimming like it was another race.
"It was kind of nerve-wracking," she said about swimming the first race at state. "The atmosphere was good. The crowd was great."
Moser expects the state experiences to be a driving force in the offseason for Schwartzlow, Root and teammates.
"I think it motivates everyone else on the team," Moser said. "They see how they were able to do and go to state and they think, 'I can do that too.'"
Three state records were set in the WIAA Division 2 state meet. Brookfield Academy junior Kelsey Hojan-Clark broke two state marks in the 200 and 500 freestyles, repeating as state champion in both events. Hojan-Clark won her second title in the 500 freestyle in a record-breaking time of 4 minutes, 50.19 seconds, which beat the previous mark set by Shorewood's Jamie Belfor (4:53.94).
Sturgeon Bay-Sevastopol set a new standard in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:36.02, about two seconds faster than the previous record set by Monona Grove last year.
The Badger Conference had several swimmers at the meet. Sauk Prairie junior Alison Meng won two state titles. The first was in the 100 butterfly with a time of 57.06 seconds, which outdistanced state runner-up Leah Winckler of DeForest, and the second in the 100 backstroke (:57.19).
Milton senior Jennah Haney won a state championship in the 200 IM (2:04.83) to help the Red Hawks to a fifth-place team finish. Sauk Prairie, a Northern Badger Conference team, finished sixth and Madison Edgewood was ninth.
Robertson helped set the tone for the Cheesemakers at the WIAA Division 2 state swimming meet Friday night at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium, swimming the opening leg backstroke in the 200-yard medley relay.
"It didn't hit me that we were at state until I went up to the blocks and all our fans were here," Robertson said.
Robertson teamed with junior Leanna Schwartzlow, freshman Rachel Root and senior Jessica Weeden to finish 14th with a personal-record time of 1 minute, 55.27 seconds.
"We didn't set the (school) record, but we did our best," Robertson said. "We made it to state. That's better than nothing."
Sturgeon Bay-Sevastopol spoiled DeForest's bid to win a fourth straight state championship as the Norskies were outdistanced, 201-186, for the title. Monroe finished 23rd out of 38 schools that scored at state.
"There is a lot of pressure at this meet," Monroe coach Linda Moser said. "It's more than just another meet. They put a lot of pressure on themselves."
However, the Cheesemakers' quartet of swimmers dealt with the pressure and turned in several personal-best times.
Root finished 10th in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:00.79. Root, who broke Alanna Bader's school record in the backstroke last week at the Baraboo sectional, hoped to place.
"I was excited and nervous," Root said. "I think I did OK. I wanted to improve my time. I want to come back next year. I just have to keep working hard."
Weeden finished 13th in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:00.90 and 13th in the 100 butterfly with a personal-best time of 1:01.37.
"I went out too hard," Weeden said. "I thought it was what I needed."
Weeden said she figured it would take a 1:56 to reach the podium and earn a medal in the 200 freestyle. Instead, sixth-place finisher Abby Holmquist of Milton, took the last medal with a time of 1:57.01.
Weeden, who has set school records in the 200 freestyle (1:58.75) and 400 freestyle (4:55.14), closed out a record-breaking season by taking her success in stride.
"It was disappointing, but it's OK," she said of the 200 freestyle. "I am thankful that I am here. It really is my last meet."
Schwartzlow took 13th in the 200 individual medley with a personal-best time of 2:17.42 and Root was 14th (2:17.89). Schwartzlow also swam her best split time in the breaststroke in the 200 medley relay, and took 15th in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.56).
"They swam really well," Moser said. "They improved their time. What else can I ask for? This is the icing on the cake."
Schwartzlow said before the 200 medley relay that she was just thinking about not psyching herself out, and just swimming like it was another race.
"It was kind of nerve-wracking," she said about swimming the first race at state. "The atmosphere was good. The crowd was great."
Moser expects the state experiences to be a driving force in the offseason for Schwartzlow, Root and teammates.
"I think it motivates everyone else on the team," Moser said. "They see how they were able to do and go to state and they think, 'I can do that too.'"
Three state records were set in the WIAA Division 2 state meet. Brookfield Academy junior Kelsey Hojan-Clark broke two state marks in the 200 and 500 freestyles, repeating as state champion in both events. Hojan-Clark won her second title in the 500 freestyle in a record-breaking time of 4 minutes, 50.19 seconds, which beat the previous mark set by Shorewood's Jamie Belfor (4:53.94).
Sturgeon Bay-Sevastopol set a new standard in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:36.02, about two seconds faster than the previous record set by Monona Grove last year.
The Badger Conference had several swimmers at the meet. Sauk Prairie junior Alison Meng won two state titles. The first was in the 100 butterfly with a time of 57.06 seconds, which outdistanced state runner-up Leah Winckler of DeForest, and the second in the 100 backstroke (:57.19).
Milton senior Jennah Haney won a state championship in the 200 IM (2:04.83) to help the Red Hawks to a fifth-place team finish. Sauk Prairie, a Northern Badger Conference team, finished sixth and Madison Edgewood was ninth.
