The Waunakee girls swim team has made the most of its opportunity to have a season this spring. The Warriors continued their strong showing with a great performance at the WIAA Verona Sectional.
The Lady Warriors finished with 259 team points to place fourth behind Edgewood (421), Middleton (375) and Verona (308).
“We were beyond excited about how the meet went at sectionals,” Warrior coach Kayla Proctor said. “After having a shortened season and working hard to have the best season we possibly could qualifying for stay with all three relays and five individuals is amazing.”
The Warriors had Grace Blitz, Emily Schmeiser, Dylan Ryniak, Makenzie Wallace and Alaina Sautebin all qualify for state individually. They also advanced all three relays.
“We were all very well prepared, it was great seeing everyone have huge time drops from their season times, and I’m excited to carry that energy to state,” Waunakee’s Darya Pronina said.
Wallace led the way with a third-place finish in the 100 breaststroke. He finished the race in 1 minute, 8.03 seconds.
“I am proud of how much this team has achieved this season,” Wallace said. “We went into sectionals with a great attitude and performed to the best of our abilities. We had some fantastic swims from some of our young swimmers. And I can’t wait to see what we do next weekend at state.”
Sautebin is moving on in the 100 backstroke after placing fifth (1:01.16). She added a ninth-place finish in the 200 individual medley (2:21.16).
Schmeiser punched her ticket to state after placing sixth (1:00.36) in the 100 butterfly. She was also 11th in the 100 backstroke (1:03.18).
Ryniak is headed to state in the 100 butterfly after earning seventh place (1:00.40). She went on to place 10th in the 500 freestyle (5:28.57).
Blitz swam her way to seventh place in the 50 freestyle (:25.17) to earn a spot at state.
The Warriors opened the sectional by advancing their 200 medley relay team of Sautebin, Wallace, Schmeiser and Blitz to state. They came in fourth after clocking in at 1:50.07.
The Lady Warriors were also fourth in the 200 freestyle relay, thanks to the time of 1:41.22 by Wallace, Sautebin, Pronina and Blitz.
Waunakee’s best relay finish came in the 400 freestyle, where Blitz, Eleanor Lake, Pronina and Wallace came in third (3:40.81).
Lake added to the Warriors’ point total after placing sixth in the 200 individual medley (2:176.59) and 11th in the 500 freestyle (5:34.38), while Pronina was eighth in the 100 freestyle (:55.38) and 11th in the 50 freestyle (:25.78).
Waunakee’s Kajsa Rosenkvist was eighth in the 100 butterfly (1:01.69) and 100 backstroke (1:01.60), while Brooke Bound was ninth in the 100 butterfly (1:05.77) and 14th in the 50 freestyle (:25.59).
The Lady Warriors’ Tessa Pauls was 11th in the 100 freestyle (:56.97), while Hannah Grindle was 15th in the 100 backstroke (1:11.33).
The WIAA state meet was held this past Tuesday at the Waukesha South High School Natatorium. A recap will be in next week’s Tribune.
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