Women’s swim team headed to Regionals

To prepare for Regionals at Linn Mar on Saturday, Oct. 28, the women’s swimming and diving team has actually been taking things a little slower.

As they start their taper: a process where yardage, intensity and volume of workouts and training is gradually decreased toward the end of the season, they’re able to look back and see that they have a lot working in their favor to make it to State.

After getting fourth in an invite at Linn Mar and winning their conference the weekend before last, the CF swim team ended their regular season strong.

They’ve beaten their own time for the 200 Free Relay and are ranked third in state right now with a time of 1:38.40. That’s 0.4 seconds slower than Ankeny, and 2.05 seconds slower than Ames on the leaderboards, giving both teams a run for their money and showing that there is quite a bit of competition to be had at Regionals.

Olivia Clark, a senior varsity swimmer, holds five top times on the team this year in the 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Fly and 200 Individual Medley. Out of all the teams that compete in the state, she is ranked third in the 100 Breast with a time of 1:07.68.

Sammi Hall, another senior varsity swimmer, currently holds the best times among the team this season in the 100 Back with a time of 1:01.27, and in the 200 Free with a time of 1:57.49.

Grace Considine, a junior varsity swimmer, holds the best time of the season on the team in the 500 Free with a time of 5:14.92.

As for diving, Madison Schoppe and Ashton Syharath are among the top five in the state in their respective category.

Schoppe is ranked fifth in the 1 meter 6 dive score with a score of 269.4 and Syharath is ranked fourth in the 1 meter 11 dive score with a score of 439.75.

Right now as a whole, the team is sitting in the top 10 in power rankings in the state, making them a force to be reckoned with at Regionals this year.

The success of the team can be attributed to head coach, Mike Hagensick, and diving coach, Vic Laughlin. The hard work and dedication to the team doesn’t stop at the coaches though. With a new group of freshman and a bunch of experienced upperclassmen as well, athletes on the team are willing to give everything they have to make this year’s season a successful one.

Junior Ellie Shimp, a varsity swimmer for the team, said, “I think we’ll do good. We have a great group of swimmers this year, and we’re a lot more successful than last year. With how everyone on the team is swimming, we have a good chance at making it to State this year. Everyone’s been working hard, and now it’s going to payoff.”