Just Keep Swimming

By Emily Landwehr

Swimming may sometimes appear to be constant laps down and back, down and back, but for the McFarland Spartan Girls Swim Team, the night of November 10th was anything but monotonous.

The team that traveled to state was composed of eight swimmers, seven of which had individual events. For the three captains and seniors Kyra Billman, Emily Hanson, and Hannah Nygaard, this was their last high school swim meet. It’s always challenging to say goodbye to the beloved seniors. Ella Weaver, a sophomore breaststroke mentioned, “I am really going to miss the seniors next year… I have been swimming with most of them for over eight years,” but sophomores Bella Dettmers, Abbie Harrington, Emily Landwehr, and Weaver along with junior Alex Moderski will all be returning to the team next year hoping for another amazing season.

Coach Jessica Garvey, who has just completed her first year as head coach, reported how proud she was of all the girls for their performance. “I am incredibly impressed with how our state team swam at the Division 2 State Meet this year,” says Coach Garvey.

The team was initially projected to score roughly 160, and ended with 194.5, bringing home a third place finish. While Edgewood may have taken home the title of state champions, it was a fierce battle between the rest of the teams for second through fifth. New Berlin Eisenhower earned runner-up with McFarland placing in third, Tomahawk in fourth, and Whitefish Bay in fifth. “We scored a cumulative 30 additional points than we were supposed to score at the meet, making it incredibly close between us and second place. Although it’s tough to get third after placing second the last two years, we still moved up in many races and swam a lot of season best times,” says Coach Garvey.

The night was filled with fast swimming and accomplishment after accomplishment, but the swimmers all noted how their teammates made that night a day to remember forever.

“It’s really great to have teammates who are like sisters to you, who are always there to make you laugh,” says sophomore Ella Weaver, who swam 2nd place 200 Medley Relay, 6th place 200 Free Relay, and placed third in the 100 breaststroke.

Captain Kyra Billman swam the 100 Breaststroke and noted how energized the atmosphere was down on deck. “It’s amazing being on deck… We really know how to get each other pumped up and excited to swim.” McFarland is notorious for “bringing the party” and it was no different that night at the UW Natatorium. People were jumping up and down, dancing, and screaming for their teammates the entire night.

Hanson also had a strong 100 Backstroke, tying for eighth place with a time of 59.75. Landwehr took eighth place in the 100 Freestyle with 53.56, and Billman earned eleventh place with 1:09.90.

The meet lasted approximately two and a half hours with Spartans participating in a total of eleven events. Looking back, the girls will not recall the night because of the hours that passed, the memories will come from the night filled with emotion, accomplishment, and fast swimming. Congratulations McFarland Girls Swim Team!