MADISON — Platteville senior Melissa Wood closed out her prep swimming career at Friday’s WIAA Division 2 state swimming and diving championships at the UW–Natatorium.
Wood placed 10th in the D2 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:01.45, her second-best time this season.
McFarland senior Sara Hagen won the event in 56.27 seconds.
“Melissa swam amazingly well, especially considering that we tapered her for sectionals and she was able to maintain her time,” said Platteville/Lanacster head coach Liz Peters. “I was happy that she was able to jump up two places because going in to the meet she was seeded 12th and she finished in 10th place.”
Wood is a Mineral Point native, who open enrolled at Platteville High School to joined the Platteville/Lancaster swim team prior to her sophomore year in 2013.
In three quick years she developed into a record-breaking state caliber swimmer. Wood broke her own 100-yard butterfly record for the final time at last year’s sectional meet when she posted a 1:01.07.
She went on to place 15th at last year’s state meet in the 100 fly and also qualified for the 2014 state meet in the 200 individual medley, also placing 15th in that event.
This year Wood overcame offseason hip surgery to return to her state-level form and earn a second consecutive trip to Madison.
“To have overcome a recent hip surgery to make a second appearance at the state championships is an amazing feat,” added Peters.
Wood’s 10th place finish in the 100 fly gave the Hillmen seven team points, which was good for a tie for 32nd place in the final team standings.
Madison Edgewood won this year’s D2 team title holding off runner-up McFarland 277.5–220.
WIAA Division 2 State Championships
(from Friday, Nov. 13 @ UW–Natatorium, Madison)
Top 10 team scores — 1.Madison Edgewood 277.5, 2.McFarland 220, 3.Grafton 203.5, 4.Kohler/Sheboygan Lutheran 163, 5.DeForest 155, 6.New Berlin Eisenhower 131, 7.Ladysmith/Bruce/Flambeau 109, 8.Monona Grove 99.5, 9.Baraboo 97, 10.Whitnall 93...32(tie).Platteville/Lancaster 7.
Platteville/Lancaster state qualifiers
100 butterfly — 10.Melissa Wood 1:01.45.
