The Platteville/Lancaster girls’ swim team opened the Southern Lakes Conference dual meet season last Thursday night with a lopsided 92–70 victory over visiting Delavan–Darien in front of a Parents’ Night crowd at the UW–Platteville Natatorium.
The Hillmen won all 11 events and could have dominated the team scoring even more had first-year head coach Liz Peters not opted to swim the final three events as exhibitions in a show of good sportsmanship.
Platteville/Lancaster (1–0, 1–0 SLC) won the final three events, but by swimming them as exhibitions, did not score team points in those events.
“This meet was a special meet because we were honoring the most supportive people to our program, our parents,” said Peters. “It was nice that we were able to swim to a victory for them.”
Platteville/Lancaster swept the 100-yard freestyle with sophomore Megan Graney (1:01.84), and freshmen Haley Gotto (1:10.18) and Mikayla Vincent (1:15.74) finishing first, second and third.
Senior Rachael Demaree (28.63) and freshman Lauren Smith finished first and second in the 50-yard freestyle.
Junior Melanie Schaefer (1:06.32) and senior Haley Wood (1:09.32) finished 1–2 in the 100-yard butterfly. Schaefer also won the 500 freestyle (5:44.22).
“There were several great races where the Hillmen just outfinished the Comets, making it an exciting meet,” added Peters.
Senior captain Maddie Kieler won the 200 freestyle in 2:18.45. Sophomore Melissa Wood took first in the 200 individual medley (2:18.45) and the 100 backstroke (1:07.28). Senior Elissa Bahr won the 100 breaststroke in 1:18.93.
Platteville/Lancaster also won all three relays with three different foursomes.
The Hillmen traveled to Lake Geneva for another Southern Lakes dual Tuesday night. They will return to action Thursday with a non-conference event at Dubuque Hempstead.
Platteville/Lancaster 92, Delavan–Darien 70
(from Thursday, Sept. 5 @ Platteville)
Platteville/Lancaster top finishers
200 medley relay — 1.Pla/Lan (Melsiaa Wood, Elissa Bahr, Melanie Schaefer, Rachael Demaree) 2:05.83. 200 freestyle — 1.Maddie Kieler (P/L) 2:18.45, 2.Megan Graney (P/L) 2:23.64. 200 individual medley — 1.M. Wood (P/L) 2:34.49, 2.Bahr (P/L) 2:42.92, 3.Haley Wood (P/L) 2:46.06. 50 freestyle — 1.Demaree (P/L) 28.63, 2.Lauren Smith (P/L) 29.75. 100 butterfly — 1.Schaefer (P/L) 1:06.63, 2.H. Wood (P/L) 1:09.32. 100 freestyle — 1.Graney (P/L) 1:01.84, 2.Haley Gotto (P/L) 1:10.18, 3.Mikayla Vincent 1:15.74. 500 freestyle — 1.Schaefer (P/L) 5:44.22, 3.Kieler (P/L) 6:27.02. 200 freestyle relay — 1.Pla/Lan (Bahr, Kieler, Smith, Graney) 1:54.46. 100 backstroke — 1.M. Wood (P/L) 1:07.28. 100 breaststroke — 1.Bahr (P/L) 1:18.93, 2.Gotto (P/L) 1:26.76, 3.Vincent (P/L) 1:32.84. 400 freestyle relay — 1.Pla/Lan (M. Wood, Graney, Kieler, Schaefer) 4:11.38.
Talented Hillmen swimmers sink DelavanDarien