Aqua Tribe to compete in district meet
Taking wing Junior Madi Werner skims the water in her heat of the 100-yard butterfly during competition at the Andrews invitational on Feb. 9-10. Werner took fifth place in a time of 1:17.32.
The Aqua Tribe will compete in the district swim meet today and tomorrow in Monahans.
With the last invitational over, swimmers focus on the six-lane pool in Monahans to propel them to regionals.
“I have myself set to beat former swimmer Judy Thiessen’s 50-yard free record,” junior Madi Werner said. “If I pushed myself, I really think that I am capable to do better.”
Werner took 11th in a field of 106 swimmers in the 50-yard freestyle in Andrews on Jan. 10 as well as fifth in the 100-yard butterfly.
The Andrews meet featured 29 schools and over 500 competitors. The field at district will be smaller but no less competitive with nine women’s teams and eight men’s teams looking for a regional berth.
“I want everyone to have their best times,” Coach Timothy Sage said. “That’s what everything leads up to.”
Those times will compete with powerhouses like Lubbock High and Andrews for qualifications.
“The new district is a lot easier than it was last year,” Werner said. “It’s only stressfull if you make it stressful.”
The women’s 200-freestyle relay will try to surpass its school record last year. “I don’t think it’s pressure,” sophomore Faith Klassen said. “I just want to break the record again.”
The Maidens have consistently placed in the higher spots at meets throughout the season.
“We’ve been doing really well as individuals and as a team,” Werner said. “Hopefully we keep the hard work up at district.”
In the last two weeks, the swimmers have been conditioning for endurance and cutting out extra lag.
“We’ve been using more drag,” Sage said. “We’ve also been working on our turns to cut time.”
The Aqua Tribe wears drag such as pantyhose, t-shirts and shorts in the water so they will have to pull harder to swim.
“The more drag you apply the better it is,” junior Kenzie Ivins said. “It’s difficult at first, but the more you use it, the easier it gets.”
Results from Andrews Invitational Jan. 9-10
Overall combined team finish–15th
Maidens–12th place
200 medley relay–(Kree Ellison, Grecia Hermosillo, Esther Neufeld, Madi Werner)-fifth (2:18.94)
200 yard freestyle–(Paige Perryman)-22nd (2:37.60), (Kenzie Ivins)-24th (2:40.41)
50 yard freestyle–(Esther Neufeld)- ninth (29.55), (Madi Werner)-11th (29.82)
100 yard butterfly–(Madi Werner)-fifth (1:17:32)
100 yard freestyle–(Paige Perryman)- 17th (1:11:91), (Kree Ellison)-21st (1:14:16)
500 yard freestyle–(Kenzie Ivins)-18th (7:18:61)
200 freestyle relay–(Madi Werner, Grecia Hermosillo, Esther Neufeld, Paige Perryman)-10th (2:00.45), (Meredith Rempel, Kenzie Ivins, Kree Ellison, Shelby Klassen)-15th (2:11.18)
100 yard breaststroke–(Esther Neufeld)-eighth (1:24.53), (Grecia Hermosillo)-23rd (1:35.50)
100 yard freestyle relay–(Meredith Rempel, Kenzie Ivins, Kree Ellison, Shelby Klassen)-17th (4:56.94)
Indians–17th place
50 yard freestyle–(Gabriel Madrid)- 12th (25.00)
100 yard freestyle–(Gabriel Madrid)- sixth (55.61)
