Hawks swimmers looking for medals

Ali Hanson had to miss practice Tuesday because of illness as the Shawano/Bonduel girls swimmers continued preparations for the WIAA state swim meet Saturday in Madison. But the SCHS junior was back Thursday, preparing to compete in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle, as well as the 200 medley relay. “I’m really excited to go and swim at state,” Hanson said. “You’re against the best of the best at state. To be a part of that, it’s a really big deal.” Hanson will swim in Heat 2 in both freestyle events. “I want to win my heat in my 50 and 100 free, and hopefully finish in the top eight,” she said. Waukesha South/Mukwonago senior Abby Jagdfeld has the top qualifying time in the 100 freestyle, a 50.67. Hanson swam a 53.25. In the 50 freestyle, she swam a 24.35. Arrowhead senior Mary Warren had the best time (23.44) at sectionals. Hanson has made it to the state meet the last two years, with the 400 freestyle relay team in 2011 and the 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay teams in 2012. This year she will swim a leg for the 200 medley relay, where she will be joined by Clare Martell, Malory Soper and Ailysh Tetting. Sophomore Whitney Banker is serving as an alternate. “When you’re on a relay, you’re doing it for your team and you have to be on top of your game,” Hanson said. “In individual events, you have to do it for yourself and find the ability to do it for yourself.” Shawano/Bonduel’s 200 medley relay qualifying time of 1:52.92 is well off the pace set by Waukesha South/Mukwonago (1:44.29). Martell, a sophomore, returns to state hoping to improve on her 11th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke last year. At last year’s state meet, she swam a 1:07.42. Her qualifying time this year was 1:06.10. “I want to get a personal best. I’m seeded seventh and I’d really like to get top six and medal,” she said. “That would be a pretty cool experience.” She’ll compete in Heat 3 on Saturday and knows the competition is going to be tough. Last year’s champion, Lindsay Adamski, an Arrowhead junior, returns, and the top qualifying time went to Nicolet sophomore Gwen Worlton, who clocked in at 1:03.64. “The top six girls are going to be tough, we’re all really close,” Martell said. “The girls that are 1-2-3 have unbelievable times that are super fast. There’s a lot of good competition. It’ll be a good race.”