Wihebrink Breaks Record, Frontrunners Again Center Stage
DUNLAP – Saturday’s Northern Lakes Conference Girls Swimming Championships should have some epic showdowns after matchups were decided at Thursday’s preliminary round at Concord.
Northridge and Concord will once again battle for top honors. The Raiders, the regular season round robin champs, are seeking its 17th team title and fifth straight. Concord, however, is aiming to claim at least a share of the NLC glory. Both teams will have a full boat ready to ride on Saturday, qualifying every one of its swims into the championship round, both with 24 swims and all three relays among the top eight. Northridge posted the top times in both the 200 relay (1:45.15) and 400 relay (3:43.71) and had records set by Elsa Fretz in both the 50 and 100 freestyles. Fretz went 23.17 in the 50, setting both the meet and Concord pool records, then came back to set the pool record in the 100 at 50.43.
The Raiders have the poll with Haley Dygert in the individual medley (2:12.02), Hailey Clark in the 500 (5:15.36) and Kenzie Weber in the backstroke (58.80).
The Minutemen were tops in the medley relay (1:55.32) and have Grace Brenneman at the top of the 200 free (1:55.60) and Sophia Trout in the butterfly (59.73).
Delaney Wihebrink was the lone swimmer not from Northridge or Concord to earn a top prelim time, and did it in record fashion. Wihebrink lowered her school record in the breaststroke to take the poll at 1:05.81. She also made the finals in the 100 free, taking fourth. The Tigers as a whole qualified eight swims and its three relays into championship finals, with Wihebrink, Gracie Willig (200, 500 frees) and Olivia Herman (50, 100 frees) making two finals. Taylor Gunter (IM) and Macelyn Marcucilli (50) also earned a finals swim.
Wawasee had just three individuals make the championship round, two of those by Ella Park in the 200 and 500 freestyles. Rileigh Atwood also qualified for the breaststroke final as did its three relay teams.
NorthWood did not qualify a swimmer into the championship round, but have seven consolation swims as well as diver Laura Schrock prepping for Saturday, Schrock one of the top seeded divers coming into the tournament.
The NLC Championships start with diving prelims Saturday morning at 9 a.m. at Concord and reconvene at 1 p.m. with the swim and diving championships.