2003 Year in Review

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Bitter-sweet Senior night for Fillies

The Fillies swam against Newman for their senior night last Tuesday the 27th of October, 2003. Seniors Ann Schaefer and Katie Kuehl were recognized and given flowers, cards, and gifts. The Fillies still have three meets left, but they still want to say, "Good luck Ann and Katie. We'll miss you. Reach for the moon, for even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."

The Fillies would like to thank those of you who came to our bittersweet senior night, as the Fillies lost by a score of 80-83, and those that have come to watch us at other times. You know who you are. We appreciate your support. It means a lot to us.

Ahh! Senior night. The night that senior athletes look forward to while their teammates wish it would never come. The night where the seniors get the full glory of the spotlight (as if they don't get it at any other time!). The night where the senior swimmers' only hope is to not embarrass themselves by tripping and falling in the pool (It didn't happen this year, in case you're wondering.).

The Fillies swam against the Sterling Newman Comets last Tuesday for their senior night. Morrison won the first contest between the two thus taking the Three Rivers Conference Championship. Newman and Morrison are the only two teams in the conference. This plaque started last year. The Fillies also won it last year, and as far as the Fillies are concerned, the plaque won't be leaving Morrison High School anytime soon.

Morrison won the first event easily. Megan, Ann, Smiley, and Rachel hooked up to win the 200-medley relay with a margin of 11 seconds. Their time was 2:06.67. Megan swam the back; Ann swam the breastroke. Smiley: the fly and Rachel: the free.

The Fillies went one-two in the 200 freestyle. Rachel took first place with a time of 2:12.16. Lindsey also took her place easily as the next closest swimmer was Molly Welty, of Newman, over eighteen seconds behind Lindsey. Lindsey finished with a time of 2:20.41.

Megan Tenboer swam the Filly solo in the 200 IM and won first place. Megan led everyone the whole way. She finished with a time of 2:34.32, twelve seconds ahead of Newman's freshman Amy Lemay.

In the 50 freestyle Smiley and Ann took first and third. Smiley swam a 25.76, 0.67 seconds away from the state cut. Ann followed in a close third, as she was only a second behind Katie Blessman. Ann swam a 31.36.

During the fifteen-minute break, the Filly seniors, Ann and Katie were announced and were given flowers, cards, and each one received a gift. As Katie and Ann came to get their things, Rachel Fedyk read off three questions that Katie and Ann had answered earlier. The Fillies still have three meets left, but they still want to say, "Good luck Ann and Katie. We'll miss you. Reach for the moon, for even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."

Smiley came back after the break, to claim her second individual gold of the night in the 100 butterfly. Smiley was the only Morrison swimmer to swim. She won the event by twelve seconds over Amy Lemay. Smiley's time was a 1:05.49.

Rachel and Michelle won first and second in the 100 freestyle. Rachel's time was a 57.80, ahead of the closest Newman swimmer by sixteen seconds. Michelle's time was a 1:06.90, ahead of Katie Blessman by seven seconds.

In the 500 free style, Lindsey and Katie came in first and third. Lindsey's time was a 6:03.82, a best time by six seconds. The next closest swimmer was Betsy Nieman, twenty-six seconds behind Lindsey. Katie's time was a 7:03.36. She was ahead of Edelina Rivera of Newman by thirty-six seconds.

The 200 free relay looked to be a blow out after the first two exchanges, until the third exchange, when Newman looked to make a move. Rachel put that fire out as brought the relay home to yet another first place finish. Smiley, Rachel, Megan, and Katie Kuehl joined in this event.

Megan and Michelle swam the 100 backstroke. Megan won the event with a time of 1:11.60, seven seconds ahead of Molly Welty. Michelle took third place behind Betsy Nieman with a time of 1:23.62.

Ann Schaefer finished out her last home swim meet in high school with a victory over Jill Swegle by about a second. A first place finish in your last home meet in high school. Can't get much better than that can you?

This Saturday is the Fillies' conference meet. The following Saturday is Sectionals where the Fillies hope to send Smiley and Rachel in the 100 free and the 50 free. Morrison also has a relay that has a chance at a state birth. The 200 free relay of Megan Tenboer, Rachel Fedyk, and Smiley and Lindsey Smith is seated second in their Sectional, behind only Guilford, Rockford. The Saturday after the Sectional meet is the state meet, the 22nd.

by lsmith
2003-11-03 09:02:29