Hartland Girl’s Varsity Swim & Dive Team Beats Skyline 99 to 87
Persistence pays off in more ways than one. Thursday night August 24 Skyline came to Hartland to swim us for the third time in three years. The first year Hartland lost by 11 points. Last year Hartland lost by 1 point and this year Hartland beat Skyline by 12 points.
To was an up and down battle through the entire meet. Hartland loaded A and B the 200 medley relay figuring to place either first and third or at least 2nd and 3rd. That didn’t happen. Skyline went 1st and 3rd and out scored Hartland 10-4. Skyline broke the Hartland pool record and made their state cut as did Hartland with a time of 153.01 with Amanda Thielen, Kirsten Stroven, Jackie Goetz and Alex Nelson.
This didn’t get the lady eagles down their goal was to get to the wall first and there was still a lot of meet to go. Alex Nelson came right off the relay to win the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:02.30 with Audrey Regan placing 5th with a time of 2:11.08.
Skyline outscored Hartland again 9 to 7.
Things began to pick-up for Hartland after that in the 200 Individual Medley with Kirsten Stroven taking 2nd with a time of 2:18. 84, Jackie Goetz was 3rd with a time of 2:19.96 and Dana Stroven was 4th at 2:23.47. Skyline again broke another pool record with Ashley Shanley’s time of 2:11.84. But Hartland outscored Skyline this time.
The meet really started to go Hartland’s way when Avery Evenson won the 50 freestyle and getting her state cut with a time of 25.15, Hannah Grosso was 3rd at 25.53 and Jocelyn Reinert was 5th with a time of 26.70. Now it was up to our Divers and they were on fire going 1, 2, and 3. With Madison Pietila winning with a score of 190.15, Paige Race was 2nd at 186.00 points and Molly Parks came in 3rd with a score of 167.70. Skyline made some strong line-up changes to try to stop Hartland.
But things continued upward for Hartland going 2, 3, 4 in the 100 butterfly Jackie Goetz was 2nd at 1:02.46, Audrey Regan was 3rd at 1:07.49 and Nicole Wistinghausen was 4th at 1:11.86. Hartland then had a very strong showing in the 100 freestyle with Avery Evenson winning at 54.11 with another state cut. Hannah Grosso was 3rd at 55.45 and Jocelyn Reinert was 5th at 58.59.
The score was Hartland 62 and Skyline 48. Hartland looked to be in the driver’s seat and then Skyline came roaring back in the 500 freestyle placing first, third and forth outscoring Hartland 11 to 5. Amanda Thielen gave a great effort coming in second with a personal best of 5:20.93 and Kelsey Pietila fought off a swimmer from Skyline to take fifth at 6:01.67.
Again the 200 freestyle A and B relays were loaded but Skyline was just that much stronger taking first and third. Hartland’s A relay with Avery Evenson, Sara Condra, Jocelyn Reinert and Hannah Grosso was second at 1:43.11. Skyline again broke our pool record at 1:40.64. The score was now Skyline 69 and Hartland 71 with three events to go.
This when persistence paid off with Hartland going 1, 2, 3 in the backstroke lead by Amanda Thielen winning the in a time of 1:01.77 and breaking the pool record that had been held by Renee Kantola since 2008. Alex Nelson was a close 2nd 1:03.72 and Lindsey Pajot was 3rd at 1:05.36.
It was now time for the dual in the pool Hartland’s Kirsten Stroven had her goal clear in mind when it came to the 100 breaststroke, beat state champion Ashley Shanley which she did by 3/10th of a second Kirsten’s winning time of 1:06.29 is a state cut and a new Hartland pool record.
Although Hartland was ahead at this point Skyline made a valiant comeback in the final event breaking another pool record in the 400 freestyle relay. Hartland’s relay team with Alex Nelson, Hannah Grosso, Kirsten Stroven and Avery Evenson was second with a state cut time of 3:44.32.
The team takes on Canton, South Lyon, and Lakeland in a Quad meet this Wednesday at Lakeland High School at 6:00PM. Go Eagles!!!!!!!
