Edwardsville High School swim coaches Christian Rhoten and Samantha Shaw probably have never had a swim feel so refreshing as the dip they took after toppling their opponents at the Springfield Sectional on Saturday.
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As soon as the girls on the team knew they had the title clinched, they wouldn’t take no for an answer from Rhoten and Shaw in the pool. Rhoten slowly kicked back to the side of the pool and took a deep breath about what had just happened, his second consecutive sectional title in only two years as coach. He said he felt this one was even sweeter than last year because it showed this team is absolutely the best in this part of the state.
“I think this year’s sectional championship adds validation to our program,” he said. “We are definitely one of the best teams South of I-80 and I think we will do well at state.”
Rhoten, Edwardsville head swimming coach, said winning the sectional title is the goal he set for the team 364 days ago.
Edwardsville captured first place last year and this year won with 305 points, toppling Chatham-Glenwood with 204 points. Springfield was third (198); Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin was fourth (133); O’Fallon fifth (130); Springfield Southwest sixth (46); follwod by Jacksonville (12) and Jacksonville Routt (6).
The meet closed with the 400-relay team qualifying for state by .07 with a time of 3:36.19. Caroline Caton, Victoria Brady, Elizabeth McPherson and Kate May were all members of the 400-relay team.
The 400-relay team qualifying completely pumped Rhoten up at the end of the meet.
Bob Rettle, director of the Chuck Fruit Aquatic Center and head coach of the Edwardsville Breakers, said he couldn’t be more proud of the girls team on Saturday. He also said it was great to have the presence of both EHS Principal Dennis Cramsey and Athletic Director Brad Bevis in attendance.
“It is just an indication of the support we have from the administration starting with Superintendent Lynda Andre all the way down,” he said.
Senior Kate May was ecstatic to qualifying all three relays and to personally make it to state in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly. This past week, May announced she is going to attend Purdue University, so it has been an eventful week.
“I am excited how I did and the team performed,” she said. “I know I didn’t taper and think I can do even better at state.”
May smiled and looked at the excitement of the freshmen, sophomores and juniors coming up and said, “I feel like their Mother Bird. I think the future for Edwardsville High School swimming looks great. I have tried to set a good example for them.”
Junior Victoria Brady turned in two of the most memorable performances of the day, capturing first in the 200 freestyle and second in the 500 freestyle.
She has battled back from injuries over the last year and said she had been healing since her freshman year.
“It was amazing,” she said. “The whole team was behind me and really happy for me. It means the world to me to go back to state.“
Junior Bailey Grinter is an Olympic Trials qualifier in the 100-meter backstroke and considered one of the best swimmers in the state in the 50 free and the 100 back. Grinter is being recruited by colleges throughout the United States to swim and is also an exceptional student. She said she was pleased with her performance for not tapering before the meet and not wearing a tech suit.
Elizabeth McPherson qualified individually in the 100 backstroke and said it was “exciting” for her and she looks with anticipation to state.
The 200 relay of McPherson, Caton, May and Grinter placed first to qualify in a time of 1:48.03; Brady won the 200 free (1:56.46) to advance; May was the 200 IM champion (2:08.06); Grinter dominated the 50 free (23.58); Taylor Seilheimer won the diving competition again with 353.30 points; freshman Lydia Hemings was third (310.35).
May won the 100 butterfly with a time of 57.05, followed by Lindsey Bruce of Alton in third place with a time of 59.53; freshman Sierra Brannan was fourth (1:01.72).
Edwardsville’s Caton was third in the 100 free (54.50); and Russo was fourth (54.96).
Brady was second in the 500 free with a time of 5:12.17; Emily Webb was fifth in the 500 free (5:24.82).
The Edwardsville 200-free relay of Russo, Sahar Rabiei, Brady and Grinter were first (1:38.68); Grinter won the 100 backstroke (57.31), followed by McPherson (58.02).
Victoria Thomae of Highland, who swims for the Edwardsville Breakers, was second in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.37); Marquette Catholic’s Virginia Schranck was fourth (1:09.54); and Caton was fifth (1:11.19).
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