This year’s Ankeny girls’ swimming team looks considerably different than it did last season.
CIML Conference rival Waukee also went through some big roster changes in the offseason after the three-time defending state champion split its program into two squads with Waukee Northwest.
Ankeny opened the season on Tuesday with a 98-88 victory over visiting Waukee at Trail Point Aquatics Center. The Warriors had won last year’s meet, 134-52.
“Their team is different this year, and so is ours,” said Ankeny coach Dustin Rhoads. “I have a lot of respect for their program and their coach, Emma Ashman–who I was teammates with at the University of Iowa. It made it fun for us, too.”
Each team won six events. Ankeny led from start to finish, but Waukee closed the gap after dominating the last three individual events.
“They made a big push to get to within four points going into the last relay,” Rhoads said. “I was a little stressed but confident. We had three seniors and a stud freshman leading us in the 400 freestyle relay so I just told them to have confidence and that we aren’t losing.”
Ankeny easily won the last relay in a time of 3:54.82. Freshman Charlie Villhaur swam the opening leg before Paige Spoelstra, Leah Schafer and Kyra Zinn cruised to the win by more than 12 seconds.
“I was thrilled to see them get to the wall first to secure the team victory,” Rhoads said. “This one feels pretty dang good!”
Ankeny swept the relay events. The Hawkettes opened the meet by winning the 200 medley relay in 1:55.83.
That team consisted of Madison Trosper, Zinn, Schafer and Gracie Lindaman.
“It was a fun night at the pool,” Rhoads said. “I thought the girls were locked in right away early on to start the meet. A win in the medley relay gave us a lot of good confidence and positive energy throughout the team.”
Ankeny’s Aliie Kearney won the 200 individual medley in a time of 2:22.88. She later placed second in the 100 breaststroke in 1:16.13, losing to Waukee’s Emery Baker by just .20 seconds.
Lindaman won the closest race of the night in the 50 freestyle, posting a time of 25.44 to edge Waukee’s Tori Kettles by .03 seconds. Kettles later avenged the loss by winning the 100 freestyle in 55.72, while Lindaman was the runner-up in 56.28.
Villhaur captured the 100 butterfly in 1:02.22. She then anchored the winning 200 freestyle relay, teaming up with Lindaman, Trosper and Maggie Blackmore to post a time of 1:44.65.
“We knew we could compete with them,” Rhoads said. “We just needed people to step up and realize it would take all of us to win.”
Spoelstra placed second in the 200 freestyle in 2:08.31, while Villhaur was third in 2:10.33. Spoelstra later finished third in the 100 freestyle in 57.68.
Schafer took third in the 200 IM in 2:28.32 and also placed third in the butterfly in 1:06.20. Zinn was third in the 50 freestyle in 26.97 and then finished third in the 500 freestyle in 6:05.82.
Lydia Crabb placed third in the breaststroke in 1:18.93. Miranda Gagne added another third-place finish in the diving event, finishing with 167.55 points.
“I thought our seniors and first-year swimmers were great tonight, and the divers were rock solid and scored big points for us,” Rhoads said. “It was really a total team effort.”
Ankeny will travel to Mason City on Sept. 10 for a non-conference triangular meet against the host River Hawks and Des Moines Hoover.
