Swimming: River Rats celebrate Senior Night with victory over Monroe

By Margaret Baker

The Huron Women’s Swim/Dive River Rats finished up their regular season at home last night, celebrating Senior Night with a win over Monroe, 141-42.  Seniors honored included, for the Rats, captains Faith Baker, Kristina Holcombe, and Anna Leone,  Elizabeth Li and Emmy Seth, and divers, Anna Boerst and Sami Ruud; and for Monroe, Sydney Kuhlman, Trinity Mata, Destiny Parker, Erin Robinson, Morgan & Chloe Spooneybarger, and Torie Vines.

Huron swimmers won every event. 

In the 200 Free, sophomore Kathryn Hemmila touched with a MISCA time of 2:05.32, with Holcombe (2:21.22) in 3^rd, and freshman Analiese Heissenbuettel (2:31.62) taking 4^th.  Freshman Zannah Baker won the 200 IM (2:26.88), with teammate junior Clara Bowman (2:30.83) in 2^nd, and freshman Bella Whelan (2:52.70), in 4^th.  In the 50 Free, Huron swimmers were 1,2,3:  junior Annaliese Streeter (24.35), sophomore Ayaka Sakamoto (27.38), and freshman Catherine Li (27.78), and in the 100 Fly, 1,4,5:  A. Leone (1:07.16), freshman Hannah Burmann (1:28.33), and Heissenbuettel (1:29.93).

Sophomore Felicia Sang (1:01.98) took top honors in the 100 Free, followed by sophomore Lydia Hargett (1:02.29) in 2^nd, and junior Ella Szymansky (1:04.12) in 3^{rd .} Z. Baker dominated the 500 Free, finishing 1^st in 5:42.76.  Sakamoto (6:09.61) was 2^nd, and junior Pooja Yalavarthi (6:23.48), 4^th.  Bowman (1:05.44), Hemmila (1:11.17), and Sang (1:13.08) went 1,2,3 in the 100 Back, and in the 100 Breast, A. Streeter (1:05.74) took gold and continues to chase Huron legend Judi Richardson’s 1978 record (1:05.05).  Leone (1:12.69), and E. Li (1:19.35), followed her in 2^nd and 3rd in that event. 

As Monroe faces pool issues at home, they fielded no diver, so Huron had a shining, crowd-pleasing night on the board. Annie Costello kept up her unbroken win streak (270.52), followed by Ruud (241.35), freshman Hannah Margolis (227.55), Boerst (178.28), and sophomores Maggie Thomas (163.95), and Sitara Baxendale (142.05).  The divers also made a fine showing in the 200 Free relay, as Baxendale, Costello, Boerst, and Ruud touched in an impressive 2:07.27.

Together with all the other SEC schools, Huron will next tee off at Pioneer on Friday, November 8 for the SEC Championships, with finals to follow on Saturday, November 9, also at noon. Divers will dive at home at their Regional competition on Thursday, November 14.