By Andrew Parker
The Dexter Women’s Swim and Dive team ran into a tough Pioneer squad on Thursday at the Wylie Pool. Pioneer cruised to a 148-35 victory over the Dreadnaughts.
The Dexter 200 Medley Relay team of Emma Bishop, Delaney Parker, Rebekah Murillo, and Harper Brown finished fourth.
In the 200 Free, Sydney Collins, and Madelyn McClellan took fourth and fifth respectively.
In the 200 IM, Murillo and Diem Lee earned points, taking fifth and sixth.
Kayce McCallister and Brown nabbed fourth and fifth in the 50 Free.
Bella Larson took third and Rose Steck took sixth in diving to bring in some points for Dexter.
Isabel Martinez and Madelyn McClellan earned fourth and fifth in the 100 Fly while Grace McClellan took third in the 100 Free.
The 200 Free Relay team of Bishop, M. McClellan, G. McClellan, and Lee took third place.
In the 100 Backstroke, Murillo took third and Collins took fifth. Parker took second in the 100 Breast and Bishop took fifth.
The Relay team of McCallister, Brown, Murillo, and Parker took third.
Several Dexter Relay teams and individual swimmers competed in the MISCA meet in Grand Rapids on Saturday against Michigan schools in all divisions. Their hard work paid off as many swims were season best times against elite competition.
The 200 Medley Relay of Kayce McCallister, Delaney Parker, Harper Brown, and Emma Bishop finished 21st.
In the 200 IM, Parker finished 16th, earning a state cut with a time of 2:16.97. She also secured a state cut in the 100 Fly with a time of 102.76.
In the 50 Free, McCallister finished 23rd with a time of 25.14. She finished 16th In the 100 Backstroke with a time of 100.60.
Brown earned a state cut in the 100 Free with a time of 56.33, which was good for 24th place.
Bekah Murillo finished 41st in the 500 Free.
Dexter’s 200 Free Relay of McCallister, Brown, Bishop, and Parker finished 20th.
The 400 Free Relay team of Brown, Grace McClellan, Murillo, and Bishop was 30th.
Coach Hansen was pleased with her swimmers’ dedication and results: “As a swim coach, one of the most exciting, yet nerve wracking feelings is when you attend a qualifying or culminating meet.
“I often liken being a high school swim coach to teaching a child to ride a bike. Once the training wheels are off and you’re running alongside them, holding onto the seat to build their confidence, it’s ultimately up to them in the end, as to whether they keep pedaling or fall over. At a meet like MISCA, this is one of the first times I fully let go of the bike seat during our season.
“I watched from what felt like the back this weekend, as it was my athletes’ actions that would determine how well they swam. Leading up to this meet, I’ve held on and helped them train their minds and their bodies to be strong on days like this one. However, it was up to them to warm-up, cool-down, and nourish their bodies properly so that they swam fast. It’s also up to them mentally to handle the pressure of large and competitive meets like MISCA.
“I can now say with a big smile that our team showed up and showed out this weekend! They were some of the loudest athletes on deck, encouraging and supporting their teammates as they knocked event after event out of the park. All of our athletes contributed to our success and did their part to make it a special and fun day! Two of our captains were present and their leadership on deck made me SO proud! And as a result, they walked away with additional state cuts.
“The focus our team of six athletes demonstrated on a homecoming dance Saturday was impressive and proves their dedication to this sport, each other, and themselves. I couldn’t have asked for more.”
Photos by Tammy Parker
