By Lisa Brown
The Dexter women’s swim team, with only nine swimmers and four divers, fell short of victory on Thursday night in a tri-meet at Chelsea. Despite Dexter’s limited roster, the women had 9 personal best times and 2 state cuts. Dexter lost to Milan 97-88 and Chelsea 109-77.
Among the meet highlights: Kayce McAllister earned her 2nd state cut of the season in the 100 backstroke and Harper Brown earned her first state cut of the season in the 100 breastroke.
The Dexter medley relay team of McAllister, Brown, Rebekah Murillo and Delia Smaby took first in 1:59.66.
Emma Bishop was third in the 200 freestyle (2:12.96), Grace McClellan fourth (2:18.19) and Emily Weiszhaar eighth (2:34:70).
In the 200 IM, Murillo was second (2:24.70) and Smaby seventh (2:45.72).
McAllister won the 50 free (25.88) with Elena Ragnes finishing eighth (32:52).
In their first competition of the season, Dexter divers placed four in the top ten. Ellie Saah led the Dreadnaughts, with a fifth place finish (142.55). Maddie McGuire was seventh (116.45), Lexi Gramling was eighth (110.35) and Reagan Goldstein was tenth (103.35).
In the 100 butterfly, Brown was third (1:09.63) and Weiszhaar took eighth (1:31.71).
Bishop was second in the 100 free with a time of 59.76, while Natalie Rivera was sixth (1:07.35).
Murillo was second in the 500 free (5:40.70), while McClellan was fifth (6:08.72) and Smaby sixth (6:10.82).
The Dexter foursome of Bishop, Weiszhaar, Murillo and McClellan was third in the 200 free relay in 1:55.94. The all-diver team of Jane Winkler, Saah, Gramling and Emma Wild took eighth (2:33.68).
McAllister took first for Dexter in the backstroke with her D2 state qualifying time of 1:01.38. Rivera was eighth (1:29.47).
Brown took first for the Dreads in the breaststroke with her D2 state qualifying time of 1.11.06. Ragnes was eighth (1:40.09).
The group of Bishop, McClellan, McAllister and Brown won the 400 free relay in 3:59.86. The team of Smaby, Rivera, Ragnes and Weiszhaar was seventh in 4:49.67.
Coach McHugh praised the team’s performance, saying, “The girls did an exceptional job tonight. They supported and cheered each other on, while delivering impressive swims. Despite the hard work and fatigue from practice, their performance was truly encouraging. It’s rewarding to see daily progress, especially after a two-week break from competition.”
The Dreads are back in the pool at Fenton on Saturday for a quad meet with Fenton, Mercy and Stevenson.
Photos provided by Luis Rivera
