By Staff
KALAMAZOO – The Bridgman Co-op swim team consisting of Lakeshore, Niles, Bridgman and Buchanan had a strong showing Nov. 2 at Western Michigan's Gable Natatorium for the SMAC West Conference Meet Prelims.
Several girls swam fast enough to come back Nov. 3 and compete for points for the Bees.
Every swimmer on the team had a personal best season time – whether it be in a relay or an individual event.
Co-captain Lauren Hoehn was one of the All-Conference swimmers, placing in both the 50 Free (3rd) and 100 Free (5th).
Buchanan's Lindsey McCarty was the other all-conference athlete, placing in the top six in both of her events as well. McCarty swam to a sixth place finish in the 100 Free and a fourth place finish in the 100 Back, with a personal best time of 1: 07.5.
Both Hoehn and McCarty teamed up with Megan Curry and Holland Roorda to swim in the 200 Medley Relay, placing sixth with a season best time of 2:06. Hoehn and McCarty also joined the 200 Free Relay team, along with Nina Miller and Kelsey Dykstra, to place in a season-best 1:53, good enough for seventh place.
Curry swam twice on Nov. 3 as well, placing 11th in the 100 Butterfly and ninth in the 100 Breast. She posted her life-time best time in the breast, swimming to a 1:20.56.
Dykstra rounded out her high school swimming career with a lifetime best as well, in the 500 Free: 6: 00.53. Alex High placed 12th for the co-op Bees in the 500 as well, and Faith Simpson swam her way to a personal best 200 IM time of 2:40 to earn 12th place.
Megan Hauck placed eighth in the 100 Back with a 1:12, and she joined Roorda, Curry, and Emily Harlow in the B 200 Free Relay squad to break 2:00 for the first time all season – 1:59.
Other girls that swam well at the finals included Katie Higgin and Ariel Piotter.
The Bees will miss their seniors (Hoehn, Curry, Dykstra, Piotter) but are happy that they finished their high school careers off with some lifetime bests.