What we learned from Waukee's three-peat at IGHSAU girls state swimming and diving meet
MARSHALLTOWN — Waukee got an extra year as a girls swimming and diving program before splitting up and the Warriors made the most of it by winning their third state swimming and diving championship in a row Saturday at the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA.
Waukee finished either first or second in all 12 events in scoring 381 points to run away with another title. The Warriors topped Dowling Catholic by 139.5 points for first and they fell just short of their 2022 state point total of 402.
"They're all special in their own way because they're a different group of girls every single time," said Waukee coach Shelley Twigg. "I'm really happy for our seniors ... they've been the best senior group we've ever had, collectively, at Waukee. "I'm excited to celebrate with the girls ... it's just something incredible to be a part of."
Waukee and Waukee Northwest were scheduled to have separate teams this year, but the separation was pushed back one year while a new pool in Waukee is finished.
"It's bittersweet," Twigg said. "When our pool actually opens then we'll split and it's going to be a sad thing. But it'll give kids a lot of opportunities, so we're excited about that."
Willa Hage leads Waukee's impressive victory
Waukee produced seven champions and the Warriors placed second five times on Friday.
Junior Willa Hage won the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 breaststroke. She was part of the Warriors' victories in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays to share the IGHSAU Swimmer of the Year honors with Johnston's Faith Frantum.
"It's something I've always dreamed of getting," said Hage. "My teammates are always pushing me in the pool, so it was cool I was able to get this."
Hage swam the 200 IM in 2:02.43 to edge the 2:03.32 effort by Dowling Catholic's Annie Honkamp. In the 100 breaststroke she clocked in at 1:02.17 to comfortably win the race over Ames' Reese Winer, who finished in 1:04.54.
The Waukee medley relay team of Payden Rafferty, Dylan Hogenson, Hage and Bailey Hayden finished in 1:44.78 seconds. Nora Kemp, Taylor Judas and Rafferty joined Hage to win the 400 freestyle relay in 3:28.36.
Waukee defeated Davenport Central for first in both relays, winning by 1.15 seconds in the medley and 4.10 seconds in the 400 freestyle.
Kemp, Hayden, Athieno Wandera and Judas won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:36.97. Dowling Catholic was second in 1:37.36.
Individually, Hayden won the 100 butterfly in 55.65 seconds and Rafferty took first in the 100 backstroke with a time of 55.52. Davenport Central's Hannah Cousins was second in the butterfly with a time of 56.50 and backstroke in 57.04.
Faith Frantum, Iowa City's Grace Hoeper win multiple titles
Frantum shared the IGHSAU Swimmer of the Year honors after winning the 200 and 500 freestyle races.
Frantum touched the wall in 1:48.57 during the 200 freestyle to just edge Kemp's 1:48.69 for first. In the 500 freestyle Frantum was dominant, swimming a time of 4:50.67 to beat Judas by 10.66 seconds for first.
Hoeper was first in both the 50 and 100 freestyle races.
In the 50 freestyle Hoeper touched the wall in 23.44 to top Rafferty's runner-up time of 24.08. Hoeper finished the 100 freestyle in 50.27 to beat out Kemp's 50.81.
Marshalltown's Abby Tollefson won the 1-meter diving competition on Friday. After placing second at state a year ago, Tollefson recorded a score of 504.55 to beat the 458.55 effort by Dowling Catholic's Sasha Gisi for first.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Waukee wins third girls state swimming and diving championship in a row
