EHS 200 free relay makes state time
Friday, April 6, 2007
The Emporia High girls swim team’s 200-yard freestyle relay qualified for the State meet, leading EHS to a fourth place finish at the EHS Invitational Thursday at Emporia High.
Swimming coach Bob Yevak said he expected that relay to qualify but was disappointed no other times were good enough. The 200 relay clocked a time of 1 minute, 49.67, good enough for second place at the meet.
“We got the 200 relay in, and I figured we would,” Yevak said. “We still can’t get the medley (relay) in.”
The 200 medley relay, the first event of the day, had three other State-qualifying times, with EHS being the fourth to finish.
“The other kids swam really fast, we just weren’t fast on backstroke, which kind of hurt us a bit,” Yevak said. “I was expecting more out of the 50 back than what we got.”
The top two teams, Washburn Rural and Olathe East, are tough competition, Yevak said.
“Those two of the teams will fight for the state championship,” Yevak said.
Junior Morgan Goad finished third in the 200 freestyle, and Yevak said he was impressed with her performance.
“Morgan Goad swam really well in the 200 free,” Yevak said.
Yevak said he planned on continuing to push his younger swimmers in varsity meets, because he felt they would be needed for future swim meets.
“It gives those kids up an opportunity to race in a varsity meet,” Yevak said. “We’re trying to set those young kids up for the League Meet, because we’re going to need them. Our top kids will get all the swimming they’ll need.”
He said he was planning on moving some swimmers around after the next two meets, back-to-back trips on Monday and Tuesday.
“There will be reshuffling of lanes Wednesday on who’s going to be in what lanes,” Yevak said. “Kids who are working real hard need to move over and start training next to those varsity kids.”
On the diving side, sophomore Alli Armitage placed third.
“Alli Armitage had a really good diving meet,” diving coach Barbara Clark said. “She did well on a lot of her good dives.”
Clark said the competition, while fierce, was beatable.
“With what today’s competition was, I think we were right with them,” Clark said.
She indicated the team will try to incorporate some more difficult dives in the next week.
“I know we need to get some harder dives, and we’re going to try to get that after the next two meets on Monday and Tuesday,” Clark said.