SJA Swim takes the 3rd place win

On February 15 and 16, the St. Joe Swim team competed in the Class 1 Swimming and Diving State Championship, at the St. Peters Rec Plex. They had been preparing for this weekend since their tryouts in November. The team fought hard, and together they placed third in the state with 161 points.

Senior Chickie Slane, who has swam with St. Joe since her freshman year, had a feeling since the beginning of the season that this team was special.

“At every practice since the beginning of the year, we pushed ourselves” Chickie said. “I couldn’t be more proud everyone on the team, and the third place finish is proof our our hard efforts.”

In the 200 Free Relay, Maddie Hernandez, Ally Duggan, Emmi Mattern, and Annie Kreikemeier, won first place and simultaneously set a new state record of 1:40.01. Senior Annie Kreikemeier, who anchored the winning relay, felt setting the new state record was bitter sweet.

“When I found out that we set a new state record,” Annie said, “I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with emotions. It was at this point, that I truly realized that my high school swimming career was over, but the ending was amazing.”

Junior Bella Lorenz, who managed the Swim Angels this year, said that she could feel the team growing closer, and simultaneously improving.

“The closer the team got as the season went on, the more enjoyable the meets were,” Lorenz said. “It was so cool to see the team, from the freshmen to the seniors, cheer each other on meet after meet. I can’t wait for next year.”