By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
Burlington Combined’s Sara Wanasek experienced a bit of redemption Nov. 16 at the WIAA Division 1 Girls’ State Swimming and Diving Meet at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium in Madison.
Wanasek turned in the Demons’ best individual performances, finishing 11th in the 500-yard freestyle and 13th in the 200 freestyle.
Wanasek finished second in each event and qualified for state Nov. 9 at the Greenfield Sectional meet. In each event, she finished second to Kenosha Tremper’s Hannah Skendziel.
She easily beat Skendziel in each event at State, when and where it mattered most. Skendziel finished 21st in the 500 freestyle and 22nd in the 200 freestyle.
Wanasek completed the 200 in 1 minute, 56.32 seconds to Skendziel’s 1:58.65. Wanasek swam the 500 in 5:11.18 to Skendziel’s 5:18.91.
Kaersten Meitz of Waukesha South/Mukwonago won the 500 (4:49.22) and Cedarburg’s Katie Drabot won the 200 (1:46.08).
“That was kind of a nice way to end the season, for her,” coach Denita Jones said.
The Demons finished 32nd as a team. Waukesha South/Mukwonago won the Division1 team state title and Grafton won the Division 2 team state title.
Burlington Combined’s 200 freestyle relay of DeAnn Jones, Olivia and Sara Wanasek and Ellie Petrie finished 19th (1:42.70). Verona Area won the relay (1:33.70).
The Demons’ 400 freestyle relay of Kaley Brown, Petrie and the Wanaseks finished 20th (3:44.70). Waukesha South/Mukwonago won the relay in a state-record time of 3:22.50.
“We tapered them for a week before, but they held on and did a really nice job at the state meet,” Denita Jones said.
Tapering means swimming shorter distances in practice before a particular meet to conserve energy.
“We tapered Sara for that meet and she had some of her best times of the season,” Denita Jones said.
Prior to this season’s state meet only the Wanaseks had any state experience. Sara Wanasek finished 12th last season at State in the 200 freestyle and 13th in the 500 freestyle. Olivia finished 21st in the 100 backstroke.
Several returning members of Burlington Combined now know what it’s like to swim at the UW-Natatorium.
“It gives them a heads-up,” Denita Jones said. “They have learned, and now swam, against some of the top swimmers in the state, and knowing all the work that went into that, they can use that experience for meets in the future.”
Burlington Combined consists of swimmers who attend Burlington, Burlington Catholic Central, East Troy, Wilmot and Waterford High Schools.
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