Fearsome foursome compete at state tournament
By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
The WIAA Division 1 State Girls Swimming and Diving Meet turned bittersweet for coaches and members of the Burlington Co-op girls high school swimming team.
The end of a season brings a range of reaction and the end of a career a range of emotion. Head coach Denita Jones coached Olivia Wanasek and DeAnn Jones for the final time at state Nov. 14 at the UW-Madison Natatorium, which cast a different dynamic on the day’s events.
Denita is DeAnn’s mother.
“I’ve been coaching both of them since they started swimming for me back in 2005,” Denita said. “I’ve been watching those two girls grow up for a long time now.”
DeAnn Jones and Wanasek each competed in three events for BC, which features swimmers from Burlington, Burlington Catholic Central, East Troy, Union Grove and Waterford high schools.
Denita Jones said the Demons tapered for the sectional tournament, which meant there would be no large drops in time at state.
Tapering in swimming is when competitors swim less and emphasize technique in the days before a race to conserve energy. BC must taper for sectionals so that Denita Jones can be sure her swimmers will advance to state.
“I don’t taper them for state,” Denita Jones said. “You’re not going to get the big drops for state. Some (other swimmers) are tapered for state because they knew they would get there and would have a chance to win.”
Wanasek swam a season-best time and finished 21st in the 200-yard freestyle in 1 minute, 58.40 seconds.
Cedarburg’s Katie Drabot won the event in 1:44.21 and set a state record.
DeAnn Jones finished 18th in the 50 freestyle in 24.80 seconds. Arrowhead’s Kelly Jacob won the event in 22.84 seconds and set a state record.
DeAnn Jones, Wanasek, Morgan Traughber and Alyssa Hyland finished 18th in the 400 freestyle relay (3:41.82). Cedarburg won the event in 3:23.49.
DeAnn Jones, Wanasek, Traughber and Hyland finished 21st in the 200 freestyle relay (1:41.91). Verona Area/Mount Horeb won the relay (1:33.97).
In team standings, Arrowhead won the Division 1 state meet and Edgewood won the Division 2 state meet.
BC qualified for state Nov. 7 in competition at the WIAA Division 1 Greenfield Sectional Meet at Greenfield High School.
Wanasek won the 200 freestyle at Greenfield (1:58.60). DeAnn Jones finished second in the 50 freestyle (24.67) and swam with Wanasek, Traughber and Hyland on BC’s second-place 400 freestyle relay (3:39.97) and fourth-place 200 freestyle relay (1:41.32).
The Demons advanced to state after a hiatus of one season, which meant the team resumed its tradition of dining at The Olive Garden in Janesville on the way home.
Denita Jones said she thinks members look forward to the restaurant even more than they do swimming.
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