Senior Rylee Schneller competes in 100-yard breaststroke competition in the state swim meet for the fourth straight year. She finished 15th in the event last week. — Rena Schneller
Freshman Tayla Martin swims her way to a 15th place finish in the 100-yard butterfly event at the 3A state swim meet last week. — Rena Schneller
Community support spurs swim team at state
A three-day delay to 3A state girls swimming competition didn’t faze the Lady Dragon swimmers. With solid community backing, they proved themselves.
Senior Rylee Schneller, junior Josie Schlachter, sophomore Summer Martin and freshman Tayla Martin had huge time drops and swam lifetime best splits to take 14th in the 200-yard freestyle relay and 16th in the 400-yard free relay.
They also placed 19th in the 200-yard medley relay which kicked off the state swim meet Tuesday, March 16, at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton.
Coach Aly Brinkema noted that Schneller and Tayla Martin hit their stride at state with terrific swims that placed them both at 15th overall — Schneller in the 100-yard breaststroke and Martin in the 100-yard butterfly.
“It was a picture perfect ending to a season with more obstacles than ever,” said Brinkema.
“Instead of letting that be an excuse to coast to the end, the team revved up the intensity and their state performance was defined by our commonly heard phrase in practice of ‘last one, fast one!’” she added.
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