By Alex Inskeep
“The season was really fun, and it definitely pushed my physical limits. I’m sad that it’s over.”
This is what PCM’s freshman Eliot Caldwell, along with many other girls thought throughout their last minutes of the 2018 swim season. The NCMP Aquagirls, who consist of the schools Newton, Colfax-Mingo, Pella, and PCM, competed in their last two meets as a whole team this past week. The team traveled to Grinnell for the North Central Iowa Conference meet on Saturday, October 13. They then traveled to Indianola on Tuesday, October 16 for the Little Hawkeye Conference meet.
The Aquagirls won the North Central Iowa Conference meet with a total of 388 points. The team behind was Decorah who came in second with 371 points. The Aquagirls also won the Little Hawkeye Conference meet with a total of 488 points, scoring higher than the next team by over 100 points.
Caldwell swam two events at the NCIC meet. She swam her fastest 50-yard freestyle so far with a time of 34.55 seconds. She also set another personal record in her 100-yard freestyle with a 1:20.05. On Tuesday, she broke her PR in the 50-yard freestyle, swimming it in 34.15 seconds. She swam a 100-yard backstroke in 1:34.81 placing third in her heat. She then swam in the junior varsity 400-yard freestyle relay with a split of 2:03.20.
Junior Emma Thomas also swam her last meets of the 2018 season. Thomas swam 100-yard and the 50-yard free at both meets, with her fastest time being a 29.22 in the 50-yard freestyle and 1:06.12 in the 100-yard freestyle. She swam in the 200-yard medley relay with a split of 26.19, and about a 27 in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
“Finishing together on Tuesday was emotional. There were tears, hugs, and pictures.” said swim coach Sarah Patterson. “Taking forty-two girls from four schools through a season and feeling like family at the end is an accomplishment!”
The only PCM swimmer still swimming this season is senior Alex Inskeep. She swam at both conference meets and placed high in all her varsity events. At the NCIC meet she swam the 100-yard freestyle, placing third with a time of 59.64. Both relays she swam in, the 200-yard and the 400-yard freestyle, she placed second.
At Indianola, Inskeep had swum her last 200-yard freestyle of her high school career, winning the event with a time of 2:09.59. Remaining undefeated, she took first in the 100-yard freestyle with a 59.15. Both of the relay teams took first as well, with Inskeep’s splits looking strong.
Inskeep, along with 16 other girls, will be heading to districts this Saturday to have the chance to qualify for state.
