Conference call
Pete Watson/News Republic
The Baraboo Thunderbirds girls swim team will be taking to the pool at Waunakee on Friday at the Badger Conference Meet. Pictured front row, from left, Sharri Waldron, Amaya Larson, Gemma Pillsbury, Carly Trotter, Sarah Livingston, Liz Teasdale, Karli Didrickson, Jessica Mueller, Emily Thompson, back row, Emily O'Rourke, Kara Smiley, Brianne Schwarz, Jamie Hoelter, Katie Baird, Brittney Smith, Cierra Byers, Anna Schmelzer. Not pictured: Austin Hanger.
News Republic Sports
After taking the title at the Cardinal Relays on Saturday, the Baraboo Thunderbirds girls swim team is set to test its strengths at Friday’s Badger Conference meet in Waunakee.
Though the T-Birds haven’t fared well against the more experienced league teams this season with losses to Waunakee, DeForest and Sauk Prairie, the squad hopes to garner success in the the relay events and in a handful of individual heats.
Baraboo’s 200 medley relay team (Emily O’Rourke, Liz Teasdale, Gemma Pillsbury, Emily Thompson) is seeded first and should vie for the top spot, according to BHS coach Lynn Keeling.
The T-Birds 400 (Sharri Waldron, Jamie Hoelter, O’Rourke, Brianne Schwarz) and 200 freestyle relays (Thompson, Schwarz, Hoelter, Gemma Pillsbury) could also finish near the top.
"We are excited and want to do well," Keeling said. "We should score some points and keep it interesting. It’ll be fun to see how they do."
With sectionals the following week, the T-Birds are more concerned with shaving off seconds than finishing high in the conference standings at the end of the day.
"We’re focusing on individual events and relays more than we are worried about how we place as a team. We’re just trying to improve our times," Keeling said.
Individually, Baraboo’s strengths reside in its freestylers — Schwarz (50, 100), (50, 100) Pillsbury (200, 500) and Thompson. O’Rourke is expected to give the competition some hassle in the backstroke events.
"All the girls are ready to go out and have a good meet," Keeling said. "I think we might surprise some teams."
Friday’s action is slated to begin at 6 p.m.
Baraboo’s junior varsity team had a superb outing in its confernce meet on Tuesday, winning the event with a score of 442.
: Baraboo 442, Waunakee 406, Sauk Prairie 322, DeForest 117. Anna Grogan, Aleah Kuchta, Brynna Mering, Jessica Mueller, 1st 2:12.84; 200 free: Atley Oldenburg, 4th 2:21.45; 200 IM: Kuchta, 2nd 2:36.22; 50 free: Kara Smiley, 3rd 27.73; 100 fly: Mering, 1st 1:13.30; 100 free: Grogan, 5th 1:08.65; 500 free: Oldenburg, 3rd 6:22.28; 200 free relay: Smiley, Sarah Livingston, Oldenburg, Kuchta, 1st 1:56.51; 100 backstroke: Jessica Mueller, 1st 1:11.03; 100 breastroke: Kuchta, 2nd 1:21.03; 400 free relay: Smiley, Livingston, Oldenburg, Mueller, 1st 4:19.43.
BHS top finishers: 200 medley relay:
JV Conference meet results
Team scores