Meet to be highlighted by 3 girls, all 3 in 4 events

By Dan Larson, Sauk Prairie Eagle

Another year, another trip to the University of Wisconsin Natatorium.

That's how five members of the Sauk Prairie girls swim team must feel after continuing a decade-long Eagles' trend by qualifying for the WIAA Division 2 state swimming and diving meet, which will be held there Nov. 14.

The Eagles have been to the state meet every year since 1999 — the earliest year from which meet results are available on the WIAA's Web site. They failed to finish in the top 10 just twice in that span — 11th last year and 26th in 2006 — which included a state title in 2002.

Abby Diehl makes her fourth trip to state — and second in a row in both the 100- and 200-yard freestyles — to lead the way, and she looks to improve in both events. She finished fourth in the 100 (53.04 seconds) and fifth in the 200 (1:57.19) last year.

She enters with the fifth-fastest time in the 100 (:53.93) and sixth-fastest in the 200 (1:56.27), but she isn't putting any pressure on herself.

"I'm just going to go in there knowing these are the last four swims of my high school career and just give it my all," said Diehl, who also qualified as part of the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay teams. "I've done everything I can — I worked hard this season — so everything should go good I hope."

Things couldn't be any better for the 400 relay team, which Diehl is joined on by Alison Meng, Megan Cahill and Kelsey Kohlbeck, as it enters on the heels of setting the school record with a time of 3:40.18 at the sectional meet Nov. 8.

It's the only event in which Cahill — a junior and first-time state participant — qualified, and she's confident the team can contend to make the podium with a top-six finish.

"Abby and Alison weren't even (fully rested) yet … and to have all of the other teams and their times and competing with them, I think we'll drop more time," said Cahill, whose team's school-record time is the sixth-fastest in the state entering the meet.

Meng qualified in both the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly after finishing fourth (1:00.08) and ninth (1:01.49), respectively, as a freshman in those events last year.

She qualified in the backstroke with the third fastest time in the state (1:00.09), but knows a state title is likely out of reach as Grafton junior Sadie Nennig — the two-time defending champion — enters as the top seed with a time a little over two-and-a-half seconds faster (:57.53).

"I know a championship isn't possible, but I just want to keep my spot as third … or maybe even try for second, and just try my best and get my best time," said Meng, who will likely break the school-record time she set at last year's meet if she's able to do so.

Meng added that her goal in the butterfly is to finish under a minute. She qualified in 1:00.27 — the 11th-fastest time in the state.

Kelsey Kohlbeck returns in the butterfly, which she finished 13th (1:02.55) in last year as a freshman, but makes her first appearance in the 200 individual medley after narrowly missing out last year with the 17th-fastest time in the state across all sectionals. Only the top 16 in the state qualify.

"It was really exciting," she said of learning she qualified in the IM with a sectional-time of 2:17.45 — the 14th fastest in the state. "I dropped two seconds from last year, so I'm looking forward to being there in two events. … I'd like to think that the mindset is there and it's state and more competition. I'm hoping I can do (even) better."

Freshman Carly Reinke joins Meng, Kohlbeck and Diehl on the medley relay after narrowly edging sophomore Jenna Lovell — who swam the event at the sectional meet and was on last year's sixth-place (1:53.54) state team — for the breaststroke leg of the team in a race at practice Nov. 10. Because the two had such close times in the breaststroke, the race was the only fair way Eagles coach Melani Guentherman could come up with to decide the spot

Needless to say, Reinke is excited.

"I'm very ecstatic to be part of the team and participate in the state meet," said Reinke, whose relay team has the 11th fastest time in the state (1:53.10).

With an additional swim this year — Kohlbeck in the IM — the Eagles hope to make their pre-season goal of a top-10 finish a reality.

But this much is certain: Their goal of being in position to do so already is.

What the girls are saying about state

ABBY DIEHL:  '(Breaking the 400 freestyle record) was the highlight of the season so far, and I think that gives us a lot of emotion going into state. ... I think state is going to be an awesome experience this year.'

- She is competing in the 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.

KELSEY KOHLBECK:  'I'm most excited about our relay because we just broke the record ... I think the relay is going to be really fun.'

-  She is competing in the 100 butterfly, 200 individual medley, 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.

ALISON MENG:  'I'm just excited about our team and what we've accomplished, and that we are good enough for state and have five girls going.'

- She is competing in the 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke,

200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.

MEGAN CAHILL:  'It's really nerve-racking. All of the other girls (that qualified) have done it before (except Carly Reinke), so I'm sure they'll be there to help me out and give morale support. But I'm just really excited.'

- She competes in the 400 freestyle relay.

CARLY REINKE:  'I know we are all going to try our best, and since Abby is a senior I bet we'll be excited. We'll all be excited together and pump each other up and do the best that we can.'

- She competes in the 200 medley relay.