Lindsey Lentz turned in an inaugural runner-up finish, and two of three relays finished second as well.

Those were the highlights for the Sauk Prairie prep girls swim team Oct. 30 at the Badger North Conference meet at Waunakee High School, but performances by a handful of girls who didn’t win or take second meant just as much to the Eagles’ best finish since 2002.

"Each one of those girls swam really, really well and (improved drastically)," Sauk Prairie coach Melani Guetherman said of Hannah Juckett (ninth, 200-yard individual medley), Zoey Shultz (12th, 50 freestyle), Maggie Dederich (11th, 100 free), Carlie Wipperfurth (9th, 100 backstroke) and Kelsey Sauer, who anchored the B 400 free relay’s eighth-place finish.

Their improvements helped the Eagles score 422 points, better than third-place Waunakee (394) but well behind DeForest (530.5), which won for the sixth consecutive year.

"The team getting second was just amazing," said Meng, who won the 100 butterfly (58.91 seconds) for the third year in as many years and also won the 100 back (59:29) and led off the runner-up 200 medley relay (1:55.55) and 400 free relay (3:45.51).

"We were so excited, because we haven’t done that in a long time."

Kohlbeck, also a junior, entered without a conference title, but finished third in the fly and fourth in the IM both of the last two seasons.

Different events, better results. Kohlbeck won the 50 free in :25.52 and finished second in the 100 free in :55.79.

"I guess that was pretty exciting," she said of her first title, before echoing Meng’s team-first sentiment. "... Just pulling out a win for the team, that’s all that really mattered.

"... I just went out there and did my best, and to pull out a win — that was just icing on the cake."

Kohlbeck also anchored the medley relay — joining Meng, Carly Reinke and Natalie Price — and 400 relay —joining Meng, Megan Cahill and Lentz.

Meanwhile, Lentz, a freshman, finished the 500 free in 5:29.80 — a little more than a second off the WIAA Division 2 state-qualifying time last season and a little more than 10 seconds behind winner Casey Wolter, a junior who finished third in the event last season at state.

"For a freshman," Wolter said of Lentz, "she is really fast."

It all added up to an enjoyable night for Sauk Prairie, which lost a dual to Waunakee earlier in the season but was able to get past the Warriors this time thanks to commitment.

"It was a testament to all of their hard work during the season paying off now," Guentherman said.