If you sought an example of teenage exuberance Saturday, the warmup pool at Scott’s David Webb-Jerry Mohr Natatorium was a good place to look.
It was near the end of the KHSAA Girls First Round state swim and dive meet, and Notre Dame’s Clare Herfel and Danaka Tucker and Highlands’ Ragan Moore shared about 245 laughs in 30 seconds.
Maybe it was because they all qualified for the state meet Feb. 21 at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center.
So what had Herfel, Tucker and Moore giggling and guffawing? Nothing in particular.
“Oh, we just, we just like to laugh,” Tucker said. “I don’t know. Clare’s just a really sweet girl; she always has something funny to say … I think laughing produces endorphins, and endorphins make you happier, better.”
Herfel had the most reason to rejoice: she won the 500-yard freestyle in 4 minutes, 50.20 seconds and took second in the 200 freestyle in 1:49.23; swam the lead leg of the Pandas’ winning 400 freestyle relay with Liv Wallace, Tucker and Abby Carnes; and joined McKenna Bien, Wallace and Peyton Quinn to finish second in the 200 freestyle relay.
Tucker also finished third in the 500 freestyle in 5:02.05 and fourth in the 200 freestyle in 1:54.60. Moore took third in the 50 freestyle in 24.99.
Pandas coach Jamie Kelly takes the long range, realistic view. He thinks Louisville Sacred Heart is the overwhelming favorite to win its 14th consecutive title and 37th overall.
“I mean, we’re swimming, we’re doing what we need to do, right?” Kelly said. “Which is, just get through this meet, get qualified for the state finals … I want to be as close to Sacred Heart as I can.”
Herfel will defend her 500 state title – her least favorite event.
“I mean, it’s really hard, but I like it,” she says.
Madison Central’s Marlee Cooksey led Herfel by about a half-second after 50 yards. Herfel retook the lead in the next 50 and did not have an over-30 second split the rest of the way.
“I mean, it’s about, like, keeping your strokes long and just trying to be consistent,” Herfel said.
‘Automatics’
For Highlands coach Kevin Kampschmidt, “automatics” was the word of the day.
“Our relays have been automatics,” Kampschmidt said. “Ragan Moore was third in the 50; that was an automatic as well.”
The Bluebirds’ Margaret Meyers, Taryn Ripley, Keira Kobida and Vivian Winkler placed third in the 200 medley relay. Ella Kate Reynolds, Addie Tinkler, Ellie Niese and Moore were third 200 freestyle relay, and Kobida, Reynolds, Ripley and Moore finished second in the 400 freestyle relay.
Ryle coach Jeff Floyd was so happy, he threw his arms skyward so forcefully, for a moment you might’ve worried he had torn both rotator cuffs.
Floyd had a reason for his gleefulness – the Raiders are going for their third straight Combined state title, where boys and girls scores are added together. He feels good because the divers – Emmalee Albertson, Anna Kopser and Emily Smith for the girls and Wesley Hampel, Carter Young and Elijah Evans for the boys – qualified for state at the Region 7 meet Jan. 21.
Saturday, Gabriella Stephens finished third in the 200 individual medley.
Floyd says it will be a three-team race – Ryle, Highlands and Louisville Eastern – for the Combined trophy.
“The diving could be the difference,” Floyd says. “Eastern doesn’t have diving, boys or girls. We have diving – and Chase (Knopf).”
The top three finishers in each event automatically qualify for state. The next 15 fastest from sub-state sites at Scott, Bowling Green and Louisville also advance based on their times.
State preliminary rounds begin at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 21, followed by 1-meter diving at 2 p.m. and the swimming finals at 6:40 p.m.
Who’s going to State
Here’s a list of Northern Kentucky automatic qualifiers:
Beechwood: Maddie Staley (100 butterfly, third); Gabrielle Lee (100 breaststroke, second).
Dixie Heights: Freya Reil (100 breaststroke, third).
Highlands: 200 medley relay, third; Ragan Moore (50 freestyle, third); 200 freestyle relay (third); 400 freestyle relay (second).
Notre Dame: 200 medley relay, second; Clare Herfel (200 freestyle, second and 500 freestyle, first); Abby Carnes (200 individual medley, second, and 100 backstroke, third); Danaka Tucker (500 freestyle, third); 400 freestyle relay (first); 200 freestyle relay (second).
Ryle: Gabriella Stephens (200 individual medley, third).
PHOTOS: More photos from Saturday’s first round state meet at Scott provided by Charles Bolton
