Pirates keep strong season in pool going

The success of the Port Washington High School girls’ swim and dive team has presented coach Dani Peiffer with a problem.

Her team reached its goals at the North Shore Conference Swim Meet on Saturday, logging 37 personal records. Now, she has to raise the bar.

“Setting new goals for sectionals is a good problem to have,” Peiffer said.

“We know the girls have been working hard and have a very high fitness level, but they really delivered at the conference meet.”

Star freshman Amanda Lotz broke her own school records in the 200 freestyle in 1 minute, 52.89 seconds, and the 100 backstroke in 57.23 seconds. She was second to Whitefish Bay senior Maggie Dickinson in both events. The two know each other well from club swimming in Brown Deer.

“We’re training partners,” Lotz said.

Lotz hopes to qualify for the Division 2 state meet in both events and in some relays as well. She enjoys the bigger meets with high competition.

“It’s more fun when there’s more people,” she said.

For Grafton, Kylee Grimm hopes to return to state in the 50 and 100 freestyle races. She was sixth in the 50 freestyle in 26.43 seconds and was eighth in the 100 freestyle in 59.03. She’s not as concerned about place in the NSC Meet given most of the teams compete in Division 1.

Senior Hannah Gompper plans to return to state in the 500 freestyle and possibly qualify in the 100 backstroke. She swam personal records in both on Saturday, taking seventh in the 500 freestyle in 5:36.31 and 10th in the backstroke in 1:03.54.

“Kylee and Hannah look to be in prime position to make it happen,” coach Jack O’Connor said about qualifying for state. “Now, they just need to go out on Saturday and perform.”

He also highlighted Laine Walton, who he said has been dropping “crazy amounts of time” in the 200 freestyle. She finished 24th in 2:29.53.

Port scored 187 points and finished fifth. More than half of its points came from relays. Grafton’s 10-member team scored 65 points and was last. Whitefish Bay ran away with the meet with 663 points. Nicolet was second with 349.

Port’s top-10 finishes included: 400 freestyle relay of Edynn Strube, Anna Nisiewicz, Harper Walber-Yoshioka and Lotz, fifth, 3:52.5; 200 freestyle relay of Nisiewicz, Sophia Panek, Walber-Yoshioka and Lotz, fifth, 1:46.21 200 medley relay of Sophia Schicker, Teagan Zuraw, Amanda Crass and Drue Nelson, ninth, 2:08.99; Chloe Barber, diving, ninth, 320.7 points; Lily Kerbel, 100 freestyle, ninth, 59.07; Strube, 100 freestyle, 10th, 59.19; and Zuraw, 100 breaststroke, 10th, 1:18.41.

Port and Grafton swim in a Division 2 sectional in Whitefish Bay on Saturday, November 8.