Port swimmers pick up where they left off in the pool

The record-breakers are back for the Port Washington High School girls’ swim and dive team, and they’re already living up to that description this season.

Sophomore Amanda Lotz, who holds Port’s record in the 200-yard freestyle, 100 backstroke and is part of the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, already broke two more records on Aug. 20 in a dominant win over Kohler.

Lotz broke Karla Sharbuno’s 200 individual medley record from 2014 by eight seconds, finishing in 2 minutes, 15.79 seconds, and she broke the 100 butterfly record by more than two seconds in 1:01.1. Josie Tetzlaff had held the record since 2021.

The rest of the record-breaking relays are back as well, but coach Dani Peiffer said the spots are up for grabs. Seniors Edynn Strube and Lily Kerbel and junior Anna Nisiewicz are glad to get the team back together.

They’ve seen the program develop from a team that struggled to win one dual meet in a season into winning multiple meets.

“When we started when I was a freshman, we had Grace (Linstroth) who went to state. I felt like that kind of motivated me to try to make state when we were juniors or seniors,” she said.

“Our program has really built up, each year we got a little bit better.”

Kerbel said the team worked to get to where it is today.

“The coaching ramped up so we started practicing more, putting more intense minutes, staying later and working more as a team and not an individual,” she said.

The relays, Nisiewicz said, have good chemistry.

“We have a nice tight-knit group of everyone. It’s fun to get back together,” she said.

The 200 freestyle relay was eighth in the Division 2 state meet last season, and the 400 was seventh, one spot from the podium.

Lotz, who finished second at state in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke last season, took this week off from training after a challenging club season.

The Pirates have 29 swimmers in the program and four divers, led by state-qualifier Chloe Barber. She was 10th at state last year. Peiffer’s sister Andi Barber, Chloe’s mother, is the diving coach this year.

Port was eighth of 33 teams at state last season and are off to a good start this year.

“We have some serious goals this season, but it’s important to keep things positive and energetic at practice and meets. It takes a lot of work to reach peak performance by the end of the season, and in the beginning that can seem a bit daunting,” Peiffer said. “We can’t control the outcome, but we can control the work.  We are taking one practice at a time.”

 Beyond the four record-breakers, Peiffer said Harper Walkber-Yoshioka, Sophia Schicker, Sophie Panek, Gwen Jerome and Amanda Crass will score points.

“I think we have a good shot at getting all three relays to state this year. Lotz will swim a variety of events this year and most likely focus on the 200 and 500 free later in the season,” Peiffer said. “She sets a great example for our team with her hard work and positive attitude.”

Port has 15 returning letter-winners. The captains are Strube, Nisiewicz and seniors Crass and Violet Nelson.

Port beat Kohler, 119-64, at home in the season-opener. The Pirates went 1-2-3 in four events.

Lotz won the 200 individual medley. Walber-Yoshioka was second in 2:37.86 and Nisiewicz was third in 2:45.63.

Kerbel won the 50 freestyle in 27.85 seconds. Panek was second in 28.07 and Strube was third in 20.27.

Behind Lotz in the 100 buttertfly, Crass was second in 1:13.29 and Gwen Jerome in 1:14.75.

Kerbel won the 100 freestyle in 1:01.23. Panek was second in 1:03.18 and Strube was third in 1:05.74.

Schicker won the 200 freestyle in 2:21.65. Ellie Knepfel was second in 2:27.87.

The 200 freestyle relay of Kernel, Walber-Yoshioka, Nisiewicz and Lotz won in 1:50.67. The relay of Panek, Jerome, Crass and Strube was second in 1:57.93.

The 400 freestyle relay of Kerbel, Schicker, Nisiewicz and Lotz won in 4:06.72.

Schicker won the 100 backstroke in 1:10.63.

Knepfel was second in the 500 freestyle in 6:39.33. Walber-Yoshioka was second in the 100 breaststroke in 1:24.88, and Barber was second in diving with 212.45 points.

Port swims at West Bend co-op on Tuesday, Sept. 3, and hosts Whitefish Bay on Thursday, Sept. 10.