Ames girls swim and dive finish fourth at state meet

Photo courtesy: William Jenks

Ames girls swimming and diving finished fourth over the weekend at the 2022 IGHSAU Swimming and Diving Championships. The Little Cyclones had just secured their 15th consecutive regional title a weekend earlier – a feat that more than doubles the next closest mark by any program in the state.

The result matched the best state result by an Ames fall sports team this fall, but did snap a streak of 12-straight gold or silver finishes at the state meet.

“We had some ups and downs through the meet, but all-in-all I’m really proud of them,” Ames head coach Joe Fisher told the Ames Tribune’s Joe Randleman. “I think the races we swam between regionals and state — we had to rest a few girls for regionals to get into state — we only had race where we didn’t get a lifetime best. To come out of this season with almost 100% best times is incredible.”

The Little Cyclones scored in 11 of 12 events for a team total of 156 points. That trailed Waukee (402), Dowling Catholic (267.5), and Johnson (184) among the 32 programs that recorded points at the state competition.

AMES RESULTS (FINALISTS/POINT EARNERS):

• 1M Diving: Alina Markutsya (15th – 424.45)
• 200 Medley Relay: Melissa Ning, Reese Winer, Andra Robertson, Saylor Horras (5th – 1:47.60)
• 200 Freestyle: Riley Snakenberg (8th – 1:55.17)
• 200 Individual Medley: Andra Robertson (8th – 2:11.60); Reese Winer (10th – 2:10.08)
• 50 Freestyle: Saylor Horras (11th – 25.18)
• 100 Butterfly: Melissa Ning (13th – 1:00.31)
• 100 Freestyle: Saylor Horras (13th – 55.12)
• 500 Freestyle: Riley Snakenberg (5th – 5:04.85); Elizabeth Powers (10th – 5:11.37)
• 200 Freestyle Relay: Saylor Horras, Andra Robertson, Reese Winer, Suri Hanson (8th – 1:39.81)
• 100 Breaststroke: Reese Winer (9th – 1:05.84); Andra Robertson (12th – 1:07.32); Alex Power (15th – 1:07.78)
• 400 Freestyle Relay: Riley Snakenberg, Suri Hanson, Elizabeth Powers, Alex Harswick (7th – 3:39.08)

COMPLETE RESULTS: https://ighsau.org/news/state-swimming-and-diving-meet-central/

PHOTOS: William Jenks Photography – Girls State Swim/Dive 2022

AMES TRIBUNE RECAP: https://www.amestrib.com/story/sports/high-school/swimming-diving/2022/11/14/ames-finishes-fourth-at-iowa-high-school-girls-state-swim-and-dive-meet/69644212007/

A young team this season, Ames will return nine members from this year’s state meet squad, including 148 of the 156 (94.9%) team scoring points from this campaign’s final meet.