Fourth consecutive sectional win for Hodag girls

The swim team poses with the sectional plaque. The state meet is Friday in Waukesha.

The swim sectional was held at the Prairie River Middle School Natatorium in Merrill Saturday. The Hodags were looking to win their fourth consecutive sectional title and advance swimmers to the state meet Friday Nov. 11 at the Waukesha South pool.

The Hodags did just that by a 96 point margin over second place Wausau East 337-241.

The Hodags began the meet like they have all season by winning the 200 yard medley relay and earning 40 points. A first place finish in an event earns an automatic berth in the state meet. The four swimmers in the event were freshman Emma Houg, sophomore Lily Thorsen, freshman Camilla Gruett and senior Genna Fugle.

In the second event, the 200 yard freestyle, Abi Winnicki won by over seven seconds while breaking her own varsity record as well as the Merrill pool record with a time of 1 minute 53.06 seconds. With that win Winnicki also received the automatic berth in the event and 20 team points for the individual first place.Ho

The next event with qualifiers for state was the 100 yard butterfly where Ellyse Younker in second place and Lily Thorsen in fourth place had times good enough to advance.

Abi Winnicki swam her second individual event, the 100 yard freestyle and again broke her own varsity record and the Merrill pool record with a time of 51.83 seconds. Jenna Fugle placed second with a time fast enough to make the state cut.

The 200 yard freestyle relay was won by the Hodags with Ellyse Younker, Lily Thorsen, Genna Fugle and Abi Winnicki. The girls broke the Merrill pool record with a time of 1 minute 39.53 seconds.

Lily Thorsen placed third in the 100 yard breaststroke and will swim at state.

The last event was the 400 yard freestyle relay and was won by the Hodag team of Ellyse Younker, Camilla Gruett, Genna Fugle and Abi Winnicki for another automatic berth at the state meet.

BOB MAINHARDT PHOTOS

Emma Houg swam the backstroke leg of the 200 yard medley relay won by the Hodags.

Lily Thorsen made the cut in the 100 yard breaststroke by placing third at the sectional meet.

Ellyse Younker makes the turn in the 100 yard butterfly. Both Younker and Lily Thorsen made the cut to swim the event at the state meet.

Abi Winnicki swam the anchor leg of the 400 yard freestyle relay as the Hodags won the event and earned Winnicki her fourth first place finish at the meet.

Emma Houg swam the 500 yard freestyle and took five seconds off her best time to place third but did not make the state cut.

The foursome of Abi Winnicki, Genna Fugle, Ellyse Younker and Lily Thorsen won the 200 yard freestyle relay while breaking the Merrill pool record and will be swimming Friday in the state meet at Waukesha South High School. Winnicki also broke her own records and pool records in the 100 and 200 yard freestyle.

Swim team members pose with the sectional championship plaque, their fourth in a row.