Published: October 23, 2009 07:02 am      

Clinton swimmers show improvement in season-ending loss

Hess, Callan record wins for CHS swimmers

By Scott McNeish

Herald Assistant Sports Editor

CLINTON — A mere lap seemed daunting for many Clinton girls swimmers before this season.

Not anymore. Not even close.

Fast forward three months, to Thursday's regular-season finale and senior night against East Moline (Ill.) United Township at Judd Pool, and those same swimmers competed hard at the varsity level, a fantastic feat considering the starting point.

The River Queens lost 125-41. But their point total failed to display the glistening truth: Clinton just keeps getting better.

“You can see them getting more confident, and that's what life's about,” Clinton coach June Wilden said. “You do something that's unfamiliar, and you keep doing repetitions and repetitions and repetitions until you become confident with what you're doing.”

Clinton senior Libby Hess recorded two lifetime bests, and fellow senior Laura Callan won the diving with a second straight 180-plus performance.

The Queens had first- or second-place finishes in 13 of the 17 events in which they participated.

“At our summer stroke clinic, some of them could barely make it a lap,” said Hess, who missed the 100-yard breaststroke school record by 1.44 seconds. “Now they're some of our best swimmers. They're swimming 400(-yard) races. They're so much better.”

Hess, ranked 16th in the latest 100 breaststroke state power rankings, finished her signature event in 1 minute, 9.60 seconds. She also won the 200 freestyle in a personal-best 2:07.90.

“What a great night for her,” said Wilden, who afterward skillfully avoided the senior-night tradition of swimmers tossing their coach into the pool.

“Libby was very focused and stepped up big time.”

Callan followed her personal-best 184.65 in Tuesday's meet with a 180.20 on Thursday to claim the six-person diving competition. She executed three dives at a 2.0 degree of difficulty or higher, and she was the only diver to receive 6s.

She nailed a forward, 11⁄2 summersault, 11⁄2 twist to clinch the win.

Callan, who began diving as a sophomore, hopes to carry her momentum into next week's regional meet.

“This lets me know where I'm at with my dives, and what I need to work on so I can do my best at regionals,” she said. “I really want to do well there and hopefully start getting some 7s and some 8s. That's what I'm shooting for.”

The Clinton junior varsity missed its second consecutive win, falling 76-63.

The JV Queens swept their three relays, while sophomores Stevie Erling (200 individual medley) and Sydney Temperly (200 freestyle) each recorded first-place finishes.

“Everyone has improved immensely,” Callan said. “It wasn't pretty when we started, but now everyone's doing really good.”



UNITED TOWNSHIP 125, CLINTON 41

At Judd Pool

Top three and Clinton placers in races in which Clinton participated

200 medley relay — 1. United (Christina Warren, Sasha Johnson, Breanna Hoepfner, Shannon Ballegeer) 2:02.64; 2. Clinton (Laura Callan, Kendra Evers, Meagan Machholz, Alyssa Wells) 2:19.70; 3. United (Danielle Raymond, Emily Gillespie, Elizabeth Bartleson, Kiersten Tucker) 2:26.40.

200 freestyle — 1. Libby Hess (C) 2:07.90; 2. Erin Willhite (UT) 2:09.86; 3. Daniela Zabala (UT) 2:20.37.

50 freestyle — 1. Celeste Raya (UT) 27.35; 2. Sasha Johnson (UT) 27.38; 3. Carlie Allison (UT) 29.53; 4. Kendra Evers (C) 30.59; 5. Alyssa Wells (C) 31.36; 6. Meagan Machholz (C) 31.78.

Diving — 1. Laura Callan (C) 180.20; 2. Karin Carlson (UT) 162.60; 3. Kayla Vincent (UT) 148.85; 4. Emma Yahn (C) 138.15; 5. Rubina Vidal (C) 114.90.

100 freestyle — 1. Katie Thompson (UT) 1:01.44; 2. Daniela Zabala (UT) 1:04.71; 3. Carlie Allison (UT) 1:05.39; 4. Meagan Machholz (C) 1:10.90.

200 freestyle relay — 1. United (Abbey Karben, Carlie Allison, Katie Thompson, Erin Willhite) 1:51.31; 2. Clinton (Libby Hess, Kendra Evers, Alyssa Wells, Meagan Machholz) 1:59.23; 3. United (Molly Rowell, Alex Sanchez, Carly Carman, Kiersten Tucker) 2:02.99.

100 backstroke — 1. Breanna Hoepfner (UT) 1:13.88; 2. Celeste Raya (UT) 1:14.05; 3. Danielle Raymond (UT) 1:20.58; 4. Laura Callan (C) 1:22.85.

100 breaststroke — 1. Libby Hess (C) 1:09.60; 2. Erin Willhite (UT) 1:20.77; 3. Karin Carlson (UT) 1:24.00; 5. Kendra Evers (C) 1:26.00; 6. Alyssa Wells (C) 1:32.48.

400 freestyle relay — 1. United (Daniela Zabala, Celeste Raya, Molly Rowell, Shannon Ballegeer) 4:14.01; 2. Clinton (Jenna Strait, Laura Callan, Libby Hess, Kayla Hernandez) 4:40.09.



JUNIOR VARSITY

UNITED TOWNSHIP 76, CLINTON 63

200 medley relay — 1. Clinton (Emma Yahn, Sydney Temperly, Kayla Hernandez, Stevie Erling) 2:29.36; 3. Clinton (Jenna Strait, Kara Lueders, Hope Creeley, Madison Kenworthy) 2:42.29.

200 freestyle — 1. Sydney Temperly (C) 2:42.07; 2. Hope Creeley (C) 2:48.94.

200 individual medley — 1. Stevie Erling (C) 3:14.93; 3. Kaya Hernandez (C) 3:25.75.

50 freestyle — 1. Danielle Raymond (UT) 31.19; 3. Rubina Vidal (C) 36.23; 4. Sarah Kramer (C) 36.30; 6. Madison Kenworthy (C) 36.86.

100 freestyle — 1. Kiersten Tucker (UT) 1:08.09; 2. Jenna Strait (C) 1:13.22; 4. Kara Lueders (C) 1:20.49.

200 freestyle relay — 1. Clinton (Kayla Hernandez, Jenna Strait, Stevie Erling, Emma Yahn) 2:07.91; 3. Clinton (Sydney Temperly, Hope Creeley, Rubina Vidal, Kara Lueders) 2:19.58.

100 backstroke — 1. Jill Keimig (UT) 1:24.85; 2. Sarah Kramer (C) 1:34.62.

400 freestyle relay — 1. Clinton (Emma Yahn, Stevie Erling, Hope Creeley, Sydney Temperly) 5:02.33; 3. Clinton (Madison Kenworthy, Kara Lueders, Sarah Kramer, Rubina Vidal) 6:06.33.