5 high school girls swimming stars of the week: Oct. 16 edition
Nola Frost has strong week for Lodi co-op
Senior Nola Frost hasn't swam the 200-yard freestyle since 2022, but Lodi co-op coach Natalie Price said she's been wanting to give it a try all season.
She swam it in 2 minutes, 11 seconds for second place at a dual against Stoughton.
"Not her best so far this season, but we're hoping that giving her a little bit of a break this week and going into our Platteville Invite this weekend that she can get back there and swim it even faster," Price said. "She had a great meet overall. She's an incredibly hard worker. She's always striving to be the best. She puts her head down and puts the work in."
Frost was also part of the victorious 200 medley relay (2:03.39) and won the 100 breaststroke at 1:18.85. She was part of the second-place 200 freestyle relay (1:57.19).
"She's super versatile," Price said. "We can put her in anything, we don't get a lot of pushback and she's ready to try it."
Mahati Sathish snags only win against Middleton
Sun Prairie West sophomore Mahati Sathish won the 100 butterfly in 1:05.28 during the Wolves' 130-33 loss to Middleton in a dual.
"It was really big," Sun Prairie West coach Jake Ottelien said. "It's one of those events that I think it gives her a lot of confidence going into the championship season. It's really important.
"Middleton is a very strong team, so you're really looking for things you can build on. That's one of those events you can really build on."
She took sixth in the 100 backstroke at 1:08.17 and part of the fifth-place 400 freestyle relay (4:22.65) and fifth-place 200 medley relay (2:02.6).
"She cut some time in the backstroke," Ottelien said. "The backstroke isn't her strongest event. The whole goal of this meet was to give some of the kids some rest on some of the stronger events. I was really impressed where she took the 100 fly because it really was a step up from what she's done previously."
Ava Flanagan swims well against McFarland
Sauk Prairie senior Ava Flanagan has been battling some back pain recently to the point that coach Todd Wuerger wasn't sure if she was going to compete against McFarland in a dual meet.
She battled through it to swim on a pair of victorious relay teams — the 200 freestyle (1:48.93) and 400 freestyle (4:04.35).
"She's had some lower back issues for a couple of years," Wuerger said. "Last weekend, she in addition to swimming has been a lifelong dancer, was doing something over the weekend where she felt a burning sensation down her legs. I think it was related to a disc issue that she's got in her lower back. She saw a provider on Monday and did an adjustment with a chiropractic."
They kept her out of the butterfly and anything that involved bending of the lower back.
She also finished second in the 100-yard freestyle at 1:01.04.
"I give her credit," Wuerger said. "It's not that you want to risk your body, if you're injured, you're injured, but there's sometimes where you're willing to work within the parameters of what that injury is. You push the envelope a little bit."
Olivia Tierney brings home gold for McFarland
It wasn't about finishing times for McFarland junior Olivia Tierney in the dual meet against Sauk Prairie. It was about her willingness to battle through the grueling end of the regular season.
She won the 100 backstroke in 1:04.23 and 100 butterfly at 1:01.8. She also was on the winning 200 medley relay (2:00.11).
"We're really getting into the pinnacle of our season with lifting and yardage throughout the week," McFarland coach Jessica Garvey said. "The fact she could still not hit best times but still race really well and get close, even though we're really training hard at practice."
Brynn Sundell Shines against Sun Prairie West
Sophomore Brynn Sundell set two personal bests in Middleton's dual meet against Sun Prairie West. She swam the 100 backstroke in 58.46, shaving nearly 0.4 seconds off her personal best for the win. She cut a second off her personal best while swimming the first leg of the 400 freestyle relay.
"Brynn has been working hard in practice all season, and it is great to see all her hard work paying off with so many fast swims through the season," coach RJ Leiferman said. "She is also a great teammate and always had a great attitude at practice."
Sundell also won the 200 freestyle (1:53.18).
