Road swing yields wins, qualifiers for Dogies
Veronica “Vern” Ayers swims the free-style during Newcastle High School’s meet at the Cody Aquatic Center. — Photo courtesy of Shawn Smith
The Newcastle girls swim team put another demanding road swing behind it with back-to-back meets in Worland on Friday and Powell on Saturday, coming home with two event wins, new state qualifiers and a stack of season bests.
“This weekend the girls continued to add events to their list,” head coach Doug Scribner said. “They were also able to make good improvements in some of their stronger events.”
Friday in Worland, Allie Lunstra set the tone by sweeping the sprints and the distance – winning the 50 freestyle in 27.87 and the 500 free in 6:19.15, both season bests. Newcastle also picked up steady points behind a balanced effort that included relay finishes and drops from multiple swimmers.
“In Worland on Friday, Allie came away with wins in both the 50 and the 500 free,” Scribner said. “That kind of range really lifts the whole team.”
The Dogies followed with another gritty performance at Powell’s Gene Dozah Invitational on Saturday. Lunstra punched in two more big swims – a 3rd-place, 4A-qualifying 200 free (2:14.48) and a 2nd-place, 4A-qualifying 100 back (1:09.56) – as Newcastle hung with a deep field.
Newcastle’s newcomers continued to find their footing. Freshman Natalie Dean delivered the weekend’s headline drop, cutting 21 seconds in the 100 backstroke to 1:58.21 on Friday.
“Natalie had the biggest improvement of the weekend,” Scribner said. “That’s a huge jump this early in the season.”
The seniors kept trending in the right direction as well. Kathryn Huber and Veronica Ayers both posted season bests in the 50 free (Huber, 38.37 at Worland; Ayers, 38.63 at Powell), while Dean added a season mark of her own in the event (42.08 at Powell). On the boards, junior Madalyn Francis scored 138.20 on Friday and came back for another solid effort Saturday.
“This group keeps stacking improvements,” Scribner said. “We’re adding events, tightening turns and getting more race reps every weekend.”
Newcastle returns home this week to host the Gillette Camels on Thursday. Meet time is 4 p.m.
Dogie Results
Worland Quad (Sept. 12)
200 medley relay: 6th, 2:34.75 (Huber, Smith, Lunstra, Francis)
200 IM: Shelby Smith, 5th, 3:04.84
50 free: Allie Lunstra, 1st, 27.87; Madalyn Francis, 7th, 30.73; Kathryn Huber, 18th, 38.37; Veronica Ayers, 19th, 39.73
1-meter diving: Madalyn Francis, 12th, 138.20
100 free: Natalie Dean, 12th, 1:37.86 (Ayers, DQ)
500 free: Allie Lunstra, 1st, 6:19.15
100 back: Kathryn Huber, 11th, 1:43.35; Natalie Dean, 12th, 1:58.21 (-21.27)
100 breast: Shelby Smith, 11th, 1:38.29
400 free relay: 5th, 5:23.70 (Huber, Francis, Lunstra, Ayers)
Team: 4th, 168 points (combined scoring)
Gene Dozah Invitational, Powell (Sept. 13)
200 medley relay: 8th, 3:19.60 (Ayers, Huber, Francis, Dean)
200 free: Allie Lunstra, 3rd, 2:14.48 (4A);
200 IM: (Newcastle placers N/A)
50 free: Veronica Ayers, 17th, 38.63; Kathryn Huber, 18th, 39.55; Natalie Dean, 19th, 42.08
1-meter diving: Madalyn Francis, 13th, 94.45
100 fly: (Newcastle placers N/A)
100 free: Kathryn Huber, 13th, 1:33.39; Veronica Ayers, 17th, 1:46.22
500 free: (Newcastle placers N/A)
200 free relay: 5th, 2:35.38 (Francis, Huber, Dean, Ayers)
100 back: Allie Lunstra, 2nd, 1:09.56 (4A); Madalyn Francis, 13th, 1:25.24
100 breast: (Newcastle placers, DQ/N/A)
Team: 5th, 68 points