Dexter Women’s Swim and Dive Falls to Skyline in an SEC Red Matchup

Information provided by Kate Walton. Photos by Tammy Parker

The Dreadnaughts had a great meet on Thursday making the visiting Skyline Eagles earn their victory. Starting out the events, Dexter’s 200 medley relay team of Harper Brown, Delaney Parker, Lily Witte, and Marea Balcom took first place followed by Skyline’s A and B relays in second and third, and Dexter’s B team (Rebekah Murillo, Anne Ralls, Sophia Marr, and Grace McClellan) in fourth.

In the 200 freestyle, Jill Kinnard placed second with a State Meet Qualifying time behind Skyline’s Lily Cleason. Emma Bishop finished 5th for Dexter.

Skyline’s Sofia Torres won the 200 IM with Grace McClellan and Murillo finishing 4th and 5th for Dexter. Annabel Balazer won the 50 free for Skyline in 25.53 seconds followed by Witte in 25.54 seconds (earning her a State meet cut in the event), Brown in 25.90, and Parker in 26.40, took 3rd to 5th for Dexter.

Dexter’s Lily Witte, Vivian Kinnard, and Sefina Patterson took the top 3 spots in diving.

Sofia Torres also won the 100 butterfly for Skyline with Dexter’s Martina Adam Mijares finishing 3rd and Sophia Marr in 5th.

Skyline and Dexter alternated the top 4 finishes in the 100 free with Skyline’s Annabel Balazer in first, Harper Brown in second, Allie Deininger in third, and Marea Balcom in fourth. Delaney Parker was 5th and Grace McClellan was 6th finishing to an eruption of cheers from her team and coaches as she earned her first sub-one-minute individual swim in the 100 free!

Finishing out the meet, Dexter’s A- 400 free relay team of Brown, Balcom, McClellan, and Parker edged out Skyline’s A team of Balazer, Deininger, Lauren MacNeil, and Maya Goldstein. Finishing 3rd was Dexter’s B relay of Bishop, Jill Kinnard, Sydney Collins, and Witte.

Reflecting on the meet, Coach Murphy Hansen said, "We are in the dog days of the season at this point! Doubles and a long school day five times a week are starting to take a toll. However, our girls keep pushing! Yes, state titles and conference championships are great, but watching your athletes reach their goals IN season and build that mental toughness that's so necessary for our sport, that is what puts a smile on my face. Many of our girls have strived for both inner and outer strength this season including Harper Brown, Laura Walton, Sophia Marr, Delaney Parker, Annie Ralls, Madelyn McClellan, and Elizabeth Young, just to name a few. However, Grace McClellan was the star of our meet last night, reaching a goal she set for herself and has worked her butt off to earn. She was our beacon of hope during a long training week -- in more ways than one!"