Depth keeps Raiders close at Merrill; GNC starts at home today

MEDFORD GIRLS SWIMMING

The Medford swimmers won just two events Tuesday, but they made it close with several seconds and thirds before ultimately falling 93-77 at Merrill in the first dual meet of the new season.

Aiden Denzer tied for first in the 100-yard backstroke while she teamed with Chelsea Gebauer, Sydney Sperl and Colby Bergman to win the meet’s first race, the 200-yard medley relay.

The Raiders were second in eight events, which is where they got 32 of their 77 points.

“Merrill is always a tough competitor and they have some talented swimmers,” Medford head coach Morgan Wilson said. “We were happy with how the girls raced and it ended up being a close match.”

The medley relay combination posted a time of 2:06.45 to win that opening race by 2.36 seconds over Merrill’s top team. Medford’s team of Breanna Kraemer, Jordyn Johnson, Erica Brandner and Tana Rappe got the two third-place points at 2:15.62, while Adalyn Dittrich, Kirsten Weix, Layla Petersen and Jolie Steliga were fourth in 2:23.46.

Sperl, Bergman, Johnson and Denzer led Medford in the 400-yard freestyle by taking second in 4:20.58, while Kraemer, Weix, Brandner and Rappe got the third-place points at 4:35.82. Merrill’s winning time was 4:11.68. Medford’s team of Steliga, Kassidy Koncel, Layla Petersen and Mackenzie Petersen was fourth in 4:45.35. Rappe, Brandner, Gebauer and Johnson led Medford in the 200-yard freestyle with their second-place time of 1:55.74, 2.78 seconds behind Merrill’s winning team. Weix, Mackenzie Petersen, Steliga and Koncel were fourth in 2:08.01, while Paige Wilkins, Dittrich, Cadance Haenel and Layla Petersen were fifth in 2:22.41.

Individually, Denzer’s time of 1:09.08 tied Merrill’s Megan Miles atop the 100-yard backstroke results. Kraemer was third in 1:13.44 and Dittrich got a point by taking fifth in 1:18.65. The Raiders also scored well in the 200-yard individual medley, with Denzer taking second in 2:29.98, Sperl grabbing third in 2:36.47 and Gebauer getting a point in fifth place at 2:43.45.

“Aiden Denzer had a nice night swimming the 200 IM and 100 back for the first time this year,” Wilson said. “She took 2nd in the IM and tied for first in the 100 back in an exciting race.”

Sperl swam the 100-yard butterfly in 1:13.91 to take second behind Miles (1:09.03). Brandner came in third at 1:18.95 and Kraemer was fifth at 1:21.32. Bergman took second in the 500-yard freestyle in 6:18.71, 13.54 seconds behind winner Olivia Pajtash. Weix got two points with a fourth-place time of 6:49.67 and Koncel got the fifthplace point at 7:08.49.

In the 100-yard freestyle, sophomore Mackenzie Petersen nabbed second place in 1:07.26, while Steliga was fourth at 1:10.65 and Dittrich was fifth in 1:11.94.

“Mackenzie Petersen had a great night dropping significant time on her 100 frees,” Wilson said. “Last year at this time she was swimming around 1:12 to 1:13 and (Tuesday) night she swam 1:07 to 1:08.”

Bergman also placed third in the 50-yard freestyle at 29.28 seconds, Mackenzie Petersen was fourth in 30.78 seconds and Haenel was sixth in 33.92 seconds. Gebauer led Medford in the 100-yard breaststroke with her second- place time of 1:19.66 that was 7.15 seconds behind Merrill’s Amber Winter. Johnson was fourth for Medford in 1:24.47 and Layla Petersen was sixth in 1:35.03.

Wilkins won the JV 50-yard race in 44.82 seconds and the JV 100-yard breaststroke in 2:01.74.

“Paige Wilkins has been making huge strides and cut off almost six seconds in her 50 free from last week,” Wilson said.

The Raiders start Great Northern Conference dual meets tonight, Thursday, by hosting the Antigo Red Robins in the 5:30 p.m. home opener at the MASH pool. The Raiders go to league power Rhinelander on Sept. 8.

“We are still playing with the lineup and mixing things up quite a bit for these early dual meets,” Wilson said. “We’re excited to see some new faces in different events on Thursday and start off our GNC duals on a good note.”