Manhattan High girls swim started off their 2022 season finishing first overall as a team. 

The girls team competed Thursday at Salina, getting back into the normal flow of high school swim following the COVID pandemic.

“It was our first meet without masks since last year, so it was really nice for the team,” junior Sophia Steffensmeier said. “We can have pasta parties and do more team building.”

The team finished strong in each of their relay events. The 200m medley relay finished second and seventh. Junior Audrey Conley, sophomore Ruth Perez, junior Avery Inman and Steffensmeier swam a 2:05.10, and senior Brooke Newcomer, senior Ava Sergi, junior Soledad Rodriguez and senior Kylee Koerner swam a 2:26.95.

“Our medley [relay] was really good,” junior Avery Inman said. “We got our state cut, which is awesome.” 

Despite having new team members to swim with in the relay, the girls finished first and third in the 400m free. Conley, Perez, Inman and Steffensmeier swam a 4:13.78 and placed first. Senior Grace Dixon, senior Meredith Graves, freshman Samantha Tarter and senior Ava Sergi swam a 4:44.60 and placed third. Senior Trinity Sultz, freshman Meagan Hensley, freshman Ellyn Campbell and junior Giselle Patanaittikul finished 8th with a time of 5:25.32.

“I was worried about the 500 because it’s a long event,” Inman said. “But we have a lot of strong swimmers on Varsity.”

The 500 free had first and fourth place finishes: Steffensmeier with a time of 5:42.79 and Inman with a time of 6:22.24.

Manhattan also had top placement in individual events. In the 50 yard free Conley placed seventh and swam a 29.01, junior Paige Chauncey finished eleventh with a 30.13 and Dixon placed fifteenth with a time of 30.93.

The 100m butterfly had a first, third and seventh place finish by Steffensmeier with a time of 1:02.68, Rodriguez with a time of 1:22.18 and Graves with a time of 1.27.64.

The 100m breaststroke had a first and sixth place finish from Perez with a time of 1:12.98, and Inman with a time of 1:23.83. Sergi finished 11th and swam a 1:31.33.

The 100m free had a second place finish by Chauncey with a time of 1:06.95, and a fifth place finish from Sergi with a time of 1:10.65.

The 200m IM had a first place finish from Perez with a time of 2:22.01, a sixth place finish by Graves in 2:57.32, and a seventh place finish from junior Soledad Rodriguez with a time of 3:04.28.

The 100m backstroke rounded out the meet with a fifth place finish by Conley in 1:15.43 and a 15th place finish from senior Brooke Newcomer, with a time of 1:35.35.

Freshman made their debut coming out strong. Freshman Samantha Tarter swam a 2:35.87 in the 200m free, and finished fourth. Tarter Finished seventh in the 200m free relay along with Dixon, Graves and Sergi swam a 2:02.46. Campbell, freshman Emily Andela, junior Emma Markley and Sultz swam a 2:31.88 in the 200m free relay and placed 17th.

The team is looking forward to the new season, with freshmen joining the competition.

“We have a lot of freshmen this year, and they’re really energetic and seem into it,” Inman said, “so it’s a good team vibe.”

The team is going into the season with confidence, since the first meet was a success.

“First meet it can be nerve wracking for a lot of our newer swimmers and freshmen and sophomores who don’t swim year round,” Steffensmeier said, “so I think it went really well…I was hoping everyone would go out there and do their best. I’m excited to see what we can do at State.” 

MHS girls swim will compete in their next meet at Topeka High on Tuesday, March 29.