Andrea Molus put it all on the line in her 200M freestyle swim event at sections last weekend and it all paid off. She captured second place, which qualified her for the state meet held this week. In the 200M, she dropped 7.52 seconds off her usual time  to finish in 2:00.46.

 

Molus raced at state at the Aquatic Center at the University of Minnesota Wed. - Fri. of this week and a full report on her results will appear in next week’s Citizen.

 

“I am so excited,” said Molus. “I worked really hard and not getting there last year was tough. But I made it and I’m happy.”

 

Molus said she spent about three months leading up to the season at CrossFit in St. Cloud and then came to practices early and often to get in training.

 

At the prelims last Friday, Molus was seeded #3 and after prelims, she had dropped to #4. She knew she had to give it her all in the finals to get a top spot, but she was also very nervous.

 

“On my last 75, I couldn’t feel my arms or my legs,” she said. “By the time I touched the wall I had my eyes shut and I took a deep breath.”

 

She thought to herself, “whatever happens, happens. I worked as hard as I could.”

 

So when she opened her eyes and saw the #2 next to her lane number, she knew she had made it.

 

“That’s when the waterworks began,” she said.

 

Molus’ goal at state is to make the top 16 to start, which would put her in the finals for Friday. From there, she’d be more than happy being in the top eight, if she could.

 

“The top times will be crazy,” she said. “They’ll be in the 1:55’s or so. I’m a flat 2:00 so it’ll be tough beating those times.”

 

Becker and Head Coach Tina Tamm had 17 girls compete at sections and they swam 32 swims on preliminary night (Friday). Twenty-eight of the swimmers ending up with best personal times. 

 

Molus also swam in the 500M freestyle and she dropped another 7.46 seconds off the prelims to finish in seventh place with a 5:40.24 time.

 

Emma Lefebvre (100M freestyle) dropped 1.52 seconds in the prelims and another .51 seconds in the finals for a total drop of 2.03 and a 16th place finish with a time of 1:00.07. In the 100M backstroke, she dropped .69 seconds in the prelims and finished in 21st place with a time of1:12.03.

 

Macy Erson (50M freestyle) dropped .81 seconds in the prelims and another .16 in the finals for a total of .97 seconds. She took ninth place with a time of 26.57. In the 100M freestyle, Erson dropped 1.65 seconds in the prelims and another .20 seconds in the finals for a total time drop of 1.85. She captured seventh place with a time of 58.28.

 

Nicole Larrison (50M freestyle) dropped .10 seconds in the prelims and another .37 in the finals for a total drop of .47. She came home with a 6th place finish in a time of 26.12. In the 100M butterfly, Larrison dropped .58 seconds in the prelims and finished in 20th place with a time of 1:14.49.

 

Maddie Thorn (200M freestyle) dropped 1.59 seconds and finished in 21st place with a time of 2:20.89. In the 100M backstroke, she finished in 30th place with a time of 1:17.71.

 

Melody Swanson (200 IM)  dropped 3.07 seconds in the prelims and finished in 25th place with a time of 2:46.93. In the 100M freestyle, Swanson dropped .35 seconds and finished in 28th place with a time of 1:05.23.

 

Jalissa Johnson (200 IM) dropped 3:60 seconds and finished in 21st place with a time of 2:40.83. In the 100M breaststroke, she dropped 1.73 seconds and finished in 23rd place with a time of 1:27.31.

 

Vanessa Gilles (200 IM) dropped .83 seconds and finished in 28th place with a time of 2:48.49. In her 100M backstroke event, Gilles dropped .27 seconds and finished in 29th place with a time of 1:15.90.

 

Emily Lipinski (50M freestyle) finished in 28th place with a time of :28.61. In the 100M butterfly, she dropped 1.63 seconds and finished in 19th place with a time of 1:13.39.

Allison Sanderson (500M freestyle) dropped 11.32 seconds and finished in 20th place with a time of 6:23.48.

 

Shelby Steffen (100M butterfly) dropped 3.40 seconds and finished in 25th place with a time of 1:16.52.

 

Avery Tamm (100M breaststroke) dropped 4.51 seconds and finished in 19th place with a time of 1:21.40.

 

Hailey Eriksson (50M freestyle) dropped .25 seconds and finished in 31st place with a time of :29.23.

 

Makenna Thelen (100M backstroke) finished in 32nd place with a time of 1:18.71.

 

In diving, Emi Quill placed 7th with a score of 320.35, Emily Skelton placed ninth with a score of 289.40 and Abby Hendrickson  placed 15th with a score of 240.20.

 

In the 200M medley relay, Emma Lefebvre, Molus, Lipinski and Macy Erson dropped 3.34 seconds, giving them a time of 2:05.89 and an eighth place finish.

 

In the 200M freestyle relay, Makenna Thelen, Eriksson,  Lipinski and Larrison dropped 1.53 seconds, giving them a time of 1:53.90 and a ninth place finish.

 

In the 400M freestyle relay, Larrison, Lefebvre, Macy Erson and Molus dropped 3.16 seconds, giving them a time of 3:52.64 and a third place finish.

 

“It was a great weekend for the girls,” said Tamm.  “It was fun to see them drop and improve their times so much and see that all their hard work during the season pay off in the end.  All of  the coaches are very proud of each and every one of these girls who worked so hard to reach their goals.  It was a great way to end the season.”

 

Except for Molus.