Making a splash

As the adage goes, ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’ That could also be the motto for Sauk Prairie’s girls swimming and diving team this season. For the first time in more than four decades, the Eagles fielded a diving team. So, when Sauk Prairie competes at the WIAA Division 2 state swimming and diving meet at the Waukesha South Natatorium on Friday, the Eagles will participate in the diving competition that starts at 1:30 p.m., as well as the swimming competition, which starts at 5:30 p.m.  Seniors Claire Hartman and McKenna Breunig both qualified for the state diving meet, finishing second and third, respectively, at the McFarland Sectional last Saturday. They are now seeded 14th and 15th, respectively, at state where all 16 competitors score points for their places. “Putting a diving program together this year was quite the journey,” Sauk Prairie swimming coach Todd Wuerger said. “There was some interest back in March about starting a diving team, but we faced a dilemma.  “We didn’t have a budget. We didn’t have a coach. So how were we going to coach five girls who really wanted to dive?” Well, eight months later, Sauk Prairie made it work with the assistance of Middleton diving coach Cyndie Zocher.  Sauk Prairie seniors Breunig, Hartman, Addisyn Ranzenberger and Lauren Uselman, along with freshman Kylee Ballweg and Madison Edgewood sophomore Olivia Walker traveled to Middleton twice a week to practice with the Cardinals’ divers. “When Cyndie was contacted, she agreed quickly that she would love to work with our divers,” Wuerger said. “She gave us a reasonable rate per diver and the parents said they would fund it.” Wuerger said the rebirth of the diving program was possible due to Sauk Prairie’s new pool. “The diving program ended when the WIAA put in a rule that if your pool wasn’t 12 feet deep, you couldn’t host diving and you had to remove your boards,” Wuerger said. “The Sauk Prairie pool was built back in the 1960s and was 11 feet deep, so in the late 80s or early 90s the diving stopped. But our new pool is 12 ½ feet deep, so now we can have diving, and we have two boards.” Wuerger was proud that it didn’t take Hartman long to break both school records for diving.  “She broke the six dives record twice this season,” he said. “A week ago, she broke the 11 dives record that was set 42 years ago in 1982.” The diving duo will join seniors Ava Flanagan, Kate Himebauch and Kaylee Oleson and freshmen Alyssa Himebauch and Natalie Klein — who will compete at state in swimming. The Eagles are hoping to improve on their eighth-place team finish of a year ago at state. “We haven’t had a diving program and to have two divers at state is really cool,” said Oleson, who will compete in four events at state for the second year in a row. “There was talk about a diving program last spring, but we didn’t know if it was going to happen. It was a surprise because it happened at the last minute that we would have a diving team.  “But it was fun to have the divers on the team my senior year. Most of the team are seniors who I’ve been with for four years. It’s nice to end my career with my friends.” Sauk Prairie finished third at the 13-team McFarland Sectional with 267 points, trailing only first-place finisher Madison Edgewood (418) and runner-up McFarland (287). “That was very unexpected,” Oleson said. “It was cool we were able to finish third. It would not have been possible without the divers.”  With a limited number of divers, Middleton hosted the sectional diving competition for area Division 1 and 2 schools last Friday evening where afterwards, team scores were broken out for each division.  “We were winning the swimming meet by 62 points before the swimming portion started because our divers went second, third, fourth and fifth,” Wuerger said. “It was the first year ever where we went into the swim meet with a lead.  “When it got down to the backstroke near the end of the meet, we were in second. We ended up in third and almost ended up taking home a team plaque. The only reason was because of the 62 points the divers the night before gave us.” Wuerger said the highlight of the sectional meet was Oleson breaking her own school record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1 minute, 7.59 seconds. Her former school record was set a year ago (1:07.73) at the Division 2 state meet. That drew a chuckle from Oleson, who also qualified for state in the 100-yard freestyle and as a member of the 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams. “I didn’t remember what my time was, so I didn’t know if I had broken my record or not,” she said. “I was very chill.” Wuerger said while swimming and diving are viewed as different sports, there’s often a division because they either don’t interact together or train together, and they don’t compete together. “But this year, our divers were competing in several meets as swimmers,” he said. “We had the smallest swim roster in at least the last 20 years. We barely had enough to compete in meets and in some meets, we needed the divers to swim so we could field a team.  “The divers stepped in and swam for us. It was a wonderful thing that they were willing to do it for the team. So, we had a lot of good interaction going on both ways.”  Leading the way for the swimmers at state will be Oleson, who overcame a severe back injury her sophomore year to become a four-year state competitor and a team captain this season. “She is the third seed in the 100 freestyle and the fourth seed in the 100 breaststroke, so she is the final heat in both of her individual races,” Wuerger said. “The 200 free relay is seeded ninth, and she will anchor the 400 free relay that is the 11th seed.” Oleson said her final meet “will be a bittersweet moment.”  “It’s been a long journey of swimming, and it will be fun to end at the highest level,” she said. “My last event will be a relay, which will be super fun.” Alyssa Himebauch also qualified in four events — in the 50 freestyle, where she is seeded 12th, and in the 100 freestyle, where she is seeded 15th. She will also anchor the 200 free relay and is leading off the 400 free relay. “I’m so proud of her,” Kate Himebauch said of her sister. “That was one my goals going into the season, that I wanted to make it to state with her.” Rounding out the Eagles’ competitors are Flanagan, who is the third leg on both the 200 and 400 free relays; Kate Himebauch, who overcame an ACL injury last spring and will swim the second leg on the 200 free relay; and Klein, who is second in the 400 free relay. “For what started back in March, it has been the most wonderful journey ever in our girls’ program,” Wuerger said. “It has gone so well. They get along. They are out for each other. I can’t say enough good things about how this has come together.”