The swim team competed in a Relay Invitational last Friday in Sweet Home. This was the first swim meet ever for many of the members. Lacking the expertise of Senior Captain Chelsea Durdan-Shaw, who had to study for the SAT's, they did rather well. With the help from 
veterans, Captain Dana Hughie and Captain Hilary Hedemark, along with Jamie Cundiff, they got the hang of how things worked around the pool. Nine girls competed. Newcomers Jacquelien Mansker, Tessa Durdan-Shaw, Heidi Whipps, Jessie Durham, Anna Evered, and Chelsea Meudt pulled it together and showed the other teams that they are going to be a force to be reckoned with. Sisters did not have a boys relay because some swimmers are still playing Football. But for now, the boys' team includes Captain Seth Perrine and Kevin Carlsmith.

The Outlaws had relays in 7 out of the 8 events offered. To start off the meet, the 200 Medley Relay included Cundiff (backstroke), Hughie (breaststroke), Hedemark (fly), and Meudt (freestyle). They were runner-up to Sweet Home but out-touched Marist by .2 seconds! 

The second event of the afternoon was the 400 freestyle relay. Each swimmer had to swim a different distance. Evered started them off to a good start with 50 yards; Whipps followed her lead with a 100-yard sector, continued by Hedemark with 200 yards, and anchor Durdan-Shaw with a 50-yard segment. The girls did a fantastic job placing 3rd.
 

The next event created a twist for the swimmers. It was a 4x100 Individual Medley relay. Each of the four girls needed to swim their own 100-yard IM (one length of each stroke). Cundiff, Hughie, Hedemark, and Meudt showed their skill with an impressive finish. The 200-yard freestyle relay marked the halfway point of the meet. Cundiff lead off, followed by Durham and Mansker and anchored by Whipps. They all showed their sprinting abilities and determination. 
 
 

Sisters again won second place in the 200 backstroke relay. Durdan-Shaw (following in her sister's footsteps) lead off the race, with Cundiff second, Evered third, and Hedemark anchor. 

The girls in the 200-breaststroke relay showed their ability to master that stroke as well. Whipps, Durham, Mansker, and Evered pulled together and clocked outstanding times.

The conclusion of the meet came with the 400freestyle relay. Durdan-Shaw, Hedemark, Hughie, and Cundiff combined for an impressive 3rd place finish. The competition in that race is always hard. Most teams leave their best swimmers rested throughout the meet so that they can win the last race. The girls pulled all of their energy together and raced like there was nothing left. 

The Sisters team isn't as big in numbers as the others in our district, but their skill, spirit and determination is greater than anyone else's. Overall, it was a good first meet and the team did a great job. Special thanks go to Seth Perrine who filmed all of the races. The Outlaw swimmers face their next competition December 14 at 4pm., again in Sweet Home.