By GANNON HANEVOLD
Moapa Valley Progress
In two relays and an individual event, the Moapa Valley High School was represented last week at the 3A State Swim meet in Carson City.
The Pirates sent five athletes to compete in three events thanks to their qualification at the regional tournament just a week before. On the 4×200 relay team, the Pirates sent out Hanna Schulthies, Emma Walker, Sara Mills, and Pernille Wardenaer. Their 4×400 team consisted of Walker, Mills, Wardenaer, and Elizabeth Williams. Wardenaer also earned a state qualifying spot in the 100-yard breaststroke.
At the state meet, the Pirate relays didn’t exactly finish in the placing they’d hoped for. While expectations were relatively low considering Moapa’s seeding and the stacked Northern swim rosters, the Moapa team was shooting for a top six finish and wound up in eighth. However, the state meet experience was far from a disappointment, and the season itself was full of accomplishment.
The five Pirate swimmers in attendance were quick to celebrate the excitement of the weekend as whole, despite the end result.
“We really didn’t expect to take state or anything,” said MVHS junior Sara Mills. “But we were there to do our best and have fun. It was seriously one of the best experiences ever.”
Fellow junior Emma Walker echoed that sentiment, adding, “It was honestly so exciting. We were all just happy to be there and to enjoy the fact we made it.”
The Moapa Valley relay teams hope to be back in the same position next season, as both squads will return three of four swimmers. The missing link will be Pernille “Penny” Wardenaer, who wraps up her foreign exchange student experience in just a few weeks.
Wardenear finished in sixth in the 100-yard breastroke with a time of 1:16.52, just two seconds behind medaling placement. Penny has quickly become a breakout swimming standout in her first and last season as a Pirate.
“Although we’re losing Penny, I think that all of us have improved so much that if we keep it up we will definitely have a shot at state next season,” said sophomore Elizabeth Williams.
The Pirates will bring back almost all of their young team, and the boys swimmers will return their entire roster as well.
The Pirates that made it to the last meet of the season reflected on how they have changed this season. “I’ve learned that improvement takes serious hard work,” Mills said, “Driving up to Mesquite everyday for practice just to swim for a couple hours seems like it would be a drag but that’s what it takes to achieve our goals.”
Williams described the preparation the sport requires, adding, “In a relay, you have the whole group relying on you, so it’s important that you are well-rested, eating well, and ready to compete.”
Meanwhile, Walker focused on the mental approach that she believes works best, explaining, “I’ve learned that hard work and positivity get you the furthest, especially when you’re working as a team.”
