Annie Wolpers, Cape Central swimming

Central junior swimmer Annie Wolpers cruised to two first-place finishes at the Show Me Conference meet last week at the Perry Park Center in Perryville, earning two state cuts and picking up meet MVP honors.

She won the 50-meter freestyle (29.13 seconds) and 100 freestyle (1:03.70), earning her first state-qualifying mark in the latter.

The victories were a big step for Wolpers, who had has come up short of state cuts in her first two seasons and has battled injuries. She has had two shoulder surgeries, the latest this past April.

"I've always been serious about swimming," Wolpers said, "but this year I really got down and got serious because I know college is coming up, and I know I wasn't going to get back to where I was before surgery without working hard."

Added Central swimming coach Dayna Powell: "For Annie to swim as well as she did, I'm thrilled because Annie has had some [injuries] she's had to overcome. She's had to be kind of patient. She's really stepped up as a junior to make a difference in the team."