Cape swimmers handle adversity well in finishing third in state

In the face of adversity throughout the 2022-23 MSHSAA swimming and diving season, the Cape Central girl’s swim team took it upon itself to find joy, instead of frustration. The result was a third-place finish in the 2023 MSHSAA State Finals on Saturday at the St. Peters Rec-Plex.

“We are thrilled to be third,” veteran Tigers coach Dayna Powell said. “This team was so unique and special. They have had so much fun together.”

In a sport, where time spent training is paramount, Cape Central just competed among the best swimmers and divers in Missouri and spent the least amount of time doing so.

With the Central Municipal Pool closed, perhaps until November, the Tiger swimmers and divers had to figure out a plan b when it came to training.

The swimmers essentially trained 45 minutes four days per week, with a longer session once each week at Southeast Missouri State, while the divers drove up to Perryville for their training each day.

Having said that, somehow, Cape Central junior divers Tommy-Anne Marriott and Lydia Cao, finished first and fifth, respectively, while the Tigers’ 400 free relay closed the meet by setting a new MSHSAA Class 1 record with a winning swim of 3:33.95.

“These divers,” Powell said, “put in double the time with the driving. I felt so bad for them, but they didn’t quit. They showed up to the state meet and beat people who had their own diving boards.”

In terms of her swimmers and their performances, Powell simply called it “a miracle.”

Cape Central won both of the final relay events (the 200 and 400 free relays), and finished with 224 points, one behind runner-up Parkway West (225), and trailing winner Westminster Christian (257).

The 200 free relay foursome of Emilie Dickson, Bella Pattengill, Addison Ringwald, and Sydney Ringwald won their race with a time of 1:38.52, while the 400 relay of Dickson, Marianne Dean, and the two Ringwalds smoked every other relay with a time of 3:35.95.

“The state record,” Powell admitted, “it wasn’t on my radar. I just wanted the win.”

Each of the swimmers swam faster in their legs than they had in Friday’s preliminary round, with Dean and Addison Ringwald having legs that were over a second faster on Saturday, which is unheard of in that short of a sprint race.

“We saw splits,” Powell said, “that we had never seen from the girls. We knew that if Addison touched the wall first (after the third leg), then no one would beat us.”

That confidence came from having Sydney Ringwald on the anchor leg, and Sydney torched every other anchor swimmer in the meet, with the exception of one.

“No one is going to catch Sydney.”

Sydney Ringwald took second place in the 50 free (23.79) and 100 free (51.73), as well.

Addison Ringwald placed sixth in the 200 free (1:58.95) and ninth in the 500 free (5:21.09), while Dean had a phenomenal swim in the latter race.

After going a 5:23 a year ago and finishing eighth, Dean lowered her time this year to 5:15.70 and took seventh.

While training 45 minutes per day.

“Marianne can take the pain,” Powell said.

Dean also placed 10th in the 200 individual medley (2:13.89).

Dickson placed fourth in the 100 fly (58.14) and fifth in the 200 IM (2:10.11), while Pattengill finished 19th in the 50 free (25.46) and 11th in the 100 free (55.29 in the prelims).

Pattengill, Avery Criblez, Dean, and Natalie Voshage took 18th in the 200 medley relay (2:01.79), while Anne McDougal (27th, 200 free, 2:07.13) also competed.

“It was apparent on the pool deck and off it,” Powell said, “this group was all there for each other.”

Walters earns All-State

Jackson sophomore Ava Walters earned All-State honors for the second year in a row, as she finished seventh in the 100 back race at Saturday’s MSHSAA Class 2 State Swimming and Diving Finals.

Walters finished her race in a time of 58.53, and also was 20th in the 200 individual medley race with a time of 2:15.94.

Walters also swam the backstroke leg on the 200 medley relay, along with Courtney Huckabee (breaststroke), Emma Morris (butterfly), and Madilyn Dean (freestyle), which placed 30th with a time of 2:01.84.