Central's Wolpers swims away with MVP at conference meet

~ Notre Dame captured the team title at the Show Me Conference championship.

PERRYVILLE -- Central junior Annie Wolpers had a lofty goal entering the Show Me Conference meet Thursday evening, although she was not sure how realistic she was being.

"My goal was to get the [meet] MVP," Wolpers said. "But I wasn't full out, 'I know I'm going to get it' or anything."

Wolpers' mother, Julie Wolpers, even admitted that she was not expecting her daughter to come away with the top honor when she made the trip to Perryville to watch.

"Not at all; not at all," Julie said.

Jackson's Allison Hobbs swam in the 400-meter freestyle Thursday during the Show Me Conference championship at the Perry Park Center in Perryville. Hobbs won the event in 4 minutes, 59.34 seconds. (Fred Lynch)

Wolpers swam to two first-place individual finishes -- winning both the 50-meter freestyle (29.13 seconds) and 100 freestyle (1:03.70) and earning state-qualifying times in both races -- to make her goal a reality.

Wolpers was named the conference meet MVP.

Wolpers said the most thrilling of the two races for her was the 100 freestyle because she already had earned a state-cut time in the 50 freestyle. But Wolpers had yet to earn the needed time in the 100 freestyle to compete in that event at next week's state meet.

Once Wolpers finished the 100 freestyle, Central coach Dayna Powell's eyes darted to the timing board to see if her swimmer had made the cut. And once Powell saw that Wolpers had, the coach pumped her fist in excitement.

Wolpers said she did not look up at the board right away, but instead found out when she stepped out of the water and was greeted by her Tigers teammates.

St. Vincent's Liz Brueckner swam the 100-meter butterfly in the Show Me Conference Championship Thursday at the Perry Park Center in Perryville. (Fred Lynch)

"I got out of the water and everyone was screaming, and they all told me I got the state-cut time," Wolpers said. "It feels great.

"I was happy with the 50 [cut], and I wanted to get my 100, but I wasn't going to be really upset or mad if I didn't get the 100. So I was just really happy to get in there and get the cut."

It's been a difficult couple of years for Wolpers, who has been hindered by two shoulder surgeries.

"Annie just amazes me every day because she's never given up through her two surgeries and setbacks," Julie said. "The last two years she has just missed her state cuts by very little time, and to see her finally achieve her goal this year is really exciting."

She endured her first arthroscopic surgery when she was in the eighth grade. After shoulder problems returned last season, she went in for her second surgery April 20.

Wolpers, who has been swimming since she was 6 years old, then spent the summer practicing her swimming with just one arm.

"It is just her night tonight," her father, John Wolpers, said. "It means everything to her. She's had some setbacks and she just set her mind to it."

Wolpers said she has been more focused and dedicated to the sport this year. She wants to work hard because she would like to swim in college.

"She's just coming on strong here at the end of the season," Powell said. "I've never seen her swim as well as she swam tonight. ... I've seen a much more mature Annie Wolpers than I saw as a freshman and a sophomore."

Notre Dame wins meet

Notre Dame won the team competition with 483 points. Cape was second with 395, Jackson came in third with 343 and Poplar Bluff had 211.

"I'm very excited about it," Notre Dame's Brittany Menz said. "I think the girls have just been so motivated this year. It was a rough start because we were missing our state cuts in the relays and the individual events by a little bit. And then we get one and everyone was so excited. Then we get to conference and just everyone is ready to do good."