Hobbs is lone area swimmer to advance

ST. PETERS, Mo. -- The wait must have seemed like forever for Jackson sophomore Allison Hobbs after she completed the 500-yard freestyle Friday at the state girls swimming and diving championships at the Rec-Plex in St. Peters.

In reality, it was a short period of time as Hobbs swam in the sixth and final heat of the event and posted her best time in high school, 5 minutes, 22.67 seconds.

The question was whether that time was going to be one of the top 16 and advance her to today.

"I think so, maybe," Hobbs said as she awaited the final results.

When the results were posted, Hobbs did make it to today's final rounds. She will compete in the consolation championship after her 15th-place finish.

Hobbs was the only local swimmer to finish in the top 16. No Southeast Missouri swimmer qualified for the final day of the state meet last season.

It was not an easy day or easy week for Hobbs, who qualified in both the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle as a freshman last year.

"I started to get a cough Tuesday night and wasn't feeling well," Hobbs said. "This was the one week that I didn't want to be sick."

Hobbs still was coughing and had a bit of a sore throat Friday, but she probably felt no pain when she learned that she made it to today.

"It was my best time in high school, but not ever," Hobbs said. "My goal was to swim 5:18, and now I will have a chance to do that tomorrow. I could have done better, but I will take it."

Hobbs swam the 200 freestyle earlier in the day in 2:04.99 to finish 33rd. That was one place behind her freshman season when she swam a 2:04.08.

But the 500 is her favorite event.

"I am usually relaxed until right before I race," Hobbs said. "But I had the butterflies when I woke up today. I swam at state last year, but I was a freshman and nothing was expected from me. This year there has been a lot of pressure. I just tried to go out and do my best. I think I accomplished that because I made myself hurt a lot."

The 500 freestyle will be one of the highlighted events in the finals today.

Mehlville's Brigette Selbert and Eleanor Prewitt-Thomas of Blue Springs each broke the state record in the prelims, swimming identical times of 4:56.61.

Notre Dame senior Courtney Luehmann and St. Vincent sophomore Anna Esswein each had top-25 efforts Friday.

Luehmann was 23th in the 100 butterfly. She knocked off almost two-and-a-half seconds from her previous best time, finishing in 1:01.83.

Esswein was 25th in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:11.75.