Wins, title provide surprise for Menz

~ The Notre Dame sophomore had a big day at Thursday's conference meet.

For Notre Dame sophomore Brittany Menz, Thursday was a day of pleasant surprises.

First, Menz was tabbed as one of the Show-Me Conference meet's most valuable swimmers for winning two events with two state-qualifying times.

"That was a big shock to me," said Menz, a sophomore who shared the honor with Central senior Hannah Kinder and Central freshman Susan Beth Scott.

Menz actually could boast that she scored the most points. She was a member of Notre Dame's winning 200-yard medley and 200 free relays. The win in the meet-opening 200 medley, in which Notre Dame topped Central's foursome that included Kinder and Scott, set the tone for the second pleasant surprise: Notre Dame's first conference championship.

The Bulldogs, a seventh-year program, had watched Central walk away with the cup since the conference meets began in 2003.

While the Bulldogs were impressive with their depth all day long, they never knew exactly how the team race was shaking out. Perhaps that's why they erupted with cheers when the reverse order of the standings listed Central in second.

"We were hoping we were ahead," said Menz, who won the 200-yard individual medley and 100 backstroke, events in which she already had state cuts. "We really weren't sure until they announced it, and then it was exciting.

"We hadn't beaten them in a long time so that was a good feeling."

Menz repeated as the 200 IM champ but last year she was beaten by Kinder in the 500 free at the conference meet, and Central swept all three relays.

Happiest about the championship was Notre Dame senior Ashley Nenninger, who thanked her teammates on behalf of the seniors, which also included diver Emily Huber and swimmer Kaci Westrich.

"We're a really close team," Menz said. "Everybody encourages everybody in everything."

Splash

The coaching Kupers -- Notre Dame head coach Lenny and his wife and assistant Pat -- both were tossed into the pool following the meet.

Brother David Migliorino, the Notre Dame principal, joined the post-meet celebration but cast a stern look at anyone who tried to pull him toward the water.

Amazing Hannah

Menz, who swims with the SEALS year-round program, appreciates the competition she gets in high school swimming from the likes of Kinder, who will be heading to Texas A&M next year.

"She's amazing," Menz said.

Central coach Dayna Powell said the same thing.

"She is amazing, and she's capable of doing some big things next weekend" at the state meet, Powell said. "What she does for the sport of swimming in this area is huge. She is a great representative for Southeast Missouri."

Kinder placed second last year in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle swims at the state meet. She swept those events in the conference meet Thursday.

Second season

St. Vincent, a second-year program, finished fourth in the four-team field but had an individual champion in junior Maria Esswein, who won the 100 butterfly.

"Swimming against larger teams, we did pretty well," St. Vincent coach John Esswein said. "I'm proud of each of my girls. I think all of them dropped time."