The streak is over.
But the optimism about the future isn't.
Blue Springs failed to maintain its recent stranglehold on the state title with a fifth-place finish in Saturday's finals at the Missouri State High School Girls Swimming and Diving Championships at the St. Peters Rec-Plex. But the young Wildcats looked forward to a brighter tomorrow.
"We weren't in it to win it this year as much as we have in the past," said sophomore Ibby Simcox, a future leader who earned a pair of individual all-state honors in the 200-yard individual medley and 100 butterfly Saturday. "For a lot of the girls it was their first time here, and it's a learning experience for them. But I think this sets us up well for the next couple of years. The majority of this team is freshmen and sophomores."
Instead of winning their third straight state crown and their fifth in six years, the Wildcats finished one place out of a state trophy. Lafayette-Wildwood edged Springfield Glendale at the wall in the final event, the 400 freestyle relay, to edge the Falcons 227-223.5 for the crown. St. Louis MICDS (184) and Hannibal (157.5) nosed out Blue Springs (125) for the final two trophies.
Wildcats coach Robert Sturman knew it would be tough to three-peat.
"We knew going in we probably weren't going to win, but you still have hope," Sturman said. "Me and (co-coach Bill) Shalley wanted it for the kids. Shelby and Ibby are not used to that, they're used to being the top dog.
"But we look good for the next couple years. I think this was a stepping stone."
Simcox and three seniors led the way for the Wildcats Saturday. Simcox claimed fifth in the 200 IM in 2 minutes, 9.18 seconds. She then took sixth in the 100 butterfly. Senior Shelby Bolin repeated her all-state honors in the 200 and 500 freestyles, while senior Meryll Pampolina claimed sixth in 1-meter diving and senior Abby Stanley took 12th in the 100 backstroke. The 400 freestyle relay squad was sixth and the 200 medley relay team finished eighth.
"In the fly, I had a couple of bad turns, so I could've placed a lot higher," Simcox said. "In my IM, I'm not too upset with my time but I wanted to swim faster. On the fly, I felt good at first but my first turn was terrible and it just went bad from there. But all-state is always good. It's better than not being all-state."
Bolin saw her high school career come to an end with a pair of sixth-place finishes in the 200 (1:56.68) and 500 (5:11.09).
"It's a little sad knowing this is it," said Bolin, who has signed with Division I University of the Pacific. "But I had a lot of fun this week. I didn't do as well as I would have liked but it was still a good time. We have a young team, so this was a learning experience for them. We kind of knew we probably weren't going to win it. We were hoping for top four, but we did our best, and that's all you can ask."
Stanley said after her backstroke consolation final that it hadn't hit her yet that it was her final high school meet.
"It's a little bittersweet. I wish I would have done better, but I'm happy with the way I swam," Stanley said. "It probably won't hit me until it's over and then I'll probably cry like a baby."
Meryll Pampolina went out with an all-state honor while her sophomore sister Patty added a 13th-place showing.
"I'm really happy with how I did," Meryll said. "Coming into it I really worked hard and it paid off. I felt real confident and I wanted to have fun."
Meryll said nailing her inward 1 1/2 dive was the key to her 361.60 total.
"I'd been having trouble with that one, but I did it right this time," she said.
Blue Springs South freshman Bre Schlenger made a splash in diving as well. Her third-place finish allowed the Jaguars to finish 31st with 16 points.
"I was real excited; this is the best I've done all year," said Schlenger, whose 377.90 total was behind only Parkway West's Mary Kate Hardy (417.20) and Liberty's Tamesha Peterson (399.30). "I felt way focused and prepared for each dive. My back one-and-a-half twist was my best. I stayed the tightest on that one and scored the best."
Senior Lisa Menne led Lee's Summit North to a 16th-place finish with 47 points. Menne earned all-state honors with her fifth-place finish in the 100 freestyle (53.66). She also took 10th in the 200 freestyle (1:57.45) and helped the 200 freestyle relay to a consolation final win and a ninth-place finish and the 400 freestyle relay to a 13th-place showing.
"It felt real good (to get all-state) especially since I'm a senior and this is my last year of high school," Menne said.
MISSOURI STATE HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday's Finals
At St. Peters Rec-Plex
Team scores (top 10 and area schools): 1. Lafayette-Wildwood, 227; 2. Springfield Glendale, 223.5; 3. St. Louis MICDS, 184; 4. Hannibal, 157.5; 5. Blue Springs, 125; 6. Fort Zumwalt West, 122; 7. Parkway West, 119; 8. Park Hill South, 108; 9. Ladue Horton Watkins, 100; 10. Notre Dame de Sion, 83; 16. Lee’s Summit North, 47; 20. (tie) Lee’s Summit West, 32; 31. Blue Springs South, 16; 32. Raytown, 15; 49. (tie) Lee’s Summit, 1.
Note: Winners and area finishers are listed. Top eight were in the finals, Nos. 9-16 were in the consolation finals.
200-yard medley relay: 1. MICDS, 1:47.92; 8. Blue Springs (Abby Stanley, Maria Juarez, Ibby Simcox, Megan Wright), 1:52.74; 15. Lee’s Summit West (Lyndsey Sherrow, Jean Madison, Alyson Raymond, Brittney Kallenberger), 1:56.51.
200 freestyle: 1. Michelle Tipton, Fort Zumwalt West, 1:50.70; 6. Shelby Bolin, BS, 1:56.68; 10. Lisa Menne, LSN, 1:57.45.
200 IM: 1. Hallie Stupp, MICDS, 2:03.79; 5. Ibby Simcox, BS, 2:09.18; 7. Jean Madison, LSW, 2:12.13.
50 freestyle: 1. Rebekah Land, Hannibal, 23.65; 7. Monica Hernandez, Raytown, 24.79; 16. Ashley Nolan, LS, 25.49.
One-meter diving: 1. Mary Kate Hardy, Parkway West, 417.20; 3. Bre Schlenger, BSS, 377.90; 6. Meryll Pampolina, BS, 361.60; 13. Patty Pampolina, BS, 328.40; 18. Paige Helling, LSN, 229.70; 21. McCall Christopher, LSN, 144.50.
100 butterfly: 1. Hallie Stupp, MICDS, 54.87; 6. Ibby Simcox, BS, 58.84.
100 freestyle: 1. Jessi Holz, Lafayette-Wildwood, 52.18; 5. Lisa Menne, LSN, 53.66.
500 freestyle: 1. Michelle Tipton, Fort Zumwalt West, 5:01.26; 6. Shelby Bolin, BS, 5:11.09.
200 freestyle relay: 1. Hannibal, 1:37.77; 9. Lee’s Summit North (Kylie Cates, Hanna Kleiboeker, Jenny Hayden, Lisa Menne), 1:44.31; 16. Blue Springs (Megan Wright, Anna Juarez, Kristen Parsons, Shelby Bolin), 1:44.92.
100 backstroke: 1. Rebekah Land, Hannibal, 56.30; 12. Abby Stanley, BS, 1:01.14.
100 breaststroke: 1. Abby Hempen, Francis Howell, 1:05.59; 3. Jean Madison, LSW, 1:06.41; 14. Monica Hernandez, Raytown, 1:09.05.
400 freestyle relay: 1. Lafayette-Wildwood, 3:31.06; 6. Blue Springs (Ibby Simcox, Anna Juarez, Shelby Bolin, Kristen Parsons), 3:41.23; 13. Lee’s Summit North (Kylie Cates, Katey Carlton, Hanna Kleiboeker, Lisa Menne), 3:45.00.
