Manistee hits four more D3 state marks
MANISTEE — There wasn’t a point to be scored in the preliminary round of the Coastal Swim Conference championships, but Manistee accomplished plenty Friday night at the Paine Aquatic Center.
The Chippewas put themselves in promising scoring position for today’s final heats, and set four more Division 3 state qualifying marks in the process.
Syriah Dobis (200-yard free style), Jessica Gustad (50-yard freestyle), Kiara Bromley (100-yard butterfly) and Allie Zimmerman (500-yard freestyle) each joined Manistee’s growling list of state times this season.
“It was a season-long goal, so I was so happy to finally reach it. It means a lot,” Gustad said of her second-place finish in the 50 in the time of 25.54. “It just felt right, and it’s a great meet to get it in. The competition plays a big part of it.”
Manistee, which is hosting its first girls conference championships, won seven of the 11 swimming events Friday for No. 1 seeds in today’s final round. A top-eight individual finish in each event make up today’s scheduled championship heats for points while the next eight (ninth through 16th) will swim in a consolation heat, also for points.
The Chippewas, who will swim in the scored heats for all three relay events today, had 21 swimmers in the top eight Friday, individually, and 12 more in the top 16. Spring Lake had 23 qualify for the championship heats for the largest representation in the five-team field.