Earning their own way
High school swimmers are always looking toward the next meet, but at this time of the year, that has to be earned.
Moniteau's Baily Trettel and Katelyn Reott left no doubt about extending their seasons.
At the District 9 Class 2A championship meet, held Friday and Saturday at Saint Marys High School, Trettel won the 100-yard butterfly and backstroke and Reott the 50 freestyle and breaststroke.
Only the district champion is guaranteed a spot at the state meet later this month.
This is the second straight year that Trettel will swim at states in her two events. She completed the butterfly Friday in one minute, .86 seconds and the backstroke in 59.86 seconds Saturday.
Trettel, a junior, was a bit faster in both events while winning two district crowns a year ago.
“I was glad I got under a minute in the back, but neither time was as fast as I'd like it to be,” said Trettel of her latest efforts. “I'm ok with that, though, because it all comes down to how I do at states.
“I wasn't tapered for districts, but I will be for states,” she added. “It will be more sprint work and the (weightlifting) will be cut out. I'm excited about what I can do after that.”
A freshman, Reott won the 50 free in 25.08 and the breaststroke in 1:11.07.
“I was hoping to drop time in both events and I did,” she said. “I was really nervous, but I'm happy with how I did.”
Moniteau does not field a swimming team, so Trettel, Katelyn Reott and her sister, Sydney Reott, competed as independent swimmers this season.
They have, however, begun to form relationships with other swimmers from throughout District 9.
“On Friday, it was about two hours into the meet until I swam in the butterfly,” said Trettel. “I spent that time talking with Katelyn and Sydney and we've become friends with some other swimmers in the district who were there.”
“The girl who placed second in the breaststroke (Saint Marys' Camryn Bauer), after the event, we shook hands and talked for a while,” Katelyn Reott said. “We exchanged (contact) information and plan to keep in touch.”
The Class 2A state meet begins March 13 at Bucknell University. In the interim, Trettel and Katelyn Reott will fine tune their swims in hopes of closing the high school season with strong efforts.
“I need to kick more in the butterfly and my turns need to be faster in both events,” Trettel said.
