Linn-Mar swimmers putting it together, top I.C. West

CORALVILLE - The roster is in place, and while the lineup is still a work in progress, the wins keep coming for the Linn-Mar girls' swimming team.

The fourth-ranked Lions took another step toward claiming the title of top area state title contender with a convincing 104-82 win over No. 13 Iowa City West last night at the Coralville Recreation Center pool.

'Playing with all the options,” Linn-Mar Coach Chad Derlein said. 'We're trying to figure out what the best puzzle would be, but we haven't really found it. We'll find it.”

Linn-Mar (5-1, 4-1 MVC) won 9 of 12 events, led by super sophomore Kelsey Drake who had two relay wins and two individual wins. Drake's winning 500 freestyle time of 5:09.36 was not only a Linn-Mar season high and good for second in the state, but her 2014 debut in the event.

'The 500 is hard because I don't know how to pace it,” said Drake, a two-event state runner-up last season for Cedar Rapids Jefferson. 'I don't swim it very often, so I just kind of went out there and swam. I might have died a little bit on the end, but at least I went out there and gave it my all.”

Fellow sophomore Jenn Jenks notched a win in the 100 backstroke in 1:01.96 and had a hand in a pair of relay wins (200 medley and 400 free). 'I enjoy the variety because we have so many events throughout the season,” Jenks said. 'It's really nice to mix it up.”

Senior Lizzie Adams, who returned to the Lions after swimming club last season, won the 50 free in 25.80, plus two relays. Her emergence, plus the return of junior Stephanie Jenks (four wins last night) from triathlon competition and an elbow injury has the Lions roster at full strength for the stretch run.

'We've been doing quite a bit in practice,” Derlein said. 'Swimming this fast with that in mind, is very pleasing. It's just going to show how much they're going to do at the end of the year.”

Jacintha Thomas (diving), Sarah Ritchie (100 butterfly) and Erica Hsu (100 breaststroke) all won for West (4-2, 3-2).

AT CORALVILLE RECREATION CENTER

Linn-Mar 104, I.C. West 82

200 medley relay - Linn-Mar (Lizzie Adams, Paige Broghammer, Kelsey Drake, Jenn Jenks), 1:52.71; 200 free - Stephanie Jenks (LM), 2:02.83; 200 individual medley - Drake (LM), 2:10.08; 50 free - Adams (LM), 25.80; Diving - Jacintha Thomas (ICW), 335.70; 100 butterfly - Sarah Ritchie (ICW), 1:03.70; 100 free - S. Jenks (LM), 56.95; 500 free - Drake (LM), 5:09.36; 200 free relay - Linn-Mar (Hailey Harms, Broghammer, Kelly Wingerson, S. Jenks), 1:46.99; 100 backstroke - J. Jenks (LM), 1:01.96; 100 breaststroke - Erica Hsu (ICW), 1:11.23; 400 free relay - Linn-Mar (J. Jenks, Adams, S. Jenks, Drake), 3:44.10.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com