Freshman Shepard setting swim records

VINTON – The girls' swimming roster boasts just 13 participants, but one multifaceted freshman has made a noticeable and immediate impact.

Arabella Shepard, a Union Community freshman swimming for the Vinton-Shellsburg/Union swim team, followed up a successful summer with the USS Destroyers club team with a record-setting start to her varsity career.

'Her stroke technique is very good on all strokes,” Vinton-Shellsburg/Union Coach Mike Dominick said. 'I think as she gets older she'll be more consistent with her races.”

The 5-foot-3 Shepard – whose club coach is her father Seth, who swam collegiately at Iowa State – took advantage of a club taper schedule that put her at full-strength for the start of the high school season. After just a couple of varsity meets, Shepard established a handful of individual school records against some familiar foes.

'My team is very important to me,” Shepard said. 'Swimming club made it so that the other people in my age group are on the other high school teams, so that I know people from other teams, too.”

Shepard already has five individual school records (200-yard individual medley, 100 butterfly, 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 freestyle) and has contributed to three more in relay events (200-yard individual medley, 200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay). Shepard's backstroke time of 59.03 ranks fourth in the state, and her butterfly (1:00.13) and IM (2:14.42) are in the top 12. She has a bevy of options when it comes time to qualify for the state meet, which would be a first for Vinton-Shellsburg/Union.

'That's very important to me because I have been working my whole life for swimming,” Shepard said. 'I just really want to make it to state.”

COUGARS CONFIDENT BEFORE MVC SHOWDOWN

Undefeated Mississippi Valley Conference dual records are on the line Tuesday at 6 p.m. as No. 5 Cedar Rapids Kennedy (5-0, 5-0 MVC) travels to sixth-ranked Cedar Falls (6-0, 6-0 MVC).

'Whenever we get up on the blocks we're really proud to be sporting the Kennedy cap and to be representing our school,” senior Kirsten Siebenga said.

Kennedy is fresh off an impressive showing at Saturday's Marcussen Invitational, hosted by Cedar Falls. Sophomore Mackinzee Macho won a pair of events – including a time of 1:08.94 in the 100 breaststroke that ranks third in the state – as the Cougars claimed first place with 516 points, 34.5 better than Cedar Falls.

'It's really exciting,” Kennedy freshman Kassidy Lovig said. 'All the girls … I know they feel like this is their year because we have so much talent, (and) so many seniors that are ready to win on their last year.”

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