Lyons Girls Swimming Medals in All Relay Events at State

The Lyons girls swimming team has always taken pride in its relay teams.

LT relays have won 53 state medals since 1975 and the Lions have medaled in all three relays nine times since 1995.

They did it for the third straight year Saturday at Evanston. Despite not qualifying any individuals to the finals, the Lions left with smiles on their faces thanks to the relay success.

"I'm ecstatic. It's so exciting," said junior Jennifer Weigand, who swam on all three squads, including two anchor legs. "In past years we've always been good with relays. We've always gotten some relays in and I think that's really good. I love it."

The 200-yard freestyle relay team of sophomores Kristine Rosenberger, Louisa Hoffman and Katie Foran and Weigand had the highest LT finish, winning the consolation heat to capture seventh place with a time of 1:37.86.

The Lions were ninth in the 200 medley relay as seniors GiGi Groya and Madeleine Moeller, Rosenberger and Weigand timed 1:48.57 and the 400 free quartet of Foran, Weigand, Groya and Elly Vitek equaled that finish, hitting the wall in 3:33.43.

"I like being part of the [relay] team," Weigand said. "Individual [races] are kind of based on you [competing] for the team. The relays you have other people to rely on so I just think that's great. I thought we did awesome."

So did Groya, who was an individual medalist last year in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard freestyle but failed to advance out of Friday's prelims in either event.

"I'm a big relay swimmer," said Groya, who will swim for Iowa next year. "It's what I get most psyched up for."

Groya, whose training was hampered by an illness this summer, came up just short in her individual races Friday, taking 14th in the 100 backstroke (58.90) and 17th in the 100 free (53.24), missing the finals cut by .28 in the former and .93 in the latter. But she was still happy with ending her prep career with seven state medals, five of which came in relays.

"It was pretty cool," Groya said. "We all worked really hard to get here and I think it paid off. I'm proud of us. It's my senior year and I'm done. It's a sad feeling, but I know we have a strong team coming back."

Indeed, the Lions lose just four competitors to graduation – Groya, Moeller, Emma Meyering and Weigand's sister Hillary – from a squad that finished 15th in the team standings with 26 points.

Meyering was 16th in the diving with 246.65 points, missing the finals by 9.25 points. Hillary Weigand took 20th in the 500 free (5:06.7) and 28th in the 200 free (1:55.60), while Jennifer Weigand placed 28th in the 500 free (5:08.27). Vitek rated 21st in the 100 free (53.71) and 31st in 200 free (1:56.42) and Rosenberger wound up 28th in the 500 free (25.02.)