Lapping the Competition
The girls swimming team won GACs for the fourth year in a row
Marjori Russo (12), Caroline Myers (10), Anna Decker (10) and Hallie Anderson (11) pose after earning first place in the 200 medley relay.
February 9, 2019
The Eagles’ girls swim team fought hard on Feb. 4 and Feb. 6 in their GAC tournament in order to be where they are now: Four time consecutive GAC champions.
First year Coach Danielle Althage was determined to keep the streak alive.
“I knew coming in that the girls’ team had won GACS the previous three years so I was very excited to work with them. Of course I felt a little pressure to make sure the season ran smoothly,” Coach Althage said.
With a score of 440 points, Liberty secured the win over Fort Zumwalt North. Seeing as the scores were close throughout the entire competition, the girls were ecstatic to hear the final results.
“It was an incredible feeling when we heard our name for first,” Althage recalled. “The girls screamed, cheered, and some cried. FZN has a very strong team, but we came through at the end with a very strong backstroke and breaststroke team scoring 108 points in just two events.”
With state being less than a week away, Feb. 15, Coach Althage plans on keeping up their hard work at practice and can’t wait to see how the girls who qualified do. Those who are in state consideration are Marjori Russo, Caroline Myers, Aubrey McCain, Hallie Anderson, Anna Decker, Livi Guffey, Maggie Merz and Dessa Outman.
Russo was a tremendous asset to the team with both her leadership and skills in the water. She placed second in the 50 free, first in two relays, and second in a close third relay.
Russo and fellow senior Lanni Guffey won their fourth GAC championship and could not be any more excited.
“They are feeling on top of the world, as it is such a huge accomplishment and honor to be apart of,” Althage said of their great achievement.
The Liberty Eagles’ swim team have further proved themselves are a threat to look out for at state.
