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A GRAND FINALE

MARSHALLTOWN – The Fort Dodge swim team would like nothing more than to end the year with one more record-breaking performance.

Members of this year’s squad have set nine different school records, won the Gary Winkler Invitational for the first time, defeated West Des Moines Valley, and tied the school mark for most qualified state events.

Now comes the biggest stage of all.

“We knew we had a strong team coming into the season,” said second-year FDSH head coach Ashley Koons. “We’re accomplishing unprecedented things, and we want to continue to do that.

“This was their goal all season (to qualify this many events) for state. They’ve shown they can do it, and have been confident all year long.”

The Dodgers will be at the Marshalltown Community YMCA for Saturday’s state meet. Action begins at noon.

The Dodgers have qualified 19 events for state in the last two years combined. In the previous six seasons, they advanced only seven total – including none from 2009-13.

“We’re really relaxed,” Koons said. “But at the same time, they’re very confident and ready to compete.”

Fort Dodge is riding momentum after snapping a 26-year old school record in the 200 medley relay at regionals, breaking five school records, and qualifying the most events for state in program history.

Junior Kate Keith, senior Lehr Thorson, freshman Luanne Xiao and senior Gretta Leigh crossed the tape in 1:50.23 for the 200 medley relay, topping the long-standing record. Thorson’s mother, Julie, was on that relay.

This Dodger quartet enters with the 10th-best time in the field.

The 200 freestyle relay team of Leigh, Thorson, junior Adyson McKinney and junior Taylor Hartley (1:41.91) – also a school record group – is seeded 22nd in the event.

The FDSH 400 freestyle foursome of Keith, Hartley, freshman Madigan Peimann and Thorson had a qualifying time of 3:41.86, which places them 18th.

Thorson, who is competing in her third straight state meet alongside fellow senior Leigh, enters as one of the favorites in the 100 breaststroke. She enters with a school-record time of 1:05.35 in the event, which she set at regionals.

Thorson’s time is third-best in the event, behind only Newton’s Lindsey Bloomers (1:04.61) and Linn-Mar’s Kelsey Drake (1:04.69).

“I really hope she reaches the podium,” Koons said of Thorson. “That would be a great finish for her.”

Leigh will also be busy on Saturday, with two relays and two individual events on the docket. The Dodger qualified with the 21st-best time in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.03), and the 22nd-fastest mark in the 50 freestyle (24.86). Leigh holds the school record in the 50.

“Lehr and Gretta are our two captains; we can always count on them,” Koons said. “They’re inspirations to the younger girls.”

Hartley, who is also making her third straight state journey, will be in two individual events and a pair of relays. The Dodger standout has also advanced in the 500 freestyle and the 200 freestyle. Her time of 5:14.90 in the 500 seeds her 12th, and the 1:57.10 in the 200 is No. 17.

Hartley owns the school record in the 500 with her regional time, as well as the FDSH high-water mark in the 200 (1:56.24).

Keith, also a four-event qualifier, will swim twice by herself. She moved on with the seventh-best 100 backstroke time (58.50), and the 18th quickest 100 freestyle time (54.45). Keith is also in her third state meet.

Xiao, another 200 medley relay member, will race in the 100 backstroke. She enters with a time of 59.34, which was the ninth-best regional time.

“I’m excited to see what happens,” Koons said. “A lot of these girls have a chance to place high.

“It would be exciting to see them finish with their best day yet.”

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