September strides: Mount Si swim team makes progress as fall weather arrives | Photos

The Mount Si girls swim team hosted a big Bellevue team last Thursday, Sept. 18, trailing the visitors on points. But the aquatic Wildcats continued to build their skills and some shaved time off their records despite the chilly September weather. “It’s a lot better than last year,” said senior Emma Gieseke, who had her best time of the season Thursday in the 100 backstroke, cutting 13 and a half seconds off her prior week’s time, good for fourth.

September 23, 2014 8:04 pm

“It’s a lot better than last year,” said senior Emma Gieseke, who had her best time of the season Thursday in the 100 backstroke, cutting 13 and a half seconds off her prior week’s time, good for fourth.

This fall sees a more experienced, tighter group. “We can put up more of a fight against other teams,” Gieseke said.

Competition in Mount Si’s outdoor pool, at the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, changes the game—at least on cool autumn days, like the day of the Bellevue meet.

“There’s definitely times (when) you tend to be faster in indoor pools, especially with weather like this,” Gieseke said. Swimmers just go faster when they’re warm and indoors.

Against Bellevue

In the 50 freestyle, junior Daniella Roca finished fourth with 31.42, cutting the better part of a second off her prior week’s time. Analise Brestin and Ashley Cole followed her in fifth and sixth. Next was Daisey Hartman, who saved about a half-second from her prior week’s time. Sophomore Mural Ross shaved more than 13 seconds off her 100-meter backstroke time, good for fourth.

Freshman Julia Crumb, competing in the 200 individual medley, took third with 2:42.52.

Ross was fourth in the 200 freestyle with 2:35.92. Gieseke chased her at fifth with 2:42.47. In the 100 freestyle, Crumb was fourth with 1:07.83. Roca was fifth, cutting a half second off her prior week’s time. In the 200-meter medley relay, Mount Si’s squad of Roca, Crumb, Brady and Cole were fourth with 2.27.7.

The 200-meter freestyle relay squad of junior Tess Davis, Hartman, sophomore Lauren McCallum and sophomore Annie Spellman were fourth with 2:37.41. Brady was fourth in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:29.17.

Sammamish meet

Against Sammamish on Sept. 11 at Phantom Lake, the women’s 200-meter medley relay team of Gieseke, Crumb, Brady and Roca clocked in at 2:19:01, good for second.

Crumb was first in the 100-meter breaststroke with 1:21.80.

In the girls’ 200 freestyle, Ross finished in 2:34.17, leading Gieseke with 2:1.95. Roca led Mount Si in the 50-meter freestyle with 32.24. Brady was first in the girls’ 100 fly with 1.17.08. Ross led the 100 freestyle with 1:13.02. Cole followed with 1:15.43. In the 500-meter freestyle, Crumb finished with 6:39.06. In the 200-meter freestyle relay, the relay of Hartman, Ashley Cole, Roca and Ross finished with 2:13.73, good for second.

• Mount Si hosts Issaquah at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25., at the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge pool.