Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

West High

Coach: Byron Butler (6^th season)

Assistant coaches: Aidan Keen, Andrew Bloom, Lori Meierbachtol.

Last season: Fourth at the state meet with 184.5 points

Returning letterwinners: Aurora Roghair, Sr.,; Scarlet Martin, Jr.; Jade Roghair, Soph.; Ella Hochstetler, Jr.; Jenny Geng, Sr.; Olivia Taeger, Jr.; Lauren Trent, Jr.; Samantha Klein, Jr.

Newcomers to watch: Kolby Reese, Fr.; Carlee Wilkins, Fr.,

Headliner: Senior Stanford recruit Aurora Roghair is already one of the top swimmers in the state and will look to put an exclamation point on what has already been a stellar prep career.

A two-time Mississippi Valley Conference athlete of the year, Roghair won state titles in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle last season and was a member of two West High relay teams that finished in the top three at state.

Roghair already owns five MVC records including individual conference records in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle.

Keep an eye on: In just two prep seasons Scarlet Martin has carved out a reputation as one of the state’s best swimmers. Martin won her first two state titles last season and will look to add to her state medal haul this fall.

Martin won the 200 IM (2:02.56) and added another title in the 100 butterfly setting a state-record with a time of 53.41.

Circle the date: October 6 at Linn-Mar. For a team with elite individual talent that should contend for team hardware at the state meet a regular season dual seems like an odd event to look forward to. Certainly there are bigger postseason dates ahead but the seniors on the West High roster have never lost a regular season dual and if that streak stands throughout the year a meeting with the Lions would be all the stands in the way of an unbeaten MVC career.

Breakdown: After posting its best state finish since 2005 last season West High returns a roster loaded with talent and looking for more in 2020.

Roghair and Martin give West High top-end talent that compares with any program in the state but the Women of Troy also have depth with six others returning that competed at state last season.

Ella Hochstetler, Jade Roghair, Jenny Geng, Olivia Taeger, Lauren Trent and Samantha Klein were all state qualifiers last season.

Klein was eighth in the diving competition a year ago as a sophomore. Veteran head coach Byron Butler also expects immediate contribution from a pair of talented freshman in Kolby Reese and Carlee Wilkins.

City High

Coach: Zane Hugo (7^th season)

Assistant coaches: Nikol Lagodzinska, Lori Meierbachtol

Last season: Eighth at the state meet with 114 points

Returning letterwinners: Rika Yahashiri, Sr.

Newcomers to watch: Heidi Stalkfleet, Jr.

Headliner: Senior Rika Yahashiri is already among the most accomplished swimmers in City High history, ranking in the top 10 all time at City High in three events.

Yahashiri was a four-event state qualifier last season placing 16^th in the 100 freestyle and helping two City High relay teams to top-10 finishes.

She was a member of the City High 200 freestyle relay team that placed seventh and part of the Little Hawks’ 200 medley team that placed fourth at state.

Keep an eye on: Junior Heidi Stalkfleet joins the City High program for the first time after swimming for the Iowa Flyers club during her first two prep seasons. Stalkfleet is the real deal. Described by Hugo as “an accomplished club swimming athlete”, Stalkfleet excels in the long distance races as a club swimmer but already boasts 200 and 500 freestyle teams that will put her squarely in state medal contention.

Circle the date: September 19 vs. West High. The Little Hawks were originally slated to host their annual home invite on this date but that was replaced with the annual cross-town showdown with state title contender West High.

Breakdown: City High returns some talented swimmers from last year’s team that posted a top-10 state finish and adds an impact swimmer in Stalkfleet who is capable of competing for big-time state hardware immediately.

Seniors Julianne Berry-Stoelzle, Jesse Hausknecht-Brown and junior Grace Campion all competed at state last year along with Yahashiri as the Little Hawks compiled 114 points at the state meet.

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