Friday, January 28, 2000
Pandas hope to find extra kick in stretch
BY MARK SCHMETZER
Enquirer contributor
The Notre Dame Academy swim team has had all winter to wait for next week's Region 4 meet at Scott High School.
This is the time of year the defending regional champion Pandas find fifth gear. Having won 17 of the past 18 regional titles, Notre Dame will be trying to build momentum for the state meet Feb. 18-19 in Lexington.
Coach Karen Bresser is confident her team is primed for the postseason, though her optimism is based mainly on word-of-mouth. Like many high school swimmers, most of the Pandas work out with non-school teams.
“I think we're in good shape, but it's kind of hard to know because I only see them once a week,” she said.
Regionals won't be easy. The Pandas are ranked No.2 behind Beechwood in the Enquirer's coaches poll.
Though it graduated no one from a team that finished fifth in the state last year, Notre Dame is young: Emily Maier and Lauren Musk, who own the area's top two 500 freestyle times, are the only seniors.
Maier is second in the 200 freestyle and individual medley.
“She's toggling between events,” Bresser said. “She's not real sure what she wants to swim yet.”
Sophomore Nicole Culbertson and freshman Emily Oberjohn give Notre Dame two more of Northern Kentucky's top six times in the 200 IM, and Oberjohn is sixth in the 50 freestyle.
Bresser also will count on points from junior Lauren Counts. Counts is ranked fourth in the area in the 100 butterfly and third in the 100 backstroke.
“In the past, sprint freestyles have been our weaker events, because we didn't have the depth,” Bresser said. “This year, we have better all-around coverage.”
The Pandas also have the area's third-ranked diver in junior Kayla Hanser.
Bresser isn't sure Notre Dame can overcome Louisville Sacred Heart, the five-time defending state champ.
We expect them to dominate,” she said. “After that, I really don't know what's out there.”
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