Swordfish ready for state championships

The Tosa Swordfish, Wauwatosa Recreation Department's competitive swim team, will be sending three individuals and three relay teams to compete in the State Championship Swim meets over the next two weekends.

The 12-and-Under State Meet will be held Friday-Sunday at the Waukesha South Natatorium. The 13-and-Over State Meet will be held March 1-4 at the Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer.

To qualify for the state meet, an individual must swim faster than a specific time for each event within an age group during the season.

"The entire team swam extremely well this past weekend at regionals with each of the 21 athletes that competed earning a personal-best time," coach Jackie Jecha said. "But now the team will be focusing on state. Those that earned the trip have had a great season and deserve to be competing against the best."

Fourteen-year-old Jack Lutz earned tate cuts in the 50, 100, and 200-yard freestyle, the 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and the 200 individual medley. Eleven year-old Elizabeth Peura will be competing in the 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke and 11-year-old Ericha Stuberg will be competing in the 50 and 100 breaststroke as well as the 50 free.

Eleven-year-old Megan Krummel will team up with 12-year-old Emma Schmidt, Peura and Stuberg to compete in the 200 free relay and 400 medley relay. Krummel, Peura and Stuberg will add 12-year-old Madison Smrz to compete in the 200 medley relay.

The state meets culminate the fall/winter season that began in September. The Swordfish will have its annual banquet at Wauwatosa West at 6 p.m. March 8. This social affair celebrates the hard work of the past year and acknowledges swimmers with a variety of awards.

Registration is now open through the Wauwatosa Recreation Department.

For more information on the Tosa Swordfish, please contact Keith Kalberer at (414) 778-2381.