MARYVILLE, Mo. — Maryville Sharks head coach Ainsley Watkins is quick to point out that the Sharks are a family and want to operate in that way, like many teams do.
The Sharks have an unique dynamic to most youth sports where from six years old to 18, brother or sister, siblings can compete for wins together for team wins. The Sharks picked one of those up on Wednesday with 826 team points while Clarinda had 191 and Hamburg had 78.
“I love the unique position that swim team offers where people get to swim as families,” Watkins said. “We are a team. We compete together as a big team.”
Ellie and Asher Peterson represent one of the sibling duos on this season’s team as Ellie is returning as a 10-year old and Asher is in his first season with the Sharks at 8-years old.
“It is really fun,” Asher said. “Getting to watch my sister and getting to race.”
The big sister, although she had her brother do this interview first because she pointed that he’s taller, has enjoyed helping her brother learn the ropes with the Sharks this season and find success.
“I love watching him swim,” Ellie said. “It is pretty funny because he is one of the older (ones in his division), but it is his first year. It is really fun because you get to see him do it. He’s pretty hilarious at dives. … This is my third year and this is his first year. He is doing pretty good for a first starter.”
Ellie has found her share of success this season as well as the fastest backstroke in her 9-10 age group among the boys and the girls. She took second on Wednesday behind Clarinda’ Ali Ann Fuxa.
“My favorite thing about swim team is getting to have fun with my friends in the water and swim fast,” Ellie said. “It is fun to be the older kids. … It’s pretty fun.”
She also likes the team aspect of the relays where she teamed with Izzy Silvers, Millie Stark and Hadlee Mayfield to win the medley relay. She was second with Stevie Behrens, Olivia Jennings and Leah Thrower in the freestyle relay behind their teammates Addison Cass, Silvers, Mayfield and Stark.
Asher says he has enjoyed his first season with the Sharks as well. He teamed with Hudson Scofield, Liam Strickland and Hatcher Hamilton to win the medley relay on Wednesday while the same group took second in the freestyle relay to teammates Svetozar Forest, Henry Cass, Brevin Prosser and Leo Rhodes.
“It’s been pretty fun … getting to do swim meets with my friends,” Asher said.
As a whole, the 8-and-under boys swept their events with Cass winning the backstroke, Forest winning the breaststroke and butterfly, and Rhodes winning the short freestyle and long freestyle.
For the 8-and-under girls, Cora Kramer continued her success by winning the breaststroke, butterfly, short freestyle and long freestyle. Lily Siemer made it a sweep by winning the backstroke, and the duo teamed with Sawyer Weiss and Gabby Silvers to win both relays.
“They are developing skills that we didn’t used to even talk about until 9-10, 11-12,” Watkins said. “They are doing flip turns, getting good dives. The 8-and-unders are extremely out-performing expectations every time.”
Aside from the relay success for the 9-10 girls, Izzy Silvers was able to win the breaststroke. For the boys, Samuel Green, Josiah Green, Drake Peterson and Camden Prosser won both relays while Drake Peterson won the backstroke, Samuel Green won the breaststroke, Josiah Green won the butterfly and long freestyle, and Henry Barber won the short freestyle.
“Our team is pushing each other to a point where they are all getting amazing,” Watkins said. “That is what it is all about.”
The 11-12 girls won both relays with Stella Siemer, Ava Peterson, Elara Chase, Daden Finndley and Isla Borey contributing. Findley won the backstroke and Chase won the long freestyle to add individual titles.
Maddox Wells, Wesley Scofield and Ryan Baker teamed up to win the 11-12 boys medley relay. Wells won the backstroke, breaststroke and long freestyle while Scofield won the short freestyle.
“I’m seeing them try out new skills,” Watkins said of the 11-12 group. “They are gaining confidence to try new events and push themselves a little harder.”
Cora Feick got her name on the record board for a second-straight week on Wednesday. After breaking the backstroke record last Saturday, she broke the 50-meter freestyle record — set in 2004 by Jenny Zweifel.
Feick also picked up wins in the backstroke, butterfly and long freestyle. She teamed with Malexa Aley, Rebecca Thrower and Audrey Lance to win the freestyle relay and with Sophia Peterson, Thrower and Aley to win the medley relay.
In the boys 13-14 division, Colton Prosser won the backstroke, butterfly, short freestyle and long freestyle.
“We have one of the biggest groups of 13-14s that we’ve ever had,” Watkins said. “That is usually the age where people start to cut off. They decide what they want to do with their time and it is not always swim team, so to see so many kids come back and choose swim team, that is so awesome.”
Lola Alvarez, Sofia Lynn, Claire Walter and Mariah Dirks swept the girls 15-and-up division. They won both relays, Dirks won the backstroke, butterfly, short freestyle and long freestyle while Walter won the breaststroke.
“They show up and they practice hard,” Watkins said.
For the boys, Bo Dirks and Colton Prosser swam up a division to join Cooper Lynn and Will Michaelsen to win both relays while Lynn won the short freestyle. Asher Brunnert swam the 200-meter freestyle and won that race.
Maryville’s home finale is Wednesday at home against Savannah.
