After another successful season, the Fenton High varsity girls swim team played well, thanks to extensive practice and continued efforts. Making it to states for the twenty-second year in a row during Nov. 21-22 at Eastern Michigan University, key players and a persistent coach helped lead the way. 

At the States competition, senior Josie Fries finished the girls 200 yard medley relay with a time of 28:58. In the 200-yard freestyle, Junior Katie Dunfield finished with a time of 1:51.06, putting her in third place with sixteen points. Freshman Madeline Schrader also participated in the girls 200 yard freestyle and finished with a time of 2:03.65, finishing in thirty-first place. Senior Layne Barz finished with a time of 2:05.65 for thirty-fifth place. Fries finished with a time of 2:22.28 in the girls 300 IM, good for twenty-seventh. 

In diving, junior Jessie Livingston finished with a finals score of 324.25, earning two points and finishing in fifteenth place. Overall, Fenton finished in fourteenth place out of 29 schools, finishing with 53 points.  

One of the reasons behind the swim team’s success was their strong work ethic and the time they invested outside of the pool, including their qualification for States. 

“It wasn’t really something that was a big deal making it, but it felt like a big deal being there because you have pressure of performing for your team,” Junior Kathryn Dunfield said. “I did freestyle the whole year.” 

The team atmosphere also played a role in their qualification for States. 

“The team bonding experiences. It was a good time to get to know everyone better. We were always texting each other,” Dunfield added. “We go to dinners, have pasta parties, and pumpkin carving parties. We were always with each other and just never got tired of each other.” 

The team, led by coach Brad Jones, was able to reach its goal of making it to states thanks to productive teamwork and a high work ethic. 

“We go four mornings a week, two of which are in the weight room and two of which are in the pool,” Jones said. “We were undefeated again in the Metro’s, twenty-second straight Metro title; they placed fourteenth in the state meet.” 

Thanks to experienced players and another successful season, the Fenton girls swim team is poised for more high-achieving seasons to come. Multiple seasons of high-achieving results have proven that the team can accomplish a lot.