Ringwald, Dickson pace Cape Central to SEMO title
The Cape Central High School girl’s swim team is in its second year without an ideal training regiment, but that wasn’t evident on Tuesday, as the Tigers rolled through the SEMO Conference Swimming and Diving Meet at the Southeast Missouri State Student Recreation Center en route to a team title.
“We’re pretty loaded with speed and talent,” Cape Central swim coach Dayna Powell said following the win.
The Tigers got four conference record-breaking swims from junior Sydney Ringwald, who earned the Most Valuable Swimmer Award, and Powell’s kids won nine of the 12 events, as they totaled 559 points to easily get past Poplar Bluff (417), Jackson (317), Notre Dame (261), Farmington (176), and Saxony Lutheran (39).
Ringwald was part of a family trio of sisters Addison (a senior) and Kennedy (a freshman), each of whom claimed titles.
Sydney teamed with Kennedy, Emilie Dickson, and Isabella Pattengill to win the 200 free relay in a record time of 1:40.76, before joining her two sisters and Marianne Dean to win the 400 free relay in a record time of 3:44.91.
Individually, Sydney won the two sprint events, the 50 (24.25) and 100 free (52.56), both in record times.
Sydney’s performance was impressive due to the fact that the Cape Central normal facility to train, Central Municipal Pool, is under construction for the second consecutive season. That has forced the Tigers to have limited time at the SEMO facility.
“Definitely earlier in the season, I was having some rough bumps,” Sydney said of her training. “It was definitely hard at the start, and it always is for every season.”
Ringwald not only trains with the Cape Central squad but also with her club team, River City Aquatics, which enabled her to get in a decent amount of yardage each day.
“As the season has gone on,” Sydney continued, “it is something that has gotten better. My stroke feels so good now.”
Cape also got a championship out of the foursome of Addison Ringwald (back), Dean (breast), Dickson (fly), and Pattengill (free) in the 200 medley relay (1:53.58).
Kennedy Ringwald won the 200 free (2:01.14) while Tiger senior Tommy-Anne Marriott claimed the conference diving title590.10.
Dickson also won four events, with two individual titles going with her relay wins. The senior took the 100 fly (58.55) and 100 breast (1:09.74) events.
“I feel really good about (this meet),” Dickson said. “I definitely think that this meet was one of my better meets this season.”
Jackson claimed the remaining three events, as junior Ava Walters won the 200 IM (2:14.69) and 100 back (58.91) races, the latter being in a record time.
“This year,” Indian swim coach Cailin Rayburn said, “we have a freshman (Lynlee LaValle), who has accompanied (Walters) in training. Those two training together have been excellent. I don’t think that they saw that coming into this season, but they have really pushed each other.”
LaValle had a very strong finish in winning the 500 free, as she tore past the rest of the field over the final 200 yards and won in a time of 5:26.51.
Jackson will compete in the MSHSAA Class 2 State Swim Finals on Feb. 16 and 17 at the St. Peters Rec-Plex while the remaining area teams will compete in the Class 1 Finals on Feb. 15 and 16 at St. Peters.