Home / Sports

MUSCATINE, Iowa – Despite Bettendorf missing several of its marquee swimmers, Muscatine stayed within arm’s reach of the Bulldogs for the first half of Tuesday’s dual.

However, Bettendorf dominated the second half of the Mississippi Athletic Conference meet at the Carver Swim Center, winning the final five events to claim a 104-81 victory.

“I could tell we were tired,” MHS coach Judd Anderson said. “The last half of the meet we weren’t nearly as successful and not swimming the times we were at the beginning.”

Still, Anderson was pleased with the performance of his squad. Muscatine collected a win in the 200 freestyle relay after Bettendorf’s top team was disqualified for having one of its swimmers leave early on an exchange.

Then, junior Hannah Eichelberger and sophomore Arianna Calderon went 1-2 in the 100 freestyle.

“We did well today,” Anderson said. “When the score is close, adrenaline is a factor. Plus, it’s our own pool and we’re comfortable swimming here.”

In the past eight days, the Muskies have competed against two of the MAC’s elite programs – Pleasant Valley and Bettendorf – along with Iowa City West.

“We’ve definitely gotten better by facing some of the more difficult teams early,” Eichelberger said. “That’s going to help us a lot later in the year for districts and state.”

Muscatine was without Sarah Martin, its top diver, and Avery Morgan on Tuesday. Both were sidelined with illness.

After the Muskies went 1-2 in the 100 freestyle, Bettendorf seized control of the dual by taking the top three spots in the 500 freestyle and going 1-2 in the 100 backstroke. The Bulldogs have won four consecutive MAC titles and 17 of the last 19.

“(Bettendorf coach Mike Ahrens) has a good group,” Anderson said. “It’s one of those programs you want to try and emulate and enjoy competing against because you know they’re going to be good.”

Bettendorf’s Margaret Barber and Molly Coonce each won two individual events.

In fact, Coonce – who just joined the Bulldogs this season – won the 50 freestyle in 24.62 and claimed the 100 butterfly in 58.21 – more than 11 seconds faster than the second-place finisher.

“By and large, I was pleased with how the kids competed,” Anderson said. “They have a couple racehorses, especially with the Coonce girl.”

Eichelberger posted a 58.52 in the 100 free to outlast Calderon (1:00.69).

“It’s not as good of a time as I would like, but I know it’s definitely going to get better over the course of the year,” Eichelberger said. “It’s a good place to start, and it always feels good to win.”

 Jennifer Littlejohn, a member of the winning 200 medley relay, was second in the 100 breaststroke to Bettendorf’s Amanda Miller.

The Muskies are off until hosting Davenport Central in a dual next Tuesday. Anderson said it’s critical for his team to start increasing its level of workouts.

“We’d like to pick up the pace a little bit in our training,” he said. “We have a lot of sore shoulders and a lot of people that are hurt, but we need to start picking up our intensity and push through some of those barriers.”

BETTENDORF 104, MUSCATINE 81

200 Medley Relay – 1. Muscatine (Haley Bartelt, Jennifer Littlejohn, Hannah Eichelberger, Laura Ewalt) 2:01.34; 2. Muscatine (Laura Wood, Megan Busch, Natalie Sturms, Taylor Woods) 2:05.84; 3. Bettendorf 2:22.85.

200 Freestyle – 1. Margaret Barber (Bett.) 1:59.32; 2. Arianna Calderon (MHS) 2:08.07; 3. Brooke Wehrle (Bett.) 2:13.49; 4. Vincenza Manjoine (MHS) 2:26.80.

200 Individual Medley – 1. Kylie Hershberger (Bett.) 2:18.71; 2. Sarah Thompson (Bett.) 2:24.86; 3. Littlejohn (MHS) 2:28.04; 4. Bartelt (MHS) 2:30.66; 5. Wood (MHS) 2:32.59.

50 Freestyle – 1. Molly Coonce (Bett.) 24.62; 2. Rebecca Alves (Bett.) 26.14; 3. H. Eichelberger (MHS) 26.50; 4. Ewalt (MHS) 27.14; 5. Busch (MHS) 28.15.

1 Meter Diving – 1. Elizabeth Fry (Bett.) 176.60; 2. Roni Goodale (Bett.) 146.00; 3. Jonnee Sulzberger (MHS) 130.65; 3. Ali Failor (MHS) 130.65; 5. Sky Wolfe (MHS) 111.80.

100 Butterfly – 1. Coonce (Bett.) 58.21; 2. Sturms (MHS) 1:09.52; 3. Meredith Baird (MHS) 1:13.57.

100 Freestyle – 1. H. Eichelberger (MHS) 58.52; 2. A. Calderon (MHS) 1:00.69; 3. Amanda Miller (Bett.) 1:00.94; 5. Ewalt (MHS) 1:02.41.

500 Freestyle – 1. Barber (Bett.) 5:22.84; 2. Hershberger (Bett.) 5:28.90; 3. Wehrle (Bett.) 5:56.32; 4. Erica Henderson (MHS) 6:26.01.

200 Freestyle Relay – 1. Bettendorf (Stahle, Hershberger, Alves, Barber) 1:46.41; 2. Muscatine (A. Calderon, Littlejohn, Ewalt, H. Eichelberger) 1:48.14; 3. Muscatine (Busch, Manjoine, Baird, Woods) 1:57.29.

100 Backstroke – 1. Thompson (Bett.) 1:05.20; 2. Alves (Bett.) 1:06.12; 3. Bartelt (MHS) 1:09.83; 4. Wood (MHS) 1:10.35; 5. Sturms (MHS) 1:12.70.

100 Breaststroke – 1. Miller (Bett.) 1:12.93; 2. Littlejohn (MHS) 1:14.45; 3. Busch (MHS) 1:21.17; 4. Henderson (MHS) 1:23.48.

400 Freestyle Relay – 1. Bettendorf (Coonce, Hershberger, Thompson, Barber) 3:52.29; 2. Muscatine (A. Calderon, Bartelt, Wood, Sturms) 4:12.84; 3. Bettendorf 4:16.34; 4. Muscatine (Baird, Manjoine, Woods, Kelly Van Acker) 4:33.92.

Muscatine JV 80, Bettendorf JV 70

Muscatine Results

200 Medley Relay – 1. Muscatine (Meredith Baird, Lauren Weber, Melodie Bou, Erica Henderson 2:20.97); 2. Muscatine (Dawn Eichelberger, Kathleen Pusateri, Tori Chick, J. Harder) 2:34.21.

200 Freestyle – 2. Danielle Chitty 2:44.61; 3. Janessa Calderon 2:58.37; 6. Sabrina Vitale 3:22.27.

200 Individual Medley – 1. Pusateri 2:52.00; 2. Kelly Van Acker 2:58.38.

50 Freestyle – 2. Weber 30.88; 3. Bou 31.95; 5. Chick 34.33.

1 Meter Diving – 2. Cahleen Stineman 110.65.

100 Freestyle – 2. Taylor Woods 1:07.97; 3. Van Acker 1:09.48; 5. Danielle Chitty 1:16.05.

500 Freestyle – No MHS participants.

200 Freestyle Relay – 1. Muscatine (D. Chitty, Pusateri, Bou, Van Acker) 2:08.32; 3. Muscatine (Chick, J. Cartagena, Harder, J. Calderon) 2:22.48.

100 Backstroke – 1. D. Eichelberger 1:27.46.

100 Breaststroke – 1. Pusateri 1:27.92; 2. Weber 1:31.53.

400 Freestyle Relay – 2. Muscatine (Bou, D. Chitty, Chick, Cartagena) 5:02.07; 4. Muscatine (D. Eichelberger, J. Calderon, Vitale, Weber) 5:25.61.