Swimming

Freshman Lead Westminster Christian to First State Title at MSHSAA Class 1 Championships

March 1, 2023

2023 Missouri State High School Activities Association Swimming and Diving State Championships

February 17-19, 2023
St Peters Rec-Plex, St. Peters, Missouri
Short Course Yards (25 Yards)
Full Meer Results (PDF)
Results on MeetMobile: “2023 MSHSAA Girls State – Class 1”

After finishing in 12th a year ago, Westminster Christian emerged from the 2023 MSHSAA Class 1 Swimming and Diving Championships as Missouri’s top small school girls’ team. In winning, Westminster Christian passed the defending state champion Parkway West, who finished in second. Parkway West has been one of Class 1’s top teams in recent years, winning two of the last three state titles.

Westminster Christian was led to its title by a freshman, with Sydney Schoeck claiming two individual gold medals at her first high school state meet. She opened her meet in the 200 IM, winning with a time of 2:02.72. That time was slightly off of her finish from prelims when she set a new Class 1 state record in a time of 2:01.61. While that time is the fastest in state meet history, it’s still far from her lifetime best from earlier this year. In January, Schoeck nearly dipped below 2:00, touching in 2:00.08. Schoeck added a second state title later in the meet, winning the 100 back in 55.06. She nearly set a second state record during prelims of the backstroke as well, finishing just tenths away in 54.60.

While this was Schoeck’s first high school state meet, she has already picked up numerous wins at other high-level competitions throughout her career. Last spring, she was a three-event winner at the 2022 NCSA Championships in Orlando, Florida. She also ranks highly in all-time age group ranks, as she holds the third fastest 500 free for 13-14-year-olds all time.

Joining Schoeck in winning a state title was another Westminster Christian freshman, Hannah Renaud. In a close race between Renaud and 2021 state champion Norah Rutkowski, Renaud came out ahead with a time of 56.82. Rutkowski was just behind in 56.92. Renaud also finished as the runner-up in the 500 free, losing to the now two time defending champion Lindsey Hervey. Hervey was the only swimmer under 5:00 in the event, winning in 4:59.87.

Schoeck wasn’t the only swimmer to post a Class 1 record on the weekend as Savannah senior Makenzie Kurre also swam to a new record in the 100 free. After cruising into finals as the third seed, Kurre touched in 51.28 for the new small school state record. That swim also marks a huge lifetime best for the senior, who coming into the weekend had only finished under 52.0 once. Kurre was also a two-event winner, claiming gold in the 200 free in 1:52.42. She has now claimed the state title in both events two years in a row. Kurre is committed to Missouri State for this fall.

Central (Cape Girardeau) narrowly missed setting the state record in the 200 free relay, finishing just tenths off. The team of Emilie Dickson, Bella Pattengill, Addison Ringwalk, and Sydney Ringwald combined for a time of 1:38.52. The quartet would later combine to set the Class 1 record in the 400 free relay, winning in 3:33.95. All four members of the relay are set to return next season, giving them a chance to set the 200 free relay record as well as further lower their record in the 400 free relay.

Another Class 1 relay record fell earlier in the meet, as Villa Duchesne set the record in the 200 medley relay. The squad of Madelyn Schoedel, Charlotte Brown, Grace Kraeger, and Katherine Roderick combined to dip below the old record, finishing in 1:48.62 for the win.

After finishing as the runner-up a year ago, Carl Junction junior Chloe Miller returned as a junior to claim the first state title of her career. Miller finished in 23.60, not far off of the state record of 23.19 set in 2018.

Joining Miller in winning her first state title as a junior was Tommy-Anne Marriot on the 1-meter board. Marriot scored 412.85 to win the event by over 100 points.

The 100 breast went to Mary Bezzant, a junior at Ladue Horton Watkins. Bezzant finished in 1:03.96.