Photo submitted by the NCMP Coaching Staff

Pella swimmers competing with the NCMP team in Newton have qualified for this Saturday’s state meet after racing in the regional competition this past weekend. Kenzie Van Maanen, Maylei Ruggles, and Hannah Nedder are the 15th seed in the girls’ 200 yard medley relay, joined by teammate Lillie Ray. Nedder and Ruggles were also members of the qualifying 200 yard freestyle relay. Nedder also qualified as an individual automatically in the 100 yard butterfly and the 400 yard freestyle relay. Nedder and Ruggles both say there was a lot of pressure competing in the district meet, especially in the relays.

“The district meet, I know for me and a lot of swimmers, is the most stressful just because for relays, you have one chance to make it to state,” Nedder says. “You could be swimming well all season and make one mistake in the district meet and not make it, but we swam really well and prepared for a couple of weeks leading up to district.”

“It really just comes down to that last tenth of a second,” Ruggles says. “That last tenth can make the big difference of, ‘oh, I’m the 32nd second position to go to state,’ or ‘I touched .01 seconds after the last relay and we’re not going to state’…it was really nerve wracking.”

The state swimming finals will be held this Saturday, starting at noon in Marshalltown, following preliminary races Friday. Hear more from Nedder and Ruggles on the Radio Sports Page on 92.1 KRLS, beginning at 6 p.m. today.