'Dedicate this to us': Madison Edgewood girls swim keeps it simple for silver medal

It was the pair’s goal since they returned to the pool in early August.

“Our motto this year was ‘Swim having fun. We don’t care what happens,’” McClure said.

That carefree attitude made for plenty of fun Friday night as the Crusaders rode their depth to a team runner-up finish at the WIAA Division 2 state meet at the Waukesha South Natatorium.

Edgewood scored 270 points to outlast reigning champion Rhinelander (251) for silver. Whitefish Bay scored 360 points to run away with its first team title after finishing runner-up the last two seasons.

“We came into it, not thinking about the place. We just thought of having fun, having good times and dedicating this to us, honestly,” Thompson said.

“We just left it all in the pool.”

It was fitting Thompson and McClure helped cap the Crusaders’ brief team hardware hiatus after Edgewood’s run of eight straight titles ended at the hands of the Hodags and Blue Dukes last fall.

McClure led off and Thompson swam the anchor leg of the Crusaders’ third-place 400-yard freestyle relay. Alongside sophomores Siobhan Ferris and Maggie Onopa, the quartet finished in 3 minutes, 38.25 seconds to lock up the second-place team finish.

“Sylvia’s our anchor, through and through. She can bring it home no matter what,” McClure said. “I just get the hype going and flowing, and I just try to get us in a good spot.”

Thompson added a pair of individual medals, finishing third in the 500 freestyle in 5:13.57. She also finished fourth in the 200 individual medley in 2:10.90, closely behind teammate Grace Charles (2:10.34), opting out of her typical 200 freestyle.

“I was just excited to change it up. I always miss the podium in the 200 free, so I was just excited to actually podium in both of my individuals,” Thompson said.

Jenna Koel added a fourth-place finish in the 50 freestyle (24.42), Charles was fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.68), and Olivia Walker scored 361.6 points to take sixth in the diving competition.

Along with the individual podium finishes, the Crusaders 200’ freestyle and 200 medley relays took second and third, respectively, as Edgewood failed to win a single event. Like the team’s approach to the entire season though, the Crusaders’ togetherness and depth carried them.

“I thought if we could hold our places, swim really well and potentially move up in some spots, we could get second,” coach Joey Jensen said.

“They made it about being together and having fun as a group and today it showed. They got that done, because they did it together and for one another, and that was really special to see.”