Iowa Girls HS State: Scarlet Martin 3-Peats 100 Fly, Ames’ Donald Wins 4 Events

2021 IOWA HS (IGHSAU) GIRLS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Friday, November 12th – Saturday, November 13th
• Marshalltown YMCA – Marshalltown, IA
• Live Results (Also on Meet Mobile, search ‘IGHSAU’)
• Short Course Yards (SCY)

The 2021 Girls Iowa Swimming State Finals ended in dramatic fashion as there was a new team champion crowned. The Waukee Warriors won their first team state title in school history on Saturday, amassing 357 points, over 100 more than the runners-up Ames, the defending team champions. Ames hasn’t placed lower than 2nd place in the state meet since 2010.

Waukee’s state title run was led by junior Jessi Wigham who amassed 40 individual points for the Warriors. Wigham won the 200 free (1:50.12), 500 free (4:56.64) individually and served critical legs on Waukee’s freestyle relays. She was the runner-up at last year’s state meet in both events.

The 500 free/200 free relay double is always tough for a swimmer, but Wigham was still able to split a 23.36 at the end of Waukee’s relay that finished in 2nd place. However, the 500 may have taken too much out of her, as she couldn’t hold off Ames’ Donald who anchored their state-winning relay in 22.61.

After some rest, Wigham anchored Waukee’s 400 free relay, where she was able to hold off a charging Scarlet Martin, who had the fastest split in the field by far (49.66). Wigham leaves the 2021 state meet with three state titles and a team championship.

Wigham has not yet announced a college commitment.

In addition to Wigham’s clutch performances, Waukee picked up an additional four 2nd-place finishes and five 3rd-place finishes from individuals and relays, which highlights Waukee’s depth this season. Nearly every swimmer on the Warrior’s roster helped score points for the team.

Ames had a great run for 2nd place, winning two relays and two individual events. Ames was led by their star senior, Meghan Donald, who also earned 40 individual points after repeating as state champion in the 50 (23.17) and 100 (50.49) freestyle events. Of note, Donald was significantly faster in prelims, swimming 22.60 and 49.97, nearly breaking Maddie Gehrke‘s state record of 22.51 from 2014.

Donald also swam pivotal legs on Ames’s state-winning sprint relays, anchoring the medley in 22.27 and the free relay in 22.61. Donald, who’s committed to NC State, ends her Iowa HS swim career with 8 state titles spanning 4 individual and 4 relay championships.

Iowa City West senior Scarlet Martin successfully repeated as state champion for a third time in the 100 fly, winning the event in 53.44 seconds, over two seconds faster than Ames senior Mikayla Kloth. Martin also placed 2nd in the 100 back (54.92), and was part of West’s 3rd place 200 free relay (22.96) and 2nd place 400 free relay (49.66).

Martin is a seven-time Iowa HS state champion, winning both the 200 IM and 100 fly in 2019, the 100 fly, 100 back, and two relays in 2020, and the 100 fly in 2021. Martin currently holds state records in the 100 fly (53.01), 100 back (54.17) and the 400 free relay (3:23.73).

Other Event Champions:

• Junior Olivia Swalley won the 200 IM in 2:01.85, nearly 3.5 seconds over Hayley Kimmel. That marks Swalley’s second-straight title in the event. Martin was the 2019 champion, but has opted for the 100 back in each of the last two seasons instead.
• Grace Frericks (54.67) out-touched defending state champion Scarlet Martin (54.92) in the 100 back. Both girls had the exact same back-end split (28.19), but Frericks was able to get out in front with her early speed, as she out-split Martin 26.48 to 26.73.
• Olivia Swalley successfully defended her 100 breast state title (1:02.98), which marked her as the only swimmer under 1:03 in the event.
• Junior diver Avery Hogan of Waterloo East won the state title in the 1 meter event after placing 10th in 2020.

TEAM RESULTS – 2021 Iowa (IGHSAU) Girls State Championships (Top 5)