Making a big splash

Plenty of depth and a big day from senior Angie Mackie lifted Ely’s high school girls swimming and diving team to a convincing win over Chisholm.The Timberwolves splashed past the Bluestreaks 60-39 in their first dual meet of the season.Mackie had a hand in four first-place finishes, including a pair of individual wins and key spots on two victorious Ely relays.Four other Wolves - Laura Schulze, Ali Schulze, Beth Wilmunen and diver Candice Smrekar - added firsts.Ely also had a string of second and third-place showings, piling up the points and getting the 2004 season off to a strong start.“We had a great meet,” said Ely Head Coach Nancy Smrekar. “We got our first meet jitters out of the way and had some great times.”The all-senior relay of Mackie, Ali Schulze, Kelly Chaudoin and Wilmunen got the meet off to a positive start for the home team. They won the 160 medley in 1:37.58, sparking Ely to a 7-3 lead.A one-two finish by Laura Schulze (2:27:28) and Amber Adams (2:32.93) in the 200 freestyle added to the lead, and the Wolves were on their way.Mackie, one of Ely’s top swimmers a year ago, won the 60 freestyle in 22.18 seconds and later captured the 100 freestyle in 1:00.35.She combined with Meghan Furnstahl, Betsy Guck and Chaudoin to form the winning 400 freestyle relay combination (4:15.34).Wilmunen started the season with an individual victory, cruising in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:18.16. Her next-closest competitor - teammate Emily Weisinger - was eight seconds behind.In diving, 2003 state meet competitor Candice Smrekar picked up where she left off, recording 187.9 points to take first.Ali Schulze raced to a time of 1:17.20 to take the 100 breaststroke.Adams had a pair of second-place finishes for the Wolves, and in all Ely had seven individual and two relay runner-up performances.“We have a lot of depth,” said Nancy Smrekar. “We’ve been trying to flip some things around and get everybody in.”Other point-getters for Ely were:• 160 medley relay - 3. Weisinger, Maren Gotchnik, Michelle Houle, Katie Berg, 1:48.66;• 160 individual medley - 2. Ali Schulze, 1:58.06; 3. Guck, 2:12.27;• 60 freestyle - 3. Furnstahl, 39.82;• 100 butterfly - 2. Chaudoin, 1:13.63; 3. Guck, 1:19.35;• 100 freestyle - 2. Furnstahl, 1:03.40;• 500 freestyle - 2. Adams, 6:37.40; 3. Audrey Kothe, 6:37.40;• 160 freestyle relay - 2. Wilmunen, Laura Schulze, Adams, Furnstahl, 1:27.89; 3. Weisinger, Gotchnik, Houle, Berg, 1:33.21;• 100 breaststroke - 2. Gotchnik, 1:22.85;• 400 freestyle relay - 2. Adams, Laura Schulze, Kothe, Houle, 4:40.45.Chisholm was led by Julia Kruchoski, who won both the 160 individual medley and 100 butterfly, and was part of the Bluestreaks’ winning 160 freestyle relay.Chisholm’s Gina Pogue won the 500 freestyle.The Wolves return to the water Tuesday at Babbitt, when they meet Babbitt-Embarrass-Soudan-Tower.