The Columbia Hurricanes stormed past their longtime rivals recently to capture their first Kaskaskia Conference Meet championship since 2019.

 The Waterloo Piranhas finished as regular season champions in the conference, but it was the Hurricanes’ day at Columbia Bath & Tennis Club on July 22. 

In the end, the Hurricanes placed first with a team score of 1,995, ahead of Waterloo’s 1,859.

The Hurricanes went 4-2 in the regular season meets, and split two scrimmage meets.

“Being an only second year head coach and winning the conference meet, I was so proud of my entire team,” Hurricanes head coach Maggie Laux said. “Going into this meet, I was so nervous because deep down I really wanted this win – not just for myself, but for my team.” 

Following the first few events of the conference meet, Columbia was in second place, but not by much. 

“I knew we could catch up in the next few events and our swimmers hearing the score, too, made them even more competitive,” Laux said. “They were absolutely crushing their events.”

By the next time the scores were announced, Columbia had taken the lead over Waterloo. 

“The swimmers kept up the great swimming, and it paid off,” Laux said. 

During the free relays, Columbia won five of the 10 events. 

“My team gathered around together and listened to all the awards,” Laux said. “When it came time to announce the winners of this meet, I grabbed the hands of my assistant coaches Grace Galeski and Alex Blum and waited for our team’s name. Then when the announcer said that we had won, I felt a wave of joy and a wave of water that my swimmers decided to pour on me.”

Laux presented the trophy to her swimmers for a job well done.

“This was their award. This was their win and I am so proud of every single one of them this season.” 

For the season, 11-year-old Teddy Jones was the top male point scorer and 16-year-old Sophia Nelson was the top female swimmer.

The Hurricanes broke 23 team records this season, not counting relay events. 

Mallory Paschke, 8, broke three records: 25 meter freestyle (22.24), 25 meter breaststroke (28.03) and 25 meter fly (25.89).

Lilly Bujnak, 8, broke two records: 25 meter backstroke (25.89) and 100 meter intermediate (2:09.53).

Micha Sena, 8, broke three records: 25 meter freestyle (19.81), 25 meter backstroke (25.93) and 100 IM (2:15.72).

Jackson Gordon, 8, broke the record for 25 meter breaststroke (28.13).

Lilly Willingham, 10, broke three records: 25 meter freestyle (18.53), 25 meter fly (22.83) and 100 IM (1:56.88).

Ellie Smith, 9, broke the record for 25 meter breaststroke (23.59).

Adam Kovacevic, 10, broke two records: 25 meter breaststroke (25.02) and fly (21.00).

Lilly Burns, 11, broke the record for 50 meter breaststroke (53.38).

Teddy Jones, 11, broke two record: 50 meter backstroke (43.84) and 100 IM (1:33.59).

Noah Burns, 13 broke the record for 100 meter breaststroke (1:32.50).

Sophia Nelson, 16, broke the record for 100 IM (1:25.97).

Oscar Hoerr, 16, broke the record for 100 meter breaststroke (1:28.82).

Gabe Nelson, 16, broke the record for 100 IM (1:15.60).