Linn-Mar Girls Swimming

Drake, Jenks sisters not swimming for L-M

The Linn-Mar girls swim team had a chance to compete for the state title this fall, but not anymore.

Kelsey Drake, Jennifer Jenks and Stephanie Jenks will not be swimming for Linn-Mar this season, stripping the Lions of the firepower that helped them finish fifth at the state meet in 2014.

Drake won two individual titles at the state meet last year as a sophomore, but she's told the Metro Sports Report she plans to train for the U.S. Olympic Trials in June and will not compete for the Lions this year.

Drake has qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 100 meter butterfly.

Jennifer Jenks placed second in two individual events at the state meet last year as a sophomore, but her mother said she had a rotator cuff injury last year and will not be swimming for Linn-Mar.

"She took some time off to heal and discovered there was a life outside of swimming," Deb Jenks told the Metro Sports Report. "She has just decided to pursue other interests."

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Drake wins Metro Spotlight Award

Kelsey Drake of Linn-Mar is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school girls this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday night.

Drake, entering her junior year at Linn-Mar, has qualified for the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in the 1100-meter butterfly with an outstanding performance at the University of Iowa pool July 25.

Drake was timed in 1:01.17 in the preliminaries of the 100 fly that day, beating the qualifying standard for the U.S. Trials by two-hundredths of a second. The Trials will be held in Omaha this June in preparation for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil next August.

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Drake makes U.S. Trials in 100 fly

Kelsey Drake has reached another major milestone in her remarkable swimming career.

Drake turned in an impressive performance at the Iowa state swimming long course championships in Iowa City Saturday and has qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100 meter butterfly.

Drake was timed in 1:01.17 in the preliminaries of the 100-meter butterfly Saturday morning to meet the qualifying time for the U.S. Trials of 1:01.19, making the standard by 2-hundredths of a second. She placed second in the finals of the 100 fly Saturday night.

The U.S. Olympic Trials will be held in Omaha next June in preparation for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, next August.

Drake, entering her junior year at Linn-Mar High School, is one of the youngest swimmers to qualify for the Olympic Trials.

"It's an amazing accomplishment," said Brian Ruffles, her coach with the Linn-Mar Swim Club. "It's something that she's wanted ever since she was 12 years old. It's a huge accomplishment in her career."

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Drake tops All-Metro swim team

Kelsey Drake of Linn-Mar has been named the Athlete of the Year on the All-Metro girls swim team.

Megan Lewis and her assistants at Washington High School were named the Coach of the Year.

Drake won gold medals in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly at the state swim meet in Marshalltown Saturday. She also helped Linn-Mar place third in the 400 freestyle relay and sixth in the 200 freestyle relay.

The All-Metro teams were based on times and points.

FIRST TEAM

Lizzie Adams (Linn-Mar), Maddie Bagby (Kennedy), Paige Broghammer (Linn-Mar), Alyssa Deuso (Linn-Mar), Kelsey Drake (Linn-Mar), Logan Eckhardt (Washington), Taylor Golden (Kennedy), Lauren Havertape (Washington), Sam Jacobsen (Kennedy), Jenn Jenks (Linn-Mar), Stephanie Jenks (Linn-Mar), Mikaela Lengwin (Linn-Mar), Mackinzee Macho (Kennedy), Emily Nelson (Washington), Kirsten Siebenga (Kennedy), Brooke Timmerman (Kennedy), Jessica Williams (Kennedy).

SECOND TEAM

Sarah Gannon (Kennedy), Jayden Lovell (Kennedy), Darby Manternach (Kennedy), Kaitlyn Nemickas (Washington), Caitlin Sievers (Washington), Carolyn Simon (Kennedy), Delaney Thoma (Washington), Lydia Yang (Kennedy).

HONORABLE MENTION

Linn-Mar: Grace Ahlers, Emma Behrens, Elizabeth Cavanah, Hannah Gardner, Hailey Harms, Georgia Sanderson, Kelly Wingerson
Washington: Morgan Chambers, Lucy Ernst, Alyssa Harris, Jenny Hughes
Kennedy: Courtney Fisher, Raquel Green, Kennedy Smith
Jefferson: Josie Thompson, Emily Wallace