St. Edward's Venlos savors final state meet

As she stood on-deck one final time, Megan Venlos was able to finally reflect on her accomplishments in her final season as a high school swimmer.

Venlos finished her competition on Saturday with a 10th-place swim in the 200 freestyle and an 8th-place swim in the 100 freestyle.

"I'm kind of disappointed," Venlos said. "My times were slower than (Friday.) I wanted to make my Junior Olympic cuts and I guess I'll get a chance (Sunday.) I felt better than I did in prelims and I expected to do better. But I guess sometimes that's how things go."

Venlos became the first St. Edward swimmer since 2007 grad Keri Sink, who scored in the 100 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley in 2005 and 2006. This year marked the first year Venlos had returned for a Saturday swim, and the pattern of the meet was somewhat different to what she is used to.

"I usually swim better in finals than in prelims," she said. "But usually finals are in the evening and prelims are in the morning. Here it's a different setting, not that that's an excuse. But it's a little different for me."

Venlos shifts immediately back to her club season. A swimmer for the St. Charles Swim Club, Venlos has a time trial this afternoon in an attempt to make those Junior Olympic cuts. She is attempting to qualify for a meet in December in Ohio.

"I know what I have to fix," Venlos said. "I know I'll make those times. It just didn't happen today."

Venlos admitted she got a little nervous before her first race on Saturday.

"It's a different meet," she said. "It's a great experience. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun. I finally made finals and scored team points and everything. I wish I had done a little bit better today, but it's one part of my season, and I still have meets coming up."