Tonight, the Ionia girls lost to Williamston in a close meet, 84-96.  This was the annual Purple Meet to benefit Ionia Community Awareness.  The meet started with a recognition of special people in the lives of the swimmer who have battled cancer.  Each girl, including those on the Williamston team, chose someone to honor, swimming and diving for the fighters, the survivors and the taken.  The highlight of the recognition ceremony was the rousing applause for Kennedee Ward, Ionia swimmer and cancer survivor, who debuted as a scoring diving during our meet.  There was also a rousing applause for Lydia Cole, sister of the Williamston coach and fellow swimmer, who lost her battle to cancer last winter.   With donations and decal sales, the teams raised over $500 for Ionia Community Awareness; this amount will be supplemented by the truck full of pop can donations once those are returned.

The meet continued with several close races and exciting swims!  Madeline McGee took first place in the the 50 and 100 yard freestyle.  Brynn Lepien took 1st in diving and the 100 yard freestyle.  Jenna Gould took first in the 100 yard breaststroke and 2nd in the 500 yard freestyle. The relay team of McGee, Gould, Lepien and Josie Phelps took first in the 200 yard medley relay.  The relay team of Lepien, Calah Holman, Phelps and McGee took first in the 400 yard freestyle relay.   Once again, almost everyone in the water swam personal best times. 

Ionia hosts Dewitt next Thursday at 6:00 p.m.