​Grain Valley girls swim team enjoying breakout season

by Michael Smith


The 2023-24 version of the Grain Valley girls swim team is arguably the best in the six-year history of the program.

Last Saturday, the Eagles had their biggest win in team history when they beat out 13 other teams to take first place with 454 points.

Not only that, but nine school records have been broken this season and have times in 10 different events that would qualify for an entry into the Missouri State High School Girls Swimming and Diving Championships in February.

While Grain Valley head coach Julie Reilly and her girls admit the team doesn’t have the numbers to compete for a state trophy, this could be a year the Eagles make some noise and have some girls earn all-state or honorable mention honors.

“I think this group of girls is amazing,” Reilly said. “I don’t know if it’s the best, but it probably is. They all want it.”

The 200 and 400 free relay teams are standing out for the Eagles as each of them are currently seeded seventh among all teams in the state in Class 1.

The 200 free relay team of Katelyn Epple, Kalli Beard, Riley Wade and Jay’me Whitley currently have a season-best time of 1:44.75, which was the first-place time at the Belton Invitational.

The 400 free relay team of Ellie Martin, Beard, Emily Holzworth and Epple had their season best time at the Belton Invitational with a time of 3:48.60.

“I have a lot of faith in our relays,” Beard said. “They are my favorite events to swim in. We work really well together.”

If the Eagles relay teams can stay in the top eight at the state meet, they would finish high enough for an all-state honor, given to the top eight finishers of each event.

The Grain Valley 200 medley relay team is also an event it could excel at during the state competition. It’s currently seeded at No. 14 with a season-best time of 1:59.85.

Reilly noted that continuity is a big factor in the success of the relay teams as many of the swimmers competed on the relay teams last season. Relays are events which require good teamwork and timing of dives once one swimmer is finished with their leg of the race.

“We have had some time to build it up and they want it a little bit this year,” Reilly said.

For the individual events, the Eagles have four swimmers who have times good enough to qualify for state in seven different events. The top 32 times qualify and swimmers can only compete in two individual events at the state meet.

Beard currently has times good enough to qualify in the 50 free (25.82 seconds, No. 24 seed) and the 100 butterfly (1:02.89, No. 22 seed). Last season, Beard made it to the finals of the 100 butterfly at state and hopes to repeat that feat this season.

“Hopefully I will rank higher than I did last season,” Beard said.

Martin is in a good position to push for an all-state honorable mention time at state as she is in the top 20 in two different events. She is ranked 20th in the 200 individual medley with a season-best time of 2:18.25 and is the No. 15 seed in the 500 free with a time of 5:33.43.

“I saw a lot of time drops at the Belton Invitational which helped move me up in the rankings,” Martin said. “I am really thinking I am going to improve as the season goes and I can’t wait to
see what happens.”

Epple said she didn’t make it to the finals for either of her events last season, but will push to do that this time around. She is currently ranked No. 31 in the 100 free with a time of 56.64 seconds and is 19th in the 200 free at 2:04.

Wade also has a state consideration time in the 100 breaststroke as she is currently seeded 25th with a time of 1:15.07.

“I think any of those girls could be top 16 or higher (at state),” Reilly said. “Our relays could be in the top 16 and two of them could end up in the top eight.”

Grain Valley will compete in the Suburban White Conference Championships at 1 p.m. Feb. 3.
 

From left, Grain Valley swimmers Katelyn Epple, Kalli Beard and Ellie Martin all have times in two events each that would qualify them for the state meet for the 2023-24 season. They are also a part of the Eagles 200 free and 400 free relay teams which are seeded seventh in the state. Photo credit: Michael Smith