She didn’t say that because it’s the biggest meet of the year — rather the nerves were because of two snow days leading up to such a massive event meant two days of no training. 

Roell was determined to keep her mind where it needed to be, something she did from start to finish. She edged last year’s champion, Allison Deuter of Kingsford, by six hundredths of a second in the 50-yard freestyle and later won the 100 butterfly while also helping the Sentinels to first-place finishes in the 200 and 400 free relays.

“Last year wasn’t my greatest year,” Roell said. “I think I could have done better. This year, I put my mind to it.”

Roell had some big wins, and so did her team.

Marquette’s Kaytlin Roell approaches the wall in the girls 100-yard butterfly during the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals in swimming and diving held at Marquette Senior High School on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

MSHS won its fifth straight U.P. title, 311-226.5 over runner-up Houghton. Kingsford was a close third with 209 and Westwood fourth with 136. Ishpeming-Negaunee came in seventh with 78, while Manistique was ninth with 39.

“When I first stepped out for my first race, the 50 free, I focused, and I felt ready and I felt I spent this whole year training for this moment,” Roell said.

She finished in 25.74 seconds.

“When I came in and I won, I was ecstatic. I was so happy since I haven’t really had the chance to be on the podium, on the top individually, since my freshman year.”

The day got better.

“When I swam my 100 fly, I went crazy. I shaved almost three seconds off my personal best,” Roell said.

Her time of 1:00.93 put her just three hundredths of a second from the school record, something she can shoot for as a senior.

“That 100 butterfly was electric,” Marquette coach Nathan McFarren said.

Roell swam the 50-yard opening leg of the 200 relay faster than she finished in the individual event at 25.66 seconds. 

“Having everybody put in the work together and winning the 200 free (relay) was amazing. It brought so much joy to me,” she said.

The relay’s winning time was 1:46.96. 

The Sentinels beat Houghton in the 400 free relay in 4:00.70 despite being seeded behind the Gremlins. 

“The thing about Kaytlin is she’s matured so much,” McFarren said. “She’s become a great team player and she works her butt off.”

Deuter, a sophomore, repeated as a U.P. champion, but not in the 50 like last year. After finishing second in that race by such a close margin, she went out and won the 100 free in 57.33 seconds.

“It just felt good winning finally,” she said, “because all my early mornings and late nights I put in swimming and lifting and whatnot finally paid off.”

Her coach at Kingsford, Jim Lindstrom, said she doesn’t miss a practice. Even if school is canceled and they can’t have practice, she goes to the YMCA anyway.

“She’s been swimming since she was 6 years old,” he said. “She’s really determined.”

And she’s an overall good swimmer, he added, also saying she could have won an individual medley race if the team didn’t need her to be in the 50 free.

She also helped the Flivvers’ 200 medley relay to a win in 1:59.31.

Marquette’s Hailee LaCombe referenced the time she put in as well after she won the 100 backstroke in 1:09.58.

“I’m a senior, so it’s my last meet. I’ve been swimming for 13 years,” she said. “I was just thinking of making sure all my hard work throughout the year got put into those races.”

She beat teammate Lola Sved by just over a second.

“I had a good start and everything,” LaCombe said. “My turns were good, my underwater, I tried to do good breakouts and everything.”

Sault Ste. Marie sophomore Isabeau Woodard won the 100 breaststroke in 1:16.32. 

“When I got in the water, my goggles instantly filled with water,” she said.

She remembered thinking she should have gone without the cap and goggles.

“It would have been so much better,” Woodard added. “I don’t even remember the last 25 (yards). I remember I couldn’t breathe and I was scared.”

She couldn’t believe her time. She didn’t even know she won.

“I found out when my sister texted. She was like, ‘Oh, by the way, you got first place,'” Woodard said. 

Being a U.P. champion is a “new feeling,” she said. “Last year, I did not do so hot. I was fifth last year, I think. It’s really surreal.”

Gladstone’s Irene Neumeier won the 200 free in 2:06.73, Westwood’s Kamryn LaVigne took first in the 200 IM in 2:30.96 and Houghton’s Ava Keteri won the 500 free in 6:08.42.

McFarren’s daughter, Logan McFarren, took second in the 100 and 200 free.

“This one was extra special to me,” her father said. “She put in so much work this year, and it paid off.”

In addition to her win, the Patriots’ LaVigne was third in the 100 fly and swam with WHS’ fourth-place 200 free relay and fifth-place 200 medley relay teams, joining Hayden Freudenstein, Isabel Belpedio and Liza Ollanketo on each quartet.

Freudenstein was also fourth in the 100 free.

Riley Conklin led Ishpeming-Negaunee by placing sixth in the 50 free and seventh in the 100 free, while Manistique picked up a sixth place in the 200 free relay.

Jason Juno is the sports editor of The Globe in Ironwood. This story is posted on the MHSAA website at www.mhsaa.com.