CEDAR FALLS - Cedar Falls Coach Dick Marcussen has won so many Mississippi Valley Conference swimming titles during his legendary career that he's lost track.

"Twenty-five?," he guessed Saturday after winning another, trying to remember the exact number.

The Kennedy Cougars made Marcussen and the Cedar Falls girls work for this one.

Kennedy and Cedar Falls waged a see-saw battle all afternoon at Holmes Junior High School before the Tigers emerged with a slim 5 1/2-point victory, edging the Cougars 413.5 to 408 in a two-horse race.

Marcussen, 79, has won nine girls state titles since starting the program at Cedar Falls in 1967. He plans to retire from coaching after this season and has another strong club.

So does Kennedy, which won four events Saturday and nearly toppled the Tigers.

"Coach Marcussen is not a Hall of Fame coach for nothing," said Kennedy boss John Ross. "He got the girls ready. It was a close meet. Our girls swam well. That was a lot of fast swimming."

Kassidy Lovig captured the 200 freestyle for Kennedy, Maddie Bagby claimed the 100 freestyle and Jessica Williams took the 100 backstroke. The Cougars also won the 400 freestyle relay with Lovig, Bagby, MacKinzee Macho and Lydia Yang.

The Cougars had mixed emotions after finishing a tight second in the team race.

"It's a little disappointing, but I think it was a really good meet. Everyone did really well," said Lovig, who pocketed two gold medals as a freshman.

"It's definitely hard to get second, but they're a really good team," said Bagby, saluting Cedar Falls. "Racing against them is always fun."

Cedar Falls won six of 12 events and set conference records in the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay.

"It's good to know we're making people have to break records to beat us," said Ross. "We feel honored to be able to at least compete with them. Today was a good day. The kids had a good day."

Kennedy and Cedar Falls have battled each other on near-even terms the last few weeks. The Cougars edged the Tigers at the Cedar Falls Invitational, but the Tigers trimmed the Cougars in an MVC dual meet and edged them again Saturday.

"It's like a friendly rivalry," said Lovig. "We all want to win. It keeps going back and forth and it's always fun."

Bagby, a junior, is glad to see the Cougars competing at a high level against Cedar Falls this year.

"I think our team has finally decided that we want to compete, we want to swim fast just like they have," she said. "In previous years they've been a lot faster than us. And I think this year we had the confidence to come in and compete."

The Cougars have battled their share of medical problems this year, making their accomplishments even more significant.

Bagby had a bout with walking pneumonia at the beginning of the year, but said she feels better now. Lovig has been troubled by bicep tendinitis, but also said she's feeling better. Darby Manternach has mononucleosis, according to Ross, but swam anyway in the MVC meet.

Other Cougars have been slowed by walking pneumonia and sore muscles, but they keep pushing through.

"This is a special group that we have," said Ross. "The camaraderie, the sisterhood, is very tight. They're good kids. They enjoy each other's company a lot."

Kennedy finished second in six events at the MVC meet with Jayden Lovell (diving), MacKinzee Macho (200 IM), Lovig (500 free), Macho again (100 breaststroke), the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay. Kirsten Siebenga placed third in the 50 free.

The Washington Warriors finished third in the team standings. Lauren Havertape placed second in the 100 fly and Caitlin Sievers was third in the 100 breaststroke. The Warriors also took third in the 200 medley relay.

Linn-Mar finished sixth in the team standings and Jefferson was ninth.

The girls regional swimming meets will be held on Saturday, Oct. 31.

MVC GIRLS SWIMMING MEET

TEAM STANDINGS

1. Cedar Falls 413.5, 2. Kennedy 408, 3. Washington 242, 4. Iowa City West 239.5, 5. Dubuque Senior 191, 6. Linn-Mar 167, 7. Iowa City High 155, 8. Wahlert 134, 9. Jefferson 127, 10. Hempstead 84, 11. Waterloo 62.

WINNERS

Diving - Madison Schoppe, Cedar Falls, 376.20
200 medley relay - Cedar Falls 1:50.65 (meet record)
200 free - Kassidy Lovig, Kennedy, 1:59.27
200 IM - Erica Hsu, Iowa City West, 2:11.81
50 free - Olivia Clark, Cedar Falls, 24.91
100 fly - Meghan Hackett, Cedar Falls, 59.84
100 free - Maddie Bagby, Kennedy, 54.94
500 free - Erica Hsu, Iowa City West, 5:15.79
200 free relay - Cedar Falls 1:39.52 (meet record)
100 back - Jessica Williams, Kennedy, 1:00.05
100 breast - Olivia Clark, Cedar Falls, 1:09.34
400 free relay - Kennedy (Kassidy Lovig, Maddie Bagby, MacKinzee Macho, Lydia Yang) 3:43.70

KENNEDY

1st - Kassidy Lovig, 200 free, 1:59.27
1st - Maddie Bagby, 100 free, 54.94
1st - Jessica Williams, 100 back, 1:00.05
1st - 400 free relay 3:43.70
2nd - Jayden Lovell, diving, 366.00
2nd - 200 medley relay 1:53.22
2nd - MacKinzee Macho, 200 IM, 2:16.19
2nd - Kassidy Lovig, 500 free, 5:23.92
2nd - 200 free relay 1:41.01
2nd - MacKinzee Macho, 100 breast, 1:10.58
3rd - Kirsten Siebenga, 50 free, 25.28
4th - Jessica Williams, 100 fly, 1:02.76
5th - Maddie Bagby, 200 free 2:01.98
5th - Darby Manternach, 50 free, 25.65
5th - Sarah Gannon, 500 free, 5:30.29
6th - Sarah Gannon, 200 free, 2:03.04
6th - Kirsten Siebenga, 100 free, 57.57

WASHINGTON

2nd - Lauren Havertape, 100 fly, 1:02.25
3rd - 200 medley relay 1:57.36
3rd - Caitlin Sievers, 100 breast, 1:10.90
4th - Jenny Hughes, 500 free, 5:28.81
4th - Jenny Hughes, 100 breast, 1:12.42
4th - 400 free relay 3:55.45
5th - Amara Taylor, diving, 347.70
5th - Logan Eckhardt, 100 breast, 1:13.39
6th - Lauren Havertape, 50 free, 25.98
6th - 200 free relay 1:46.72

LINN-MAR

5th - 200 medley relay 1:59.48
6th - Katie Culver, diving, 331.20
6th - 400 free relay 4:02.18

JEFFERSON

4th - 200 medley relay 1:57.99
4th - Mika McChesney, 50 free, 25.53
5th - Josie Thompson, 100 fly, 1:03.06
5th - 200 free relay 1:45.62

ATHLETES OF YEAR

Valley Division - Erica Hsu, Iowa City West
Mississippi Division - Megan Schill, Hempstead

COACH OF THE YEAR

Valley Division - John Ross, Kennedy & Dick Marcussen, Cedar Falls
Mississippi Division - Megan Lewis, Washington