OTTUMWA — It didn’t take long to notice something special was going on Tuesday night at the Beach Ottumwa.

The red and white streamers, the decorated signs with pictures of the senior swimmers — even the meal that awaited the athletes and fans following the meet.

The festivities were in place to make the final home meet of the season for the Ottumwa girls swimming team a night to remember. The Bulldogs figured they could make it a little more special.

For the first time since their first home meet, the Ottumwa swimmers scored a victory. The Bulldogs earned wins in eight of 11 varsity races to score a 106-64 CIML Metro dual win over Des Moines East on Tuesday night.

It was a successful effort ignited by several Bulldog swimmers that will have many more chances to swim in their home pool trying to send seven teammates out in style.

“We wanted to send the seniors out with a boom,” Marissa Rupalo said after leading an Ottumwa sophomore group that combined for nine wins on the night. “I think we did that. We all wanted it and we knew we could have it if everyone came out and did their best.”

Their best even surprised their head coach. Ottumwa head girls swimming coach Stephanie Mishler anticipated a much tighter battle for points with the two teams trading wins back and forth entering the meet.

“I really thought coming in we’d have to fight for those second, third and fourth places that would give us the edge in points in each race,” Mishler said. “It’s even more encouraging to see us pull out that many wins. There were some good swims out there for us.”

“I think we were really pumped and ready to do well in our last home meet,” senior Danielle Noe added.

The Bulldogs set themselves up for a successful night by earning a come-from-behind victory in the first varsity race. After the Scarlets’ top team opened a slight edge heading into the final three links of the 200 medley relay, Ottumwa’s Maranda Rupalo closed the gap on East’s Kristina Smith heading into the anchor leg swim between Marissa Rupalo and Hannah Bailey.

The younger Rupalo was up to the challenge, swimming past Bailey on the final lap before coming home with one of her team-best four wins as the Bulldogs’ time of 2:10.32 beat out East by less then a second.

“That really got me fired up and got me ready to go,” Rupalo said. “It always feels good to contribute to the success of the team. We’re hoping the success that we’re having right now can bring even more swimmers in next season.”

Marissa Rupalo also scored consecutive wins in the 50 freestyle (27.83) and 100 butterfly (1:11.35) before closing her night by anchoring Ottumwa’s victorious 200 free relay (1:56.01). Rupalo wasn’t done contributing to the team’s success, proving to be one of the loudest cheerleaders outside the pool as Claire Carlson scored a win in the 100 backstroke while the Bulldog 400 free relay team anchored by older sister Maranda closed out the night with a win.

“All my sisters swim. I have three other sisters that also really love this,” Marissa Rupalo said. “It’s great to make this such a family thing.”

Noe had the best night of all seven senior swimmers who competed for the Bulldogs. Besides leading off Ottumwa’s winning 200 and 400 free relays, Noe also won the 100 freestyle in a time of 1:03.53 to give the Bulldogs a 60-34 lead.

“It felt good to help put those points up. It felt good just to end things here at home with a good showing,” Noe said. “We’ve definitely had great memories (as seniors). It’s been great to swim with them and get to know them all.”

Ottumwa (2-5, 1-3) may not be done having dual meet success. The Bulldogs hit the road for winnable meets at CIML Metro rival Des Moines North next Tuesday and in a final dual road test at Keokuk on Thursday, Oct. 11.

With a couple more wins, the Bulldog swimmers could build up plenty of steam heading into the CIML Metro Seven meet in Des Moines in two weeks leading into regional action the following weekend.

“We’ve built up a lot of confidence as the season has continued on. We’re just looking to keep working at that goal,” Mishler said. “We had a lot of seniors this year that came out for swimming for the first time. I think that speaks a lot to how successful this program is becoming.”

“I think we’re going to work hard to meet our goal of getting some swimmers to state,” Noe added.

Des Moines East-Ottumwa Girls Swimming

10-2-12

Team Scores — 1. Ottumwa 106, 2. Des Moines East 64.

Results

200 Medley Relay — 1. Ottumwa (Claire Carlson, Caroline Carlson, Maranda Rupalo, Marissa Rupalo) 2:10.32, 3. Ottumwa (Shayla Wolver, Joana Jost, Hannah Wolver, Bethany Knox) 2:20.18.

200 Freestyle — 1. Ca. Carlson (O) 2:24.84, 4. Jill Arduser (O) 2:33.71, 5. Kenzie McCoy (O) 2:34.04, 7. Darby Patritto (O) 2:56.14.

200 Individual Medley — 1. Hannah Bailey (DME) 2:33.99, 2. Jost (O) 2:53.51, 3. Mara. Rupalo (O) 2:57.75.

50 Freestyle — 1. Mari. Rupalo (O) 27.83, 2. Danielle Noe (O) 28.54, 4. Whitney Dostal (O) 30.57.

100 Butterfly — 1. Mari. Rupalo (O) 1:11.35, 3. Cl. Carlson (O) 1:12.26, 4. H. Wolver (O) 1:15.69.

100 Freestyle — 1. Noe (O) 1:03.53, 3. Dostal (O) 1:10.14, 4. S. Wolver (O) 1:10.92.

500 Freestyle — 1. Bailey (DME) 6:07.6, 2. McCoy (O) 6:48.36, 3. Arduser (O) 6:50.05, 4. Zingg (O) 7:16.28.

200 Free Relay — 1. Ottumwa (Noe, Ca. Carlson, Cl. Carlson, Mari. Rupalo) 1:56.01, 4. Ottumwa (Pattrito, Symone Palen, Jessie Lott, Hayli Beeson) 2:21.71.

100 Backstroke — 1. Cl. Carlson (O) 1:14.85, 2. Mara. Rupalo (O) 1:16.25, 3. H. Wolver (O) 1:22.32.

100 Breaststroke — 1. Abby Mendenhall (DME) 1:20.08, 2. Ca. Carlson (O) 1:20.16, 4. Zingg (O) 1:31.15.

400 Free Relay — 1. Ottumwa (Noe, S. Wolver, Dostal, Mara. Rupalo) 4:35.11, 3. Ottumwa (H. Wolver, Knox, Lott, McCoy) 4:45.69.

JV RESULTS

Des Moines East-Ottumwa Girls Swimming

10-2-12

JV Team Scores — 1. Des Moines East 100, 2. Ottumwa 18.

JV Individual Results

200 Medley Relay — 1. Des Moines East (January Philavanh, Apple Amos, Heidi Hulscher, Stacin Duff) 3:37.7.

200 Freestyle — 1. Vanessa Hodges (DME) 3:03.2.

50 Freestyle — 1. Ashley Weinman (DME) 36.69, 3. Kate Martin (O) 38.0, 4. Sydney Ocker (O) 38.55, 6. Callie Lawson (O) 41.47.

100 Butterfly — 1. Catie Baysinger (DME) 1:53.05.

100 Freestyle — 1. Jessie Lott (O) 1:16.5, 2. Symone Palen (O) 1:22.41, 3. Roxana Zeledon (O) 1:25.22.

200 Free Relay — 1. Des Moines East (Jocelyn Valadez, Tahila Hauptly, Monica Hoang, Dugg) 2:40.23.

100 Backstroke — 1. Andi Hiatt (DME) 1:48.39.

100 Breaststroke — 1. Valadez (DME) 1:58.84.

400 Free Relay — 1. Des Moines East (Heidi Hulscher, Duff, Hoang, Amos) 6:42.61.