When McKenna Brown gets in the pool, she commands respect.
Race after race, the Minot High School sophomore swimmer glides through the water, making things look effortless while her competitors helplessly try to catch up.
Brown was at it again on Tuesday, winning all four races she was a part of and recording two season-best times in the Majettes' 151-35 dual win against Jamestown at Magic City Campus.
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Adam Lawson/MDN
Minot High School sophomore swimmer McKenna Brown approaches the end of a lap during the 100-yard butterfly Tuesday at Magic City Campus. Brown won four races — two individually, two relays — during the Majettes’ 151-35 dual win against Jamestown.
"All-around, she's the best one we've got," MHS coach Dan Hinton said. "She can swim any event we need her to swim."
Brown, last year's West Region champion in the 500-yard freestyle, didn't swim the race against the Blue Jays as Hinton gave her a break from the grueling nearly six-minute event.
Instead, she showed her versatility by dominating two other races. Brown swam the 100 butterfly in one minute, 4.37 seconds - just ahead of Jamestown senior Kamie Wagar - and completed the 100 backstroke in 1:02.65, nearly three seconds in front of sophomore teammate Sydney Clark.
"I do like that 500," Brown said. "I like trying other things, though. It's kinda fun to see what times I get since I haven't swam them for a while."
Brown was the anchor leg of the 200 medley and the 400 freestyle relays, races her team won by more than four and 13 seconds, respectively.
Freshman Cassandra Askvig, who swam the first leg of the 400 freestyle relay, said there may be nobody on the team as competitive as Brown.
"She has a calm personality on the outside," Askvig said, "but I think on the inside she's like super-excited and competitive. She really wants to win."
Brown said that winning the region championship was a big step for her career. This year, she has loftier goals.
"(Being a) state champion would be amazing," Brown said. "(Winning region championships) is a pretty good goal for me. State would be amazing to get."
The Majettes controlled the meet, winning all 12 swimming events. Askvig won the 100 and 200 freestyle individually, in addition to swimming legs on the winning 200- and 400-freestyle relays. Freshman Emily Hamel was on those relay teams and won the 50 freestyle in 25.84 seconds.
Junior Sarah Bogenrief won the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley and swam the breaststroke on the winning 200 medley relay team. Freshman Josie Gillund won the 500 freestyle.
Minot's next meet is Saturday's Bismarck Invite at Bismarck State College at 10 a.m.