~ Pool's water heater was replaced just in time for the meet.

The water at the Central Municipal Pool is heating up and so is the competition.

The pool received a new water heater Wednesday, increasing temperatures to 78 and 79 degrees just in time for today's 15-team City of Roses Invitational.

Hosted by Central, diving begins at 9 a.m. and swimming begins at 1 p.m.

"The temperature should be just right. ... I was very nervous," Central coach Dayna Powell said. "[The meet] is a great opportunity for not only local swimmers, but the community to have some really top-caliber athletes come in."

The invitational consists of a mix of local and statewide talent.

Six programs from Southeast Missouri are scheduled to compete -- Central, Jackson, Notre Dame, Saxony Lutheran, St. Vincent and Poplar Bluff.

Five schools from the St. Louis area and four schools from the Springfield area will participate, including Glendale, one of the state's top teams.

"It's nice these teams that don't really have to travel, with plenty of competition in their own community, will support the meet and make the trip," Powell said.

Powell added that Glendale will bring along some strong individual swimmers, including Deanna Sorenson who was a state champion in the 500-yard freestyle as a sophomore last year and was the Co-MVP of the City of Roses Invitational two years ago.

"We have some [local] girls who will definitely be in some of this competition, but Glendale is tough," Powell said. "Their Deanna Sorenson was, if not right behind it, a top finisher in the 200 and 500 last year. ... She's going to be a dominant force this weekend."

Motor and pump failures at the pool forced Powell to cancel the 12-team Cape Rock Invitational in October, featuring some of the state's best boys competition.

"We enjoy our travel trips, and it's kind of what brings our team together, and we get to know each other and have a good time," Powell said. "Some of these other teams don't travel as much, and when we canceled the boys meet and they didn't get to come to Cape, they were really bummed out because they have such a good time."

Powell added that another reason out-of-town swimmers enjoy the annual meet at the bubble is because they believe the pool helps them swim faster times. Powell said the pool does allow swimmers to pick up speed because it is deeper than many pools and it has slots along the wall that prevent water from washing back into the lanes.

Powell said the meet also could help her team, which has yet to have any member record a state qualifying time.

"Girls and boys consistently through the years have had outstanding meets in our own pool with better competition," Powell said. "After this weekend, we are swimming only two more times in our pool. We feel very confident in the speed of our pool, and we should have the best times of our season this weekend."

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