This weekend in Winona Swimming

First and foremost, Congratulations John Fox SMU Outstanding Male Athlete 2008-09! If you are not familiar with his story, John is a local product, an athlete that got into swimming during high school. He excelled immediately and has continued to improve as he competes right here in Winona as part of Eric Lindquist's St. Mary's University Cardinal swim team. Last Spring John was the Cardinals’ first-ever NCAA Division III National Championships automatic qualifier. Congrats John! The Cardinal's season is starting to crank up and there will be meets there in Oct., Nov, and Jan, so head on up and see some great swimming AND DIVING action! http://www.saintmaryssports.com/schedule.aspx?path=mswim&

The Winona Winhawks travel to Apple Valley to participate in their Invitational along with Richfield, Blaine, AND the 2nd at the MSHSL ClassAA last year Edina Hornets. I believe Winona will handle anything that AV, Blaine and RIchfield can throw at them, but Edina will be tough and should challenge the Winhawks in the IM, Fly and sprint freestyle events. Edina, like Winona has some outstanding young swimmers, 8th, 9th, and 10th graders that will make for some fun races to watch.

Last Tuesday the Winhawks traveled to the Roch Mayo pool to take on Rochester Century. The Winhawks came up a little short in a 95-87 loss. Century has 5 big guns that repeatedly got to the wall first. The Winhawks were picking up 2nd, 3rd and 4th place all night long, but when your opponent takes 1st & 3rd in the opening Medley relay and 1 & 3rd in the 200FR, you are already 10 points behind and playing catch-up. There were some great Winhawk swims, Sam Quahdahl swam her heart out in the 500FR, and Mackenzie Brosnahan made up two body lengths on the final leg of the 200 FR, only to come up a touch short, an amazing race! Bridget Bawek and Haley O'Neil both continue to impress in the sprint freestyle events. Alexandra Zuelke was strong in her signature 100BR but also an asset in the relays. Krystal Franzwa scored one of the Winhawk's two 1st places of the night in the diving event showing tremendous skill for a diver new to the program and a constantly increasing DD dive list. The Winhawk 400FR relay scored the other first of the night, winning in 3:55.60.

The Winhawks are a very young team. There is an amazing amount of young talent and as the season progresses, they will continue to drop time. They are so young that not every meet will be their night, but they are growing to be a force to be reckoned with in the months and years to come.