Winona Swimmers get tables turned on them

Last Tuesday, the Winona Winhawk Boy’s Swimming Team pulled out a squeaker against Faribault. Thursday night the tables were turned and with a three point lead going into the Final relay handed the meet over to Rochester Mayo.


The 200 Medley Relay was a solid Winhawk event. The team of Sr. Captain Ryan Whalen, Sr. Santino LaPorta, 8th Gr. Roger Brosnahan and Jr. Louie LaPorta won by 7+ sec in 1:48.59. The Winhawk Team of So. Avery Prondzinski, 8th Gr. Cal Dretske, Jr. Matt Bagshaw and Sr. Jon Birdsall swimming 1:58.25 and bringing home points for 3rd place.

Winona 10 Mayo 4

The 200 Freestyle saw Winhawk Sr. Josh Danzinger get a body length behind early but then stick right with the Mayo swimmer trying to pull it out in the end. He took 2nd place in 2:03.38 just a hair off his season’s best. Winhawk So. Joey Kleinow was just touched out by 0.07 seconds finishing 4th in 2:16.64.

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The 200 IM was a setback for the Winhawks finishing 4-5-6 for only 3 points. Led by 8th Gr. Cal Dretske in 2:30. 63, he was followed by Matt Bagshaw swimming his season quickest at 2:40.35 and Santino LaPorta, also swimming his season low at 2:42.40.

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Bouncing right back in the 50 Freestyle we saw a repeat trip to the Ryan Whalen Show and a Winhawk 1-2-5 finish for 11 points. Winhawk Sr. Captain Whalen swam the 50 in an overwhelming 22.38 sec. Following on his heels was the young Winhawk Speedster 8th Gr. Roger Brosnahan in 24.43 sec. Rounding out the scoring was Winhawk Sr. Jon Birdsall in 25.46 sec.

Winona 30 Mayo 32

Diving was an all Winhawk display as Mayo’s Conference and Section wining diver graduated last year with no understudy in the wings. Jr. Justin Bublitz took top honors with a 198.82. Jr. Stan Petkov appears to be coming into mid-season form scoring a season high 150.60 throwing some new dives like a Back 2 ss and Forward 1 1/2ss w/ 1Tw. IN 3rd was So. Dan Karnick with a 121.35.

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The 100 Butterfly was a great race of the up and coming stars with the Mayo 9th Gr. Drew Hayes battling Winhawk 8th Gr. Roger Brosnahan the entire 100 yards. In the end Brosnahan finishes 2nd in 1:02.46 and Winhawk Jr. Matt Bagshaw scores 3rd in 1:10.53.

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The 100 Freestyle once again featured Winhawk Sr. Captain Ryan Whalen asserting his authority over the pool. Whalen won in a time of 50.63, six seconds ahead of the Mayo swimmers following him. Winhawk Jr. Louie LaPorta was in 4th with a 58.28 and Avery Prondzinski touched 5th just an eyelash away from joining the Minuteman Club with a 100.01!

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The 500 yard Freestyle saw Winhawk Sr. Josh Danzinger taking on an entire pool of Mayo Spartans in the longest race of the night. In the end Josh finished 2nd in 5:38.87 sec and holding off the majority of the Mayo combatants.

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The 200 Free Relay was a fun race to watch. Line-up is everything in the relays and the lead can change hands throughout the race. The Winhawk “A” team of Louie LaPorta, Jon Birdsall, Ryan Whalen and Roger Brosnahan, saw them selves get almost 2 seconds behind before they made that up and earned a second and a half lead in wining the relay in 1:38.93. The Winhawk relay of Joey Kleinow, Gio Borsari, Cal Dretske, and Josh Danzinger seesawed the first few legs and then dug deep to pull out 3rd place points in 1:47.79 sec.

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The 100 Yard Backstroke saw Winhawks finish 4-5 with Avery Prondzinski swimming his season best in 1:07.74 for 4th and Louie LaPorta (just out of the water from the 200 FR Relay) taking 5th in 1:12.31.

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The 100 Yard Breaststroke was the other great race of the evening. Winhawk Sr. Santino LaPorta literally battled Mayo 9th gr. Roy Pillers the entire race. At the 50 they touched with Santino having a mere heartbeat of a 0.05 second of a lead. After turning together rat the 75, they came down the stretch still side-by-side. With an ala Michael Phelps finish, LaPorta adds another ½ a heartbeat to his lead and touches 0.08 seconds ahead in 1:09.74. Turning our attention back here almost unnoticed was Winhawk 8th Gr. Cal Dretske quietly swimming his way to his fastest time of the season for an easy third place in 1:10.56.

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So the Meet came down to the last relay with 12 points up for grabs. With points available at 8 for 1st, 4 for 2nd and 2 for 3rd, the Winhawks were forced to place First to secure the win. Taking second place would require them to also take 3rd which would give them a tie. As it turned out the swimmers remaining for the final relay were spent and could only manage to muscle out a 2nd and 4th finish . The Team of Avery Prondzinski, Joey Kleinow, Gio Borsari and Josh Danzinger swam 3:56.42 followed by the Divers relay of Justin Bublitz, Stan Petkov and Dan Karnick plus Winhawk 8th Gr. Alex Vaslow for a 4:54.77.

FINAL SCORE        Winona Winhawks  89        Rochester Mayo   93