Biggest pack of Swimming Winhawks in 10 years headed to the Big Swim.

The Winona Winhawks are headed back to the State Championships as a group for the first time in 3 years and the most bodies in 10. They will be competing in the 200 Medley Relay, 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle and 200 Freestyle Relay. 

The Medley Relay of Senior Co-Captain Ryan Whalen swimming Back, Sr. Santio LaPorta at Breaststroke, Butterflyer 8th Gr. Roger Brosnahan and anchor at Freestyle Jr. Louie LaPorta will be the first Medley relay at state for the Winhawks in 4 years. Swimming in the 50 Freestyle and 100 Freestyle for the second year in a row will be Sr. Co-Captain Ryan Whalen. Wrapping up their participation will be the 200 Freestyle Relay of Jr. Louie LaPorta, Sr. Jonathan Birdsall, Sr. Ryan Whalen and 8th Grader Roger Brosnahan.


Recent Winhawk History at State:

The 2009 Championships saw then Jr. Ryan Whalen appearing in the 50 & 100 Freestyles and Travis Bernardy in the 100 Breastroke.

Back in 2008 Winhawk standout Matt Papenfuss was there all alone, competing in the 100 & 200 Freestyle.

Not since 2007 has any Winhawk relay advanced to State. The group of then 9th grader Ryan Whalen, Travis Bernardy, now U of MN Gopher swimmer Matt Papenfuss and Mike Johnson qualified in the 200 Medley Relay. They made it to finals and placed 16th. Matt Papenfuss also swam the 100 & 200 Freestyle.

In 2006, the 200 Medley Relay also qualified. Then 8th Grader Ryan Whalen joined by now SMU Cardinal Swimmer John Fox, now Gopher Matt Papenfuss and Mike Engen. They placed 22nd in the Friday Prelims. Matt Papenfuss swam the 200 Freestyle in prelims and John Fox finished 10th in the 100 Breaststroke.

There appears to be a drought in the early 2000’s. While records are incomplete, it appears the next prior appearance was in the year 2000. The 200 Free Relay of Matt Keane, Chris Mayer, Chris Hanke, Jason Schneider, was there as well as the 400 Free Relay of Matt Keane, Chris Mayer, Troy Altobell, and Jason Schneider. Additionally Jason Schneider swam the 200 Freestyle and the 100 Freestyle.

It is great to see a resurgence in the Winhawk presence at the Big Swim.