What’s green, travels in two buses and has more team members than most Varsity Football programs?

This Saturday, the Winona Winhawks Travel to the Apple Valley Invite to take on the entire spectrum of swimming talent. 

Fellow competitors include:

Host Apple Valley Eagles (1-2), South Suburban Conference and Section 2AA, 35 Swimmers & Divers

Robinsdale Cooper Hawks (0-1), North Suburban Conference and Section 5AA, 21 Swimmers & Divers

Edina Hornets (2-0), Lake Conference, Section 6AA with 84 Swimmers & Divers, the 2010 MSHSL Class AA Defending Champions and currently ranked #1 in MN. 

Winona Winhawks (2-1), Big 9 Conference, Section 1AA, with 34 Swimmers & Divers

This is always a great meet that both pushes the girls limits and gives them some good racing experience. The meet is well run and does not take that long considering the number of contestants. It is a pre-seeded heat format with timed finals for results. The Divers start early in the morning as it is the first chance to do an 11 dive list in the 2011 season. 

This meet historically has been an Edina showcase. In many races the final heat or even final two heats is dominated by Edina swimmers. Edina has a BIG roster, hey who doesn’t want to be a part of a winner? Being State defending champions, and perennial contenders, they have amassed a squad of 84 girls. In their dual meet with Minnetonka last Thursday, their entries in the opening 200 Medley Relay included 8 EDINA relay teams in the Junior-Junior varsity heat, then 4 Edina relay teams in the Junior Varsity heat, and finally 3 relay teams in the Varsity heat, (which by the way finished 1^st & 3^rd). There was a Junior-Junior Varsity heat in every event BUT the Diving, (Edina has 9 divers, but just dove the bottom 6 exhibition) and the 400 Free Relay did not have a Junior-Junior Varsity heat. I guess everyone just wanted to get out of there by then. Actually it was a very close meet that would have been great spectating with Edina prevailing 94.5 to 91.5.

So if you want to see some GREAT swimming, see the Winhawks challenged yet have some good competition from AV and RC to swim against, come up to the Twin Cities and take it in.