Gees, first Rochester JM and now they gotta swim against the Packers? What the heck? Does Aaron Rogers even know how to swim?

Thursday night the Winona Winhawks (3-3, 2-3) travel to AUSTIN to take on the other Packers (2-5, 2-4) in what should be a good competitive meet. Austin Coach Lynn Gulbrandson is a master at guessing the competing line-up and mixing up his entries to give his swimmers the best fighting chance. Last year’s dual meet saw Austin do just that and pull off what appeared to many an upset and the 2011 Winhawks will be out for revenge I am guessing. 

Austin swimmers and match-ups to watch include Austin Junior Helen Heimark. Usually a 200 and 500 Freestyle specialist also appearing in the 200 & 400 Free Relays, she has been placed in the 100 Free at times. Diver Autumn Laury could work to keep Winhawk Junior Crystal Franzwa honest this time out. There could be a great diving contest for 3^rd place between up and coming Sophomores. Austin’s Bailey Corey and Winona’s Janelle Mueller are very close in scoring to date and it should make for another excellent competition to watch.  Austin’s Rachael Vos swims a sub 6 minute 500 which seems to be an annual barrier for Winhawk swimmers. If Heimark does swim the 500, it may give the Packers a 1-2 scoring shot in the arm. 

Meet Analysis

The 200 Medley relay should get the Winhawks off on the right foot. The team of Cotter Senior MacKenzie Brosnahan, Cotter Junior Alexandra Zuelke and Winhawk Sophomores Reese Galewski and Haley O’Neill have been oh so consistent this year. Their repeated sub 2 minute times should best the Packers team of Lindsey Halsey, Emily McAlister, Merideth Fritz, Mikayla Finney at around 2:03.

The 200 Freestyle may be the first appearance of Heimark. Her 2:02 posted earlier this season bests any Winhawk times so far. Winhawk coach Steve Burt may just concede the win as his Winhawks Hailey O'Neill, Reese Galewski and McKenna Marg could take 2-3-4 and still out score the Packers’ Lila Johnson, Merideth Fritz, Lindsey Halsey, or Rachel Vos.

The 200 IM should be Cotter Junior Alexandra Zuelke’s for the taking. Winhawk Sophomore Reese Galewski will have a good race against Emily McAlister. Look for Austin to pick up the rest of the points unless Winhawk youngsters McKenzie Porter or Alexandra Arnold are inspired. 

The 50 Freestyle may be the most hotly contested race of the night and could be the place where either coach may stick in a wild card to try and take maximum points. Winhawks O’Neill, Thurow and O’Neill are evenly matched with Austin’s Mikayla Finney, Heather Johnson, Lauren Edwards, and Megan Brown.

It’s an away meet and what does that mean, everybody? You get to watch DIVING! (I very sadly will be refereeing in Rochester Thursday night so I will NOT get to watch this great match-up. You on the other hand should sit on the far right side of the bleachers to get a better view of the diving well WAY over on the other side of the pool. You’ll get to watch the Mueller/Corey contest with Franzwa/Laury going head to head diving in the last two spots. 

For yet another week, look for Winhawk Reese Galewski to glide to an uncontested victory in the 100 Butterfly. Austin’s Emily McAlister should take second and the real contest will be between Winhawk Bluffview 8^th Grader Hanna O’Neill and Austin Sophomore Merideth Fritz. Look for the middle of the pool to be generating all the attention.  

The 100 Freestyle should be Winhawk Haley O’Neill’s to win barring any juggling of line-ups. She has the edge on Austin’s Mikayla Finney in this event. Right behind them the race between Packer Lindsey Halsey and Cotter Sophomore Emily Thurow may be where you want to direct your attention next. 

The 500 Freestyle may be where Winona Coach Steve Burt wants to interject Winona Standout MacKenzie Brosnahan. Austin’s Helen Heimark swims a 5:37, only 2 seconds ahead of Brosnahan’s swim last week against Owatonna. The next closest Winhawk available is above that 6 minute mark which may not be enough to overtake Austin’s Rachel Vos.

The 200 Freestyle relay team of Alexandra Z., Emily T., Hailey O., and MacKenzie B may need to stay intact to beat out Austin’s Lauren Edwards, Mikayla Finney, Merideth Fritz, and Helen Heimark which swim just a few seconds off the Winhawk time.

The 100 Backstroke may be the next if not overtake the 50 Free as the closest fought battle of the evening. I wouldn’t choose now to go to the concession stand! Cotter Sophomore McKenna Marg and Freshman Morgan Whyte along with Winhawk Sophomore Abbey Quandahl ALL match up very VERY closely with Austin’s Lindsey Halsey, Maddie Kinney, and Lindsey McAlister.

The 100 Breaststroke will see Cotter Junior Alexandra Zuelke walk away with this race. The real contest will be following Alex where Greer Kosidowski and either Alex Arnold or Emily Thurow will try to ice the meet against Austin’s Heather Johnson, Jesse Bednar, and Samantha Maloney.

The 400 Freestyle relay, if contested, could prove interesting. The Austin Team of Helen Heimark, Merideth Fritz, Lindsey Halsey, and Mikayla Finney have a time well under that of ANY 400 Freestyle relay the Winhawks have had to put together this year. So look for Winhawk Coach Steve Burt to do his best to decide this contest long before this point. 

Have a great time in Austin, tell me all about it after you get back, and I will see you at the next meet, Thursday October 13^th at Home against Albert Lea.