“Take me home momma and put me to bed. I have seen enough to know I have seen too much.” (The play-by-play announcer in the movie “A League of their Own”.

An great quote after he had called the last game of a very close World Series. While I knew what he meant when I watched that movie, I now know how he felt. 

As do the Winona Winhawks (6-5-0), (4-3-0) after their hard fought dual meet with the Albert Lea Tigers (6-2-0) (6-2-0). 

Both teams are side by side in the Big 9 Standings, but AL gets the nod when comparing on paper. Possessing the swimmer with the fastest time this MN season in the 100 Breaststroke and a shoe in to qualify for 1-3 more State Meet events assures a coach of some points. Add in a host of other quality swimmers and AL is and should be confident. The Winhawks on the other hand had their concerns, and leaving home Backstroker McKenna Marg did not help to temper the trepidation being felt on the Winhawk bench. None-the-less, when the whistle blew calling the girls to the blocks, determination, will and a little bit of defiance were there with them. 

The 200 Medley Relay was scripted before both teams ever entered the pool. AL sent Kemma Bergland, Lindsey Horejsi, Bailey Sandon and Anna Andersen to the blocks, throwing down the gauntlet before the Winhawk team of Fr. Morgan Whyte, Sr. Co-Captain Alex Zuelke, Jr. Reese Galewski and Jr. Haley O’Neill. It would take a monumental effort to battle these girls and it appeared they were in fact inspired. Neck and neck all the way through, Reese earned a modest lead and Haley brought the relay home out touching Anderson by 5 one hundredths of a second for the win! Their wining time slides this group of girls up to take over as the 3^rd fastest Winhawk 200 Medley relay EVER. 

Tigers                  6                           Winhawks          8

The 200 Freestyle built upon the energy generated by the Winhawk Relay and the results were phenomenal. Jr. Haley O’Neill turns in her best time of the season for the win! Fr. Morgan Whyte brings home third with a mere half second to spare and Sr. Sami Johnson swims a personal best time adding 5^th to grab ever point the Winhawks can! The Winhawks add to their lead.

Tigers                  12                        Winhawks          18

The 200 IM in years past was a real Achilles tendon for the Winhawks. This year things have turned around and this meet was no exception. Reese G. swims a new personal best by 1 ½ seconds and takes 2^nd getting touched out. Right behind her Alexandra Arnold swims a personal best bringing home 3^rd place, and making it a Trifecta, Jr. Razil Campbell also swims her personal best. The Winhawks give back a little ground though with the middle finishes.

Tigers                  21                        Winhawks          25

The 50 Freestyle saw AL’s standard line-up approach the blocks, so the Winhawks knew they had a chance to outscore if they performed to their capabilities. Sr. Co-Captain Alex Zuelke took the win with Jr. Emily Thurow coming through and swimming a personal best for 3^rd place. Playing on a theme, So. Kailey Kronebusch also touches in a new personal best for herself!

Tigers                  28                        Winhawks          34

Diving – The girls all Performed well, they are the class Diving Corp in the Big 9. Sr. Co-Captain Crystal Franzwa, coming off of monster performance last Saturday qualifying for All American, sits poised to set a new personal best but gets caught leaning a little on her Reverse 1ss 2 ½ TW and score low resulting in 2^nd place. Her teammates, Jr. Janelle Mueller and Sarah Scherbring prop her up finishing right behind her in 3-4 and the Winhawks still out score the Tigers 9-7

Tigers                  35                        Winhawks          43

The 100 Butterfly turned out to be the first individual event that AL enters Lindsey Horejsi. She runs away, but Reese swims a respectable 2^nd place, Fr. Hanna O’Neill is behind her holding of the next Tiger and placing 3^rd, and swimming another great time in a week, Sr. Sami Johnson contributes scoring in 5^th and keeps the event points even 8-8.

Tigers                  43                        Winhawks          51

The 100 Freestyle was an unbelievable race to watch. Four lengths, flat out the entire field bunched together for half of it. It ended up two races, Jr. Haley O’Neill battling AL’s Andersen with Haley proving victorious winning by 3 tenths of a second in a personal best time to boot. Behind them, the remaining four swimmers were separated by two seconds. Rising to the occasion, Fr. Alexandra Arnold swims the event for the first time and sets a best time (bettering a 100 split from the 4x100 Relay) taking 3^rd. Not wanting to be left out, an uncertain Greer Kosidowski, never having swum the 100 Free event before, betters her 100relay split by 6 gigantic seconds in scoring 5^th!!!!!

Tigers                  49                        Winhawks          61

The Winhawks have been having their lunch handed to them in the 500 all season. The distance girls have been plagued with illness, injury and a rotating line-up. Knowing they had to perform, they show marked improvement. Jr. Razil Campbell breaks the 6 minute barrier for anew personal best and 3^rd place. Hanna O’Neill is right behind her in 4^th place and McKenzie Porter, sporting a lower back injury, still manages a season low time. 

Tigers                  60                        Winhawks          66

The 200 Relay, normally a Winhawk strong suit sees the Winhawks finish 2^nd as Coach Steve Burt shuffles his line-up planning to make a game of it in the 400 free relay coming up at the end of the meet if the score is still close. The relay scoring allows the Tigers to even the score. The meet becomes a 3 event contest.

Tigers                  70                        Winhawks          70

The 100 Backstroke was the first big indicator of how much Jr. McKenna Marg was missed. Fr. Morgan Whyte swims a personal best to take the outright win. Young 7^th grader Alexa Lofgren, stepping up for the Winhawks, swims a personal best herself scoring in 5^th. 

Tigers                  79                        Winhawks          77

The Breaststroke, the anticipated individual of the night indeed sees AL Lindsey Horejsi stroll to the blocks. She leads from the start and swims to a new AL team and pool record. Putting in a quality swim of her own, Sr. Co-Captain Alex Zuelke swims a great time of her own and easily takes 2^nd. Jr. Greer Kosidowski takes 5^th and the Winhawks give a little more ground. The end of the meet will be tight!

Tigers                  90                        Winhawks          82

The 400 Freestyle Relay – The Winhawks enter this event needing to take 1^st AND 2^nd to earn the win. Coach Burt has saved some of his swimmers so that he would be competitive, but finishing 1-2 would be a tall order. The Winhawks give it their all, the A Relay of Whyte, O’Neill, Galewski and Arnold finish in 1^st with a time just outside the top 12 fastest Winhawk 4x100 ever. The B Relay of Porter, Johnson, Haines and Kosidowski also put in a phenomenal effort but finish in 3^rd. The Winhawks come up 2 points shy!

Final Score

Varsity

Albert Lea Tigers        94          Winona Winhawks         92

Junior Varsity

Albert Lea Tigers        63          Winona Winhawks         111

Next up – Section 1AA True Team at WSHS Saturday. Diving is at St. Mary’s Poll Saturday AM.