Welcome to the jungle we've got fun and games We got everything you want honey, we know the names!

With all deference to Guns N' Roses, Thursday, the Winona Winhawks (6-4-0) (4-2-0) hit the road for another Big 9 match-up, this time they enter the jungle home to the Albert Lea Tigers (5-2-0) 5-2-0).

Albert Lea will pose a serious challenge to the Winhawks who had better get their rest Wednesday evening! The Tigers sit just ahead the Winhawks in the Big 9 standings on the strength of their Big 9 record. All in-conference meets, Albert Lea gave Mankato West a run for its money being tied going into the 4x100 relay but couldn’t pull it out.  With only 34 swimmers or so, it appears that what they lack in numbers they make up for in determination.

Albert Lea finished 10^th at last year’s Class A State Championships, scoring two relays and 3 individual performances. Lindsey Horejsi in the 200 IM (9^th) and the 100 Breaststroke ( 2^nd), and Kari Kriewall in diving (3^rd). It would appear that, based on performances to date, Coach Jon Schmitz will be looking to move up a few spots.

The tough call to make for Thursday is the team star Horejsi. She can swim anything and has this season. Setting pool records, she has already bettered the winning time at last year’s State for the 100 Breaststroke at 1:03 high and exceeded her State finals time for the 200 IM. She can swim a sub minute 100 Fly, 53 low 100 Free and 24 low 50 Free.  It will be a real chess match to see where AL places her to do the most damage and Winona coach Steve Burt places his swimmers to mitigate it.

200-medley relay: They have a number of swimmers that they can throw at this event, usually Kemma Bergland, Lindsey Horejsi, Bailey Sandon and Anna Andersen. They can swim 1:55 mid, and in their home pool I would pretty much count on it not being higher than 1:56. The Winhawks will need PB’s from everyone to challenge them.

200-freestyle: Should be dubbed the Great Haley race. AL’s Haley Simon and Winona’s Haley O’Neill are fairly evenly matched. O’Neill has the fastest time logged of the two and will need to uncork one along with back-up from team leader Greer Kosidowski to score big.  

The 200 IM should be Horejsi’s first individual event and swims it in 2:10 – 2:11 so it will be hers. Coach Burt will have to counter AL’s second swimmer Bailey Sandon who does a 2:29- 2:30 or the Tigers will score huge.

For the 50 Freestyle, Anna Anderson has been their lead hitter swimming 25 mid. BUT, AL may interject Horejsi here, as her 24 low could give the Winhawks fits. Winona needs a big swim out of Emily Thurow to help mitigate things or take the win outright.

It is an away meet and what does that mean? YES you are correct DIVING!!!!!!!!!! It will be an awesome contest as Winhawk Sr. Co-Captain Crystal Franzwa takes on Tiger Senior Kari Kriewall. The other tough match will be Jr. Janelle Mueller trying to hold off AL’s Friehl and See-Rockers, all closely matched.

The 100 Butterfly is another race where Horejsi could emerge. She could push Winhawk Jr. Reese Galewski harder than she has all season. Or….. It could be Reese and Freshman Hanna O’Neill scoring big for the Winhawks!

The 100 Freestyle will likely be AL’s Anna Anderson head to head with Winhawk Jr. Haley O’Neill. This will be a great test for Haley, Anderson is a 55 and Haley can go straight after her.

The 500 Freestyle reads like a broken record for the Winhawks. AL has two swimmers at sub 6 minute times. Winona has GOT to get some girls breaking that barrier to prevent the points deficit that keeps plaguing the Winhawks in the 500 Free.

The 200 Free Relay is tough to predict, AL has continuously switched up their line-up with one exception, Horejsi. Expect a 1:45 but they have done a 1:44 low as recently as last weekend. The Winhawks better be prepared to put together four quality sprints if they want these points!

The 100 Back will be another great contest. AL’s Bailey Sandon has gone 1:06 high and will need to when she goes up against Winhawk Fr. Morgan Whyte. There is a core of Tigers behind Sandon at 1:08 – 1:11 so Winona will need Jr. McKenna Marg on her game to keep the points even!

This could be the race of the night to watch. If AL’s Lindsey Horejsi comes out to play, it will be something to watch. Her 1:03 high last weekend is faster than the Class A State winning time last year and second only to the winning time in Class AA. Sr. Co-Captain Alex Zuelke will be up against her toughest competition of the season and the Winhawks’ Greer Kosidowski will need a strong swim to keep the Winhawks in this meet.

Historically and statistically, if the meet is close at this point, the Winhawks are in trouble. The Tigers have gone as low as 3:53 when they needed to. It all comes down to what bodies are left on both sides of the pool. The Winhawks will need to dig deep to make the most of this event, it could be for the win.

Thursday night AT Albert Lea High School 6PM.