Reading the WDN this morning, they condensed the results of
a truly great swimming & diving meet into a few comments about the team
stars. At first, the reaction is the usual, that they really do not care about
swimming as a sport.
Upon further reflection though, perhaps it is that they are victims
of their environment and upbringing. The vast majority of sportos, and
especially those that make a living writing about sports, are raised playing and watching the big three,
football, basketball and baseball. All they know of swimming is what they have
seen. Every four years the Olympics show the best in the world swimming and
diving against each other. Sometimes they even compete against people from their
same team. These sportos scream and cheer the races on, and in the end, they
see three individuals stand upon the podium and receive their medals and they
figure, that’s swimming & diving.
That is SO far from what high school (and college for that
matter) swimming and diving is about, that when they are asked to cover the
events of a GREAT meet, they focus on the swimmers that won what events and
leave it at that. They are indeed fools for they are missing out on that which
makes high school and college swimming great!
Saturday the Winona Winhawks traveled to the Twin Cities to participate
in the Spartan Invitational. Ten teams, both Class AA and A from around
Minnesota and Wisconsin, come to the same pool. The rules are that each team is allowed four
entries per event. Each event is scored down to 16th place. The points
available are as follows:
|
Place
|
Indiv.
|
Relay
|
|
1
|
20
|
40
|
|
2
|
17
|
34
|
|
3
|
16
|
32
|
|
4
|
15
|
30
|
|
5
|
14
|
28
|
|
6
|
13
|
26
|
|
7
|
12
|
24
|
|
8
|
11
|
22
|
|
9
|
9
|
18
|
|
10
|
7
|
14
|
|
11
|
6
|
12
|
|
12
|
5
|
10
|
|
13
|
4
|
8
|
|
14
|
3
|
6
|
|
15
|
2
|
4
|
|
16
|
1
|
2
|
|
TTL
|
155
|
310
|
All individual swimmers are eligible to earn points but only
a Team’s A and B relay are allowed to score. Relays score double the amount
that individual events do. So in theory, a team placing 2 or more competitors in
the scoring is above average. Scoring more
than 15 points is doing exceptional.
So bottom line, having some star swimmers perform to their
potential is great, but it doesn’t win invites. The entire team has to do well,
which is exactly what the Winhawks pulled off on Saturday in swimming AND
diving their way to a second place finish in the Spartan Invitational.
The Winhawks came out of the gate invigorated, perhaps
because of their diving buddies. In fact, if you see a diver kiss her, or at
least hug her. Diving, although technically Event 5, was held in the morning.
Being an 11 dive championship format (5 preliminary dives, 3 semifinal and 3
final dives) it takes hours and is better to run separately. The divers making the trip included Sr.
Co-Captain Janelle Mueller, Jr. Sarah Scherbring, Sophomore Emilee Degnan, and
Freshman Clair Conway in her first Championship style event. After the
Preliminaries, Claire was in 12th place, Emilee in 8th place, Sarah in 4th hand
Janelle in 2nd place. Through semifinals the younger Winhawks were moving up
and when the finals were complete Claire
was in 10th place, Emilee in 6th place, Sarah in 3rd and Janelle in 2nd place
for a whopping 54 points. SO, when the Swimming Winhawks walked onto deck, they
got to watch their diving sisters complete their final 3 dives and stake them
to a 54 point head start.
200 Medley Relay Scored 46 points 34 & 12
The A relay was seeded 2nd and they swam to that touching in,
not only the fastest time of the season but the 7th fastest Winhawks time ever.
The relay consisted of Morgan Whyte, Greer Kosidowski, Reese Galewski, and
Haley O'Neil. Morgan’s split was right on recent performances and the other
three all set season low splits! The Winona
B Relay consisting of McKenna Marg, Emily Thurow, Hanna O'Neill, and Abbey Quandahl,
finished Winona 11th, the 3rd highest finishing “B” relay. Other notable
splits, IN the “C” Relay Hanna O’Neill and Abbey Quandahl both had personal best
low splits. The “C” Relay had McKenzie Porter, Annika Anderson and Alana
Everitt all swimming personal best splits.
The 200 Freestyle Scored 34 points - four swimmers scoring
17, 11, 5, 1
All four Winhawks found their way into the scoring end of
the results. Sr. Co-Captain Haley O’Neill led the way swimming a season low
time to a second place finish. Sophomore Morgan Whyte tied her season low
placing in 8th overall. Sr. Greer Kosidowski was next placing 12th and Sr,
McKenna Marg kicks off her day and completes a scoring sweep for the Winhawks with
a season low time and 16th place.
The 200 IM Scored
13 points - two swimmers scoring 11, 2
Sophomore Alex Arnold was the bright spot for Winona here.
She swam strong and nearly matched her season low form Thursday by hundredths
and she improves on her 10th seed by finishing 8th overall. Sr. Razil Campbell
has a strong swim setting a season low by over 4 seconds and improving her seed
from outside the scoring to a 15th place finish.
The 50 Freestyle Scored
11.50 points – 7, 3, 1.5
The Splash and Dash was led by Sr, Emily Thurow swimming her
seed and finishing in that same spot, 10th overall. Sr. Abbey Quandahl places
14th matching her season low time and 8th Grader Alexa Lofgren ties for 15th.
1 Meter Diving Scored
54 points – 17, 16, 15, 6
As described above, Sr. Co-Captain Janelle Mueller, Jr. Sarah
Scherbring, Sophomore Emilee Degnan, and Freshman Clair Conway finish in 2,3,4
& 11th place!
100 Butterfly Scored 29 points, 20, 9
Sr, C0-Captain Reese Galewski was the top seed going in and
she did not disappoint. Leading by a half second at the 50 she powered it home
picking up another half second to win handily. In the prior heat, Sophomore Hanna
O’Neill swam to a season low improving her 11th seed and finishing 9th overall.
Other notable swims, Jr. McKenzie Porter swims a first ever 100 Fly improving
her 26th seed to finish just out of scoring in 19th.
100 Freestyle Scored
29 points – 20, 5, 4
Sr. Co-=Captain Haley O’Neill had earned the top seed and
her race did not disappoint. Ahead by mere hundredths at the 50 turn, she
stayed strong and extended it to over a half second by the touch. Adding to a
stellar day, Sophomore Alex Arnold swam a season low improving on her 14th seed
finishing 12th. Right next to her Sr. Emily Thurow also improved on her 15th
seed moving up two spots to claim 13th place points also swimming a season low
time.
500 Freestyle Scored
17 points – 13, 4
Sr. Co-Captain led the way in the 500 Free maintains her
seed and placing 6th overall. Behind her Sr. Razil Campbell improves one on her
seed to score in 13th place overall.
200 Free Relay Scored
40 points 28, 12
The Winhawk A relay of Abbey Quandahl, Greer Kosidowski, Alexa
Lofgren, Emily Thurow, on the strength of season low splits by Lofgren and Thurow
move their 9th seed up to a 5th place finish. The B Relay Hanna O'Neill, Morgan
Drazkowski, Alexandra Arnold, Raizl Campbell, are right behind them placing 11th,
both Arnold and Campbell split season low times.
The 100 Backstroke Scored
35 points – 15, 13, 5, 2
The third event where Winona scored ALL of their entered
contestants, they were led by Sophomore Morgan Whyte’s 4th place finish. Sr.
McKenna Marg continues her good day by improving her 8th seed to a 6th place
finish in a season low time. Placing 12, moving up three spots from her seed,
Sr. Abbey Quandahl swims a season low. Lastly young Alexa Lofgren continues to
contribute big. She takes her 22nd seed and betters her season best of Thursday
for a 15th place finish.
100 Breaststroke Scored
6 points - 6
Sr. Greer Kosidowski continues to take the weight of the event
on her should being the only scorer for the Winhawks. She converts her 13th seed into the points awarded
for 11th place by swimming a season low time.
400 Free Relay Scored
56 points 32, 24
The Winhawks knew a high finish was on the line and
performed well to achieve a great outcome. This may have been the result of a building
sense of Winhawk pride over the results of each Winhawk relay before them. The Winhawk
D Relay was the first to swim. Unseeded, Annika Anderson, Jessica Kohner, Harper
O'Neill, and Alana Everitt, went out with the first heat and proceeded to out
swim SIX “C” Relays to finish 23rd overall. Not to be outdone, Winona’s “C”
Relay of McKenzie Porter, Hanna O'Neill, Ashley Brommerich, and Kennedy Kolaas,
seeded 17th beat out SEVEN “B” relays with EVERY Swimmer touching in a personal
best time by multiple seconds and touching 14th overall. Being the “C” relay
they weren’t ineligible to score and the scoring points skipped over them to the
“B” relays finishing behind them. Next to build momentum, the Winona “B” Relay.
Seeded 9th and swimming in the second to last heat, the team of Alexandra Arnold,
Morgan Drazkowski, McKenna Marg, and Raizl Campbell move up finishing 7th
overall on the strength of Alex Arnold’s first split below 1 minute of the season
but maybe more so from McKenna Marg SMASHING through the minute barrier on her
split. With a building crescendo like that, what could the Winhawk “A” Relay do
but swim their guts out. Alexa Lofgren, Reese Galewski, Morgan Whyte, and Haley
O'Neill ALL swam season low splits finish 3rd overall and assure the Winhawks
capture 2nd place overall in the Spartan Invitational.
Final Scores
1. Eagan 386
2. Winona
370.5
3. Orono 320
4. Bloomington
Jefferson 237.5
5.
Minneapolis Southwest 229
6. Bemidji
195
7. Richfield
186.5
8.
Robbinsdale Cooper 180.5
9. Henry
Sibley 137
10.
Menomonie (WI) 83
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