It’s gonna be one crowded pool!

All right all right, a couple a Spartans, a Laker sure, the Warriors were already taking up space, but where we gonna fit the Lumberjacks! On top of we’re already up to our eyeballs in Mustangs, Wildcats, Hawks, AND Winhawks! I think the diving well will be safer to warm up in, for sure more peaceful!

Saturday the Winhawks travel to the Twin Cities and participate in the Spartan Invite. I am still a little sketchy on the teams participating but believe they are Class AA Schools Robbinsdale Cooper, Eagan, Minneapolis Southwest, Winona and possibly Henry Sibley. 

Class A schools Bemidji, Orono, Richfield and also Menomonie from Wisconsin. 

That is quite a line-up. All three Class A Schools scored at last year’s State Championships with Bemidji, Orono, and Richfield finishing 15th, 20th and 32nd respectively. 

The Class AA schools are no sloughs either and all in all will present some great competition for the Winhawks. 

The Winhawks get to return to the place they spent some of their fall training trip. To the delight of some and chagrin of others, that will be the Richfield Middle School pool and not the Mall of America. 

Some notable swims that I have been able to glean from last year’s State and this year include:

200 Medley Relay

Bemidji returns 3 of their four swimmers from their State qualifying entry, Erin Arndt, Danielle Hoven, and Libby Mcrae, They managed a 1:54.08 last year.   

Recently the foursome from Eagan, Bucki, Voss, Jagler, and Ellingson clocked a 1:56.78

200 Free

Orono’s Emei Thompson did a 2:00.06 at state last year.

Cooper’s Ann Kleckner-Thiele touched in 2:06 this season

Eagan Erin Bucki has a 2:03.54 to her credit this year as their Sammy Jagler has a 2:05.18

200 IM

Orono‘s Samantha Norton was 5th at State last year with a 2:10.55 

Bemidji’s Erin Arndt did a 2:20.84 in prelims at state last year

Cooper -   Sarah Hoogenboom has a 2:17 this year

Eagan can lay claim to a 2:20.65   by Deidree Voss, and a 2:21.90 by Maddy Hayes already this season.

 50 Free

Orono - Alison Tallen then an 8th grader clocked 25.03at State last year 

Richfield senior Kinya Gilbert scored at state last year touching in 25.02 

Eagan’s Allisa Ellingson has a 25.81 to her credit this year.

1 meter diving

Bemidji has a 9th grader that qualified for State last year, Kylei Grosfield  

100 Fly

Bemidji’s Libby Mcrae, now a Sophomore swung a 1:02.58 at State last year.

Eagan’s Sammy Jagler has a 1:04 to her credit this year.

100 Free

Orono Sophomore Samantha Norton scored at state last year swimming a 53.70     

Eagan’s Erin Bucki logged a 57.26 a few weeks ago.

500 Free

Orono Senior Emei Thompson did 5:24.67 at State last year

Eagan swimmers, Deidree Voss and Rachael Streit, did 5:44.83 and 5:47.56 this fall so far.

Bemidji’s Alyssa Wright a Junior popped off a 5:38.98 at State last year but did not make finals.   

200 Free Relay

Orono ‘s 9th place finish from last year state are all returning;  Alison Tallen, Annika Sherek, Samantha Norton, Emei Thompson they did a 1:40.45 

The same for Richfield’s State foursome Kinya Gilbert, Cori Benson, Claire Magno, and Aya Eid so I suppose the 1:42.42 they did is possible too.             

Eagan’s group Voss, Mitha, Hathaway, Johnson logged a 1:47.05 this fall already.

100 Back

Cooper Sarah Hoogenboom, has a 1:03  this year

100 Breast

Cooper Ciara White, clocked a 1:16 this year

Eagan has a pair of swimmers, Alissa Ellingson and Haley Pesik clocking 1:10.49 and 1:14.07 respectively this fall.

400 Free Relay

Orono has 3 of their 4 members back, having graduated the slowest of their foursome, which leaves Emei Thompson, Alison Tallen, Samantha Norton, and a newbie to try and match their 3:39.61 from State.  

Cooper’s foursome of Beverage, Klimes Ahler, and Hoogenboom   have combined for a 4:02.72 this year.

Eagan’s Jagler, Ellingson, Sommers, and Olsen can brag about their 3:52.11 from just a few weeks ago.

So it should be a good meet. I joke about the crowding part. Maybe for warm-ups, but each team is allowed 4 entries so their will likely be 5 heats of each event. 

The Richfield Middle School pool was built in 1967 and refurbished in 2007. It was fashioned to meet or exceed Minnesota State standards so that it could host major swimming and diving events. Nearly one acre in size, the Richfield Pool houses a 25 yard competition pool, eight lanes wide. The separate diving well features a pair of one meter boards. In addition to the 750 permanent seats, there is room for temporary bleachers.

7461 Oliver Ave. South, Richfield, MN 55423

- Diving competition starts at 9:00 a.m. This is an 11 dive meet

- Swimming starts at 12:30 p.m. I am guessing completion by 4PM.