Tuesday night
was indeed a breakthrough night for the Winhawks. There was a big and boisterous
crowd screaming during the races, excitement on the deck with swimmers shouting
encouragement and cheering on their teammates, swimmers side-by-side in the
water pushing each other to their limits, and nervous coaches looking to try
and secure a win for their swimmers.
The Winhawks
might have had Karma on their side. They had themselves, their coaches, the admin
table, and even the officials sporting pink in a Breast Cancer Awareness theme.
At the diving break, the girls had organized a “Chuck-a-duck” fundraiser with
the proceeds going to cancer fighting endeavors.
The Winhawks
may not have won the meet, but they pushed one of the premier teams in the
conference/section right to the edge. When they found out at the last minute
they would be without a captain and standout swimmer, there was no evidence of
dismay. When they were way down in points, there was no letup, there was no conciliatory
tone. The Winhawks, through a combination of older experience and youthful promise,
announced that they are ready to take a place at the big table in SE MN HS
swimming.
The meet got
off to a rough start with news that Sr. Co-Captain Reese Galewski had injured
herself in warm-up and was being counseled to not swim that evening. A Senior and this being her last home meet, it took a great deal of counseling to
get her to withdraw from competition and focus on getting well for the end of
season. With that, the Winhawk 200 Medley Relay swam to a solid second place
finish, but in a time that reflected Reese’s absence and the team’s still
absorbing the impact and how to react to it.
Winona 4 Rochester
JM 10
The 200
Freestyle was a different matter though. Sr. Co-Captain Haley O’Neill stepped
up to swim a very familiar event, but one she has competed in only a few times this
year, (she has been focusing on the 50 & 100). Haley was up against JM’s
premier conference champion and state finalist. Her performance was just short
of heroic staying side-by-side with the Rocket swimmer through the 100. Haley finished
2nd in nearly a personal best w/o having trained for it! Right
behind her was Sophomore Morgan Whyte with a clear 3rd place finish
and young 7th Grader Morgan Drazkowski setting a new personal best
by over two seconds and the Winhawks earn a draw with the Rockets scoring 8-8.
Winona 12 Rochester
JM 18
The 200 IM
saw a reaction out of Winhawk Alex Arnold, perhaps from having watched her teammates in the 200 Free. From the start she had the lead through the fly
portion, yielded slightly through the backstroke, fell slightly off the pace in
the fly and gutted herself home in the free setting a season low time but
settling for 3rd. Sr. Razil Campbell scored in 5th and the Winhawks
fall behind in the scoring.
Winona 16 Rochester
JM 30
The 50 Freestyle
saw some shuffling because of the last minute assignment changes. Sr. Emily
Thurow stepped up and swam herself a season low time to get touched out for
first by a tenth! Alexa Lofgren swam to a valiant 4th place finish
and Jr. Kailey Kronebusch didn’t score in spite of swimming a personal best!
The Winhawks find themselves in a pretty deep hole down by 18.
Winona 22 Rochester
JM 40
1 Meter
diving saw the divers repeat what they have been doing a good deal of the season.
Lift the Winhawks right back up into the fray. Sr. Co-Captain Janelle Mueller
led the way placing first and Jr. Sarah Scherbring nearly matched her score
meaning she finished 2nd. Sophomore Emilee Degnan continues to
increase her impact in the results and she places 4th to contribute
to a 12-4 scoring edge for the Winhawks. The divers reel the Rockets back into reach
for their swimming Winhawk sisters.
Winona 34 Rochester
JM 44
The 100
Butterfly was difficult to watch knowing what the result would have been with
Galewski in the water. Appeasing the senses was watching Sophomore Hanna O’Neill
stepping up to swim one of her fastest time of the season to score 3rd
and Alex Arnold swimming her second season low time of the night. Still the Winhawks
get overpowered 12-4 and slip back slightly.
Winona 38 Rochester
JM 56
The 200 Freestyle
saw Sr. Co-Captain Haley O’Neill step up to the blocks rested since her earlier
200 and looking to breathe some life into the Winhawks’ position. Haley took
command from the leap off the block taking a full second lead by the 50. She stepped
it up more extending that lead by the finish and swam one of her faster times
of the season to touch in 1st place. Behind her 8th
Grader Alexa Lofgren and Sr. Greer Kosidowski both touch sub minute to score in
4th and 5th and the Winhawks go back on the offensive with
a 9-7 point edge.
Winona 47 Rochester
JM 63
The 500
Freestyle again, hurt to watch knowing Galewski’s presence would have made a
difference. Sr. McKenna Marg made a valiant effort to try and make the
difference. She swims a season low time with Sr. Razil Campbell right behind her
but their 3-4 finishes still add up to a deficit in scoring and the Rockets extend
further.
Winona 52 Rochester
JM 74
The 200
Freestyle Relay saw the Winhawks collectively shout that they were not yet done this
evening! The A relay of Whyte, Arnold, Kosidowski and O’Neill see season low
splits out of the final two swimmers and finish a full second ahead of the Rockets.
Not to be outdone, the B Relay of O’Neill, Drazkowski, Kronebusch and Quandahl,
with O’Neill and Kronebusch swimming season low splits, motor to a clear 3rd
place finish and the Winhawks capitalize on relay scoring 10 -4, again reeling
in the Rockets saying “we’re not done yet”.
Winona 62 Rochester
JM 78
The 100
Backstroke was as much mental as physical. Rochester’s big gun was ready to
step into the water, and the Winhawks knew they had to ignore that and focus on
their own swims. Sophomore Morgan Whyte led her teammates all the way touching
in 2nd. Sr. McKenna Marg swims to a season low for 3rd
and Sr. Abbey Quandahl, having just climbed out of the pool after anchoring the
200 Free Relay, swims to a solid 4th and the 3 together outscore the
Rockets 9-7 keeping the meet within reach!
Winona 71 Rochester
JM 85
The 100
Breaststroke was the line in the sand. Its result would determine if the 400
Free Relay would be a contest or meaningless. The Winhawks did not disappoint.
Sr. Greer Kosidowski swam the lead wire-to wire if only by inches, touching out
her Rocket opposition by 9 hundredths in a season low time! Right behind her,
Sr. Emily Thurow swims a season low to 4th (just getting touched out
for 3rd) and not to be out done, 7th grader Annika
Anderson swims to a personal best and scores 5th with less than a
second of margin over her competitor. The Winhawks outscore JM 9-7 again and leave
a glimmer of hope for the final relay!
Winona 80 Rochester
JM 92
The 400 Free
Relay and the Winhawks, in spite not having their star captain, can win but only
if JM DQ’s all their relays. Winona coaches, with the adjusted line-up have
thrown everything they can at JM up until this point and the final relays are a
jumbled grouping that typically does not swim together. They put up a valiant
fight swimming respectable times, but in the end Winona finishes 2-3 and
cannot prevent the loss.
Final Score
JV
Winona 84 Rochester JM 97
Varsity
Winona 86 Rochester JM 100
Next up - Section 1AA True Team this Saturday Oct 12 in Farmington
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