Gators do well at tri, true team
As the regular swimming and diving season winds down, the Morris Area/Minnewaska Area girls hosted a triangular and participated in the True Team Meet at Alexandria.
Morris Triangular
The Gators defeated Staples-Motley 94-30 in a Triangular meet on Oct. 12, but lost to Marshall 112-94.
The junior varsity team also picked up a win over Staples-Motley, 66-38.
The Gator parents were honored and it was also senior night to recognize the four outgoing seniors: Tiana Barsness, Caitlyn Parsons, Megan Sanders, and Natalie Johnston.
The Gator swimmers that had personal bests were: Ari Maras - 100 free; Katie Anderson - 100 breaststroke, 100 free; Tiana Barsness - 100 fly; Augusta Finzel - 50 free in the 200 free relay, 100 IM; Paige Hawkins - 500 free; Katie Rutledge - 500 free; Justice Robinson - 100 free; Eden Testa - 50 free; Meghan Thoen - 100 back; Amy Goette - 100 IM; and Halleigh Thompson - 100 back.
The JV divers, Kayln Nepper and Mason Schlief, placed first and second.
Varsity divers placed first and fourth, led by Julie Helander (section qualifier) and Rachel Karnik.
"It was the last meet for junior high and they did an exceptional job and improved so much," said coach Kris Entzi.
True Team
The Gators had a successful weekend at the Section 6A True Team meet held at the Discovery School in Alexandria on Saturday, Oct. 16.
In a true-team format, the team enters four relays in the relay category and four individuals per event and every one scores. So if there are 66 swimmers in the 50 free, then the first-place finisher will get 66 points and the points go down from there and the last place finisher scores one point for her team.
"Everyone contributes to the team score which is a great idea," said coach Linda Hoffmann. "At conferences and sections only the finishers in the top 16 score for the team."
The Gators are back in the water this Saturday for the West Central Conference meet held at St. John's University and hosted by the Melrose Dutchmen. The Section 6A meet will be held Saturday, Nov. 13 at Alexandria.
Justice Robinson, DuVall, Laura Schwendeman and Megan Sanders finished 31st and all four swimmers swam their personal best times. "It was a good way for them to end their season!"
They improved so much over the course of the season.
Team Results:
1. Melrose - 1565.5
2. Sartell - 1496
3. Sauk Centre - 1256
4. Alexandria - 1073
5. St. Cloud Apollo - 1072.5
6. Albany - 1016.5
7. ROCORI - 864
8. Morris/Minnewaska - 856
9. St. Cloud Cathedral - 692
Results:
200 Medley Relay
Team of Entzi, Holte, Barsness and Opdahl finished 4th and earned a medal with a time of 2:02.43
Relay "B" of Weaver, Stumpf, Augusta Finzel, Mckayla Smith finished 22nd with a time of 2:22.66
Relay "C" of Rutledge, Helander, Rust, Fangmeier and Thompson finished 32nd with a time 2:37.70
Relay "D" of Amy Goette, Katie Anderson, Darrian DuVall and K. Rutledge placed 33rd with a time of 2:38.99
Darrian DuVall had a personal best in the 50 fly.
200 Free
Barsness had her personal-best time of 2:10.83 and placed 6th
Natalie Johnston had her personal-best time of 2:15.73 and placed 15th
Caitlyn Parsons had her season-best time of 2:21.35 and placed 22nd
Paige Hawkins swam a 2:35.70 and placed 33rd
200 Individual Medley
Paige Entzi finished with a 2:35.64 and placed 15th
Alexis Banister placed 26th with a time of 2:48.77
Megan Stumpf placed 31st with a time of 2:56.15
Amanda Thompson placed 33rd with a time of 3:10.19
50 Free
Bridget Opdahl captured the 50 Free with a winning time of 25.59 by less than 2 tenths of a second over Alexandria's Rosey Erickson
12th place went to Natalie Holte with a time of 27.94
28th place went to McKayla Smith
31st went to Katie Rutledge with a personal-best time
Diving
Julie Helander placed 10th with a score of 227.85
Rachel Karnik placed 17th with 194.35
7th grader Mason Schlief also dove well that day
100 Fly
Barsness placed 4th and had another great swim in the 100 fly
Banister placed 21st
Colleen Rutledge had a personal-best time with a 1:23.25
Helander also competed in this event and placed 33rd
100 free
Opdahl placed 2nd behind Tarin Anding with a time of 57.90
Parsons placed 23rd
8th grader Bridgitte Weaver placed 26th with a personal-best time of 1:05.85
11th grader Amy Goette placed 34th with a time of 1:11.43
500 Free
Johnston placed 14th
Paige Hawkins placed 29th
Katie Rutledge placed 31st
Chelsea Fangmeier placed 33rd
200 Free Relay
Relay "A" of Holte, Entzi, Barsness and Opdahl placed 4th with a time of 1:48.80
Relay "B" of Banister, Johnston, Smith and Parsons placed 16th
Relay "C" of Kendra LaSota, Stumpf, Goette, and Fangmeier placed 25th - Stumpf had a personal-best in the 50 free
Relay "D" of Justice Robinson, DuVall, Laura Schwendeman and Megan Sanders finished 31st and all four swimmers swam their personal-best times
100 backstroke
Paige Entzi placed 5th with a time of 1:08.67
25th place went to Weaver
32nd place was C. Rutledge
100 breaststroke
Holte placed 10th with a time of 1:20.36
Thompson placed 27th
Stumpf placed 29th
LaSota placed 33rd
400 Freestyle Relay
Relay "A" team of Johnston, Weaver, Parsons and Banister
placed 14th, Johnston and Parsons had personal-best splits in this event (Johnston swam a 1 minute for the first time in her career and Parsons swam a 1:03)
Relay "B" team of Rutledge, Helander, Smith and Hawkins placed 23rd
Relay "C" team of Goette, Fangmeier, Schwendeman and Rutledge placed 29th
Relay "D" team of Rust, Sanders, Anderson, LaSota, Rust placed 33rd
