Visitation, Wayzata Defend Minnesota High School Girls State Swimming Titles

Agon is the proud sponsor of all high school coverage (recruiting, results, state championships, etc.) on SwimmingWorld.com. For more information about Agon, visit their website Agonswim.com.

MINNEAPOLIS – The Visitation High School (Class A) and Wayzata High School (Class AA) girls brought home the Minnesota High School Girls State Swimming and Diving state titles yesterday afternoon at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, as both teams successfully defended their team titles from 2013. Five Minnesota high school state records fell in the two meets, while five Class A records and three Class AA records took a tumble.

Class A

Albert Lea kicked off the Class A meet with a new class record in the 200 medley relay, as Bailey Sandon, Lindsey Horejsi, Ahnika Jensen and Anna Andersen swam a 1:44.73 to lower Visitation’s Class A record of 1:45.61 from 2013. Visitation’s Caroline Gaertner, Emily Kishish, Lorelei Gaertner and Emily Conners finished second in the final, also under the previous record with a 1:45.37. Sartell St. Stephen’s Anna Ellis, Lindsey Martens, Marena Kouba and Jennifer Thompson came in third with a 1:48.70.

Mankato West’s Chantal Nack cut almost four seconds off her prelim time to win the 200 free in 1:50.91, overtaking higher seeds Kasey Milstroh of Foley (1:52.72) and Elisa Burgstahler of Dassel-Cokato (1:52.85) in the process.

In the 200 IM, Albert Lea’s Lindsey Horejsi became the first Minnesota high school swimmer to clear 2:00, crushing the state and Class A records with a 1:59.77. Champlin Peak’s Abby Duncan held the previous state mark at 2:01.38, while Horejsi set the Class A record of 2:02.55 last year. She had just missed that time with a 2:02.56 in prelims, but crushed through that barrier in finals. Abbie Dolan of Visitation came in second with a 2:03.69, while Breck School’s Allyssa Phelps rounded out the top three in 2:05.97.

Albert Lea won its second consecutive event and third out of four in the 50 free, as Anna Andersen raced to a 23.65. Bre Thorne of Breck School secured second with a 23.81 while Visitation’s Emily Conners also broke 24 with a 23.85 for third.

Megan White of Blake/Providence had the top diving score in the 1-meter with 415.70 points. Alexis Kiefer of Northfield (401.25) and Britin Thomsen of New Prague (393.35) also placed in the top three.

After finishing second in the 50 free, Breck School’s Bre Thorne upgraded to first in the 100 fly with a 55.88. Visitation sisters Lorelei and Caroline Gaertner finished second and third in the final in times of 57.34 and 57.47, respectively.

The third Class A record of the day fell in the 100 free, at the hands of Visitation’s Abbie Dolan. Dolan had already lowered her own record of 50.04 in prelims with a 49.66, then cut another .06 off that time in finals with a 49.60. Dolan was racing the clock the whole way, as her 50 split would’ve finished second in the individual 50 free. Anna Andersen of Albert Lea, the state champ in the 50, came in second in 51.45, three tenths in front of Foley’s Kasey Milstroh (51.75).

Delano freshman Jordyn Wentzel started off her high school state meet career in victorious fashion, topping the 500 free by just under a second in 5:08.78. Marshall senior Kylie Vermeire came in second at 5:09.42, five seconds in front of third place finisher Katie Schmidt of Breck School (5:14.42).

Visitation and Albert Lea flip-flopped spots in the 200 free relay, with Visitation claiming the Class A record and victory this time around. Emily Conners, Lorelei Gaertner, Katrina Schneeman and Abbie Dolan cranked out a 1:35.52 to lower Sartell St. Stephen’s 1:36.14 from 2009. Albert Lea’s Anna Andersen, Ahnika Jensen, Haley Simon and Lindsey Horejsi also broke the old record with a 1:35.98 for second. Orono’s Annika Sherek, Caroline Gardner, Samantha Norton and Alison Tallen swam a 1:37.90 to finish third.

Chantal Nack of Mankato West earned her second individual state title of the day in the 100 back, stopping the clock at 55.72. Caroline Gaertner of Visitation placed in the top three again with a 56.65, while Sartell’s Anna Ellis came in third at 57.78.

Lindsey Horejsi of Albert Lea posted her second state record of the day in the 100 breast, lowering both the Class A and Minnesota all-time state records with a 59.56. She had set the previous record in both at 59.61 in prelims. Monticello’s Amber Eckstein finished a distant second in 1:04.64, just ahead of Northfield’s Sophia Nevin (1:04.83).

Visitation put the cherry on top of their team state championship with a win in the 400 free relay as Grace Snyder, Bergin Brown, Caroline Gaertner and Abbie Dolan cruised to a five and a half second win in 3:30.82. Mankato West’s Rachel Thate, Hannah Patenaude, Madison Bacon and Chantal Nack made up several seconds on the final leg to take second in 3:36.30, ahead of Sartell St. Stephen’s Paige Pawlenty, Marena Kouba, Anna Ellis and Gaby Hagen (3:36.62).

Visitation scored 309.5 points to run away with the team title ahead of Sartell St. Stephen (180 points) and Albert Lea (172 points). Breck School (151 points) and Mankato West (142 points) rounded out the top five.

Class AA

Wayzata started off the meet on a great note, as Carly Quast, Madison Preiss, Alexis Schaaf and Colleen Donlin nearly broke the Minnesota state and Class AA record in the 200 medley relay with a 1:42.30. Chanhassen’s 1:41.96 will stay on the books for another year. Chanhassen took second in the final, with Zoe Avestruz, Kylie Dahlgren, Rowan Hodgins and Kaia Grobe touching in 1:42.55. Edina’s Raime Jones, Olivia Anderson, Sophie Clarkowski and Ashley Post rounded out the top three in 1:44.57.

Armstrong senior Courtney Evensen took home a state title in her final high school state meet, topping the 200 free in 1:49.22 after qualifying second in prelims. Erin Buck of Maple Grove touched close behind in 1:49.97, while top-qualifier Mary Whiting of Wayzata swam to a third place showing with a 1:50.80.

Shortly after swimming on Wayzata’s winning medley relay, Madison Preiss returned to the pool for a second first-place finish in the 200 IM. Preiss stopped the clock in 2:01.50 to top Lake South’s Brianna Alexander (2:02.92) and Rochester Mayo’s Kallyn Barkey (2:03.26).

Edina sophomore Rachel Wittmer became the fastest 50 freestyler in Minnesota high school history after topping the championship final in 22.62. That lowered the all-time and Class AA record of 22.73, set by Stillwater’s Hannah Bowen in 2008. Kaia Grobe of Chanhassen also broke 23, finishing second in 22.99. Colleen Donlin of Wayzata tracked down third with her 23.49.

In 1-meter diving, Stillwater senior Liz Click took home the title with 463.25 points, comfortably ahead of Buffalo’s Rachel Bertram (423.00) and Hopkins’ Ari Brace (420.15).

Chanhassen senior Zoe Avestruz picked up a win in her final high school state meet, rocketing to a 53.36 in the 100 fly. Lake North’s Regan Smith finished second in 54.73, while Burnsville’s Angela Le came in third at 55.60.

After winning the 50 free in a new state record, Edina’s Rachel Wittmer emerged as the favorite to win the 100 free, and she didn’t disappoint with a sub-50 effort of 49.82. Kaia Grobe of Chanhassen got on the podium again with a 50.09 for second, ahead of Stillwater’s Ava Howard (50.82).

In the 500 free, Rochester Mayo’s Kallyn Barkey got the better of Armstrong’s Courtney Evensen by less than a second, 4:55.34 to 4:56.11. Chanhassen’s Kylie Dahlgren made it a senior sweep of the top three spots as she finished third in 5:00.83.

Edina sprinted to a new Minnesota state and Class AA record in the 200 free relay with Emma Wittmer, Amelia Anderson, Olivia Anderson and Rachel Wittmer stopping the clock in 1:33.80. They lowered their own record of 1:34.06 from last year, set by the same four swimmers. Wayzata’s Mary Whiting, Alexis Schaaf, Megan Larson and Madison Preiss nearly broke the old record as well, finishing second in 1:34.07. Rosemount’s Grace Herron, Anna Wenman, Cassandra Hutchins and Megan Wenman came in third at 1:35.54.

Zoe Avestruz of Chanhassen won her second event of the meet in the 100 back, just missing Rachel Bootsma’s state and Class AA record of 51.53 with a 51.98. Regan Smith of Lake North got to the wall second in 54.21, with Stillwater’s Ava Howard in third at 55.34.

In the 100 breast, Edina’s Olivia Anderson edged Wayzata’s Madison Preiss for the state title, 1:01.47 to 1:01.78. Woodbury’s Ana Sortland swam a 1:03.38 to take third.

Three teams crushed the Minnesota state and Class AA record in the final 400 free relay, but Chanhassen will get credit for it as Zoe Avestruz, Rowan Hodgins, Kylie Dahlgren and Kaia Grobe touched in 3:22.37. Avestruz led off in a new Minnesota and Class AA record in the 100 free at 49.22. Wayzata’s Mary Whiting, Carly Quast, Sarah Lingen and Colleen Donlin posted a 3:24.57 to finish second, while Edina’s Raime Jones, Emma Wittmer, Amelia Anderson and Rachel Wittmer placed third in 3:24.99. Chanhassen had set the previous record of 3:25.69 last year.

Wayzata scored 337 points to win the team title over Edina (281 points) and Minnetonka (192.5 points). Chanhassen (186 points) and Rochester Mayo (140 points) were also in the top five.

Results: Minnesota Class A Girls Swimming and Diving Championships

Results: Minnesota Class AA Girls Swimming and Diving Championships

Submit your All America Application

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use