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Five individuals and two relay teams from the Chisago Lakes girls’ swimming and diving team earned a trip to next week’s State Meet at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

Ten teams participated in the Section 4A Meet at Hibbing November 11-12. It was a two horse race all the way between the Milaca Wolves and the Wildcats.

Milaca took an early 40-22 lead by winning the 200 Medley Relay. CL was eighth in that first event. In the second event, the 200 freestyle, the Wolves took first and tenth, but Chisago girls came in third (Leah Secord), sixth (Andrea Olson) and seventh (Laura Greene) and narrowed the margin to 67-63.

Milaca widened its lead through the 200 Individual Medley and the 50 freestyle. After four events, the Wildcats trailed the Wolves 160-107.

Chisago closed the gap to 184-170 in the diving event. Milaca had three divers in the top 14 (5, 11 and 13). However, as has usually been the case this season, the Wildcats dominated the event as four divers scored points. Erica Greene won the event and set a section record in the process. Lauren Trudeau was third, Ana Peltier fourth and Alex Thomsen came in seventh.

After seven events, the Wolves had extended their lead to 253-200.

Lauren Koch led the way in the 500 freestyle, as she won the event by more than nine seconds, set a personal best, set a section record and broke her sister’s (Lindsey-2003) school record all at one time. In the same event, Olson (4th), Greene (5th) and Kathy Julik-Heine (14th) scored points for the Wildcats. After eight of twelve events, Chisago had closed to 254-252 and the spectators knew the outcome was in doubt.

Milaca’s lead grew to eight (294-286) as the Wolves edged the Wildcats by a little over a second in event nine, the 200 freestyle relay.

Chisago Lakes took its only lead by placing three girls in the 100 backstroke. Angie Dery, Caitlin Cunningham and Julik Heine combined for 25 points and the Wildcats led by a single point (311-310) after 10 events.

Event 11, the 100 breaststroke, was the turning point. Caylee Nelson was the Wildcats’ lone swimmer. Milaca had four entrants in the race. Nelson swam a good race, came in fourth and earned 15 points for her team. However, the four Wolves combined for 26 points and the result was a 346-326 lead with only the 400 freestyle relay left.

In the relay, Emily Stein, Cunningham, Secord and Koch swam a strong race. Chisago Lakes won the event, but Milaca was second and the Wolves secured a hard fought 380-366 section championship.

Cloquet and Foley tied for the next spots with 257. Proctor/Hermantown came in fifth with 243, followed by Duluth Denfeld (213), Princeton (182), Duluth Central (126), Ogilvie (69) and Two Harbors/Silver Bay (57).

Individuals/Relay Teams to State

Lauren Koch qualified for state with a second in the 200 individual medley and a first in the 500 freestyle. Her 2:23.26 was less than a second off the winner’s time in the 200. Her section record winning time (5:34.02) in the 500 was more than 10 seconds better than her best time of the regular season.

Erica Greene’s 392.95 in diving was a section meet record and earned her a return to the State Meet. Senior diver Lauren Trudeau took third with a score of 336.05. Trudeau has been an important part of the team throughout her career and her fine performance was no surprise to her coaches and Wildcat fans. Ana Peltier’s 308.35 gave her the fourth and last qualifying spot in diving.

Emily Stein qualified for state competition with a second in the 100 freestyle. Her 56.80 was almost two seconds faster than her regular season best.

The Wildcat 200 and 400 relay teams both qualified for state. The 200 team (Cunningham, Stein, Secord and Koch) placed second in a time of 1:44.78 (nearly six seconds better than its regular season best). The 400 team (Stein, Cunningham, Secord and Koch) qualified with a winning time of 3:51.35 (more than 13 seconds better than its previous best).

Other Wildcats who swam in the Section 4A Meet included Caroline Stein (50 freestyle) and Jessica Thomsen (100 butterfly).

State Meet

Congratulations to the swimmers, divers, head coach Wakefield and diving coach Willhite. Good luck to all of them at state.

The diving preliminaries are noon Monday, November 21, swimming preliminaries are noon Tuesday, November 22 and the finals of both are at noon November 23.

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