Rochester high schools make a big splash at section swimming and diving meet

Nov. 8—ROCHESTER — It was a night to remember for the Rochester swimming community.

While the athletes from Century, John Marshall and Mayo High Schools are competitors in the pool, they don't really think of it that way. After the medal ceremony for each event during the meet, the Rochester swimmers who finished in the top eight would gather together and pose for a group photo on the podium.

"At the state meet, we really all cheer for Rochester, and we create a louder section, just because we all support each other," John Marshall senior Julia Ogren said.

Century repeated as the Section 1, Class 2A championships with a score of 327 during the girls swimming meet at the Rochester Rec Center on Friday night. The Panthers have won three out of the last four section titles.

"I think it came together really well tonight, and just shows how much hard work we really put into it," Century senior Sophie Blixt said. "And I think it really just came together at the end, which is really exciting, especially for my senior year. And I know a lot of the other seniors are really glad we could finish strong."

Mayo finished third with a score of 305 behind Lakeville North (315), while John Marshall placed sixth (231).

Adding to the excitement, seven total swimmers from the three Rochester high schools qualified for the state meet in individual events. The Class 2A state meet runs Nov. 13-15 at the Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.

The Section 1, Class 2A diving meet was held on Thursday night in Lakeville. The top two finishers in each swimming event, along with the top four divers, automatically qualified for the state meet. Any swimmer or relay who met a pre-set time standard in each event also earned a trip to state.

Ogren put on a show for the sizeable crowd inside the Rec Center, breaking her own meet records from a year ago in the 100-yard butterfly (53.82) and 100-yard freestyle (50.28). She will swim in both events at the state meet next week.

Another JM swimmer who made waves at the state meet for a second straight season is junior Abi Tri, who competes on the Rockets' swim team while also running cross country in the same season. Tri qualified for the state swim meet in four events last season and is a two-time All-State cross country runner . On Friday, Tri won the 50-yard freestyle, timing in at 23.54. She also placed second 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.39).

"She actually swims maybe once a week with us, because she does cross country," Ogren said of Tri. "She's really impressive, and she's a great athlete. She's a great person. I have class with her. That's when I see her more often than in the pool. But yeah, it's amazing what she can do with such little practice."

Speaking of the breaststroke, Blixt took home the crown and punched her ticket to the state meet in the event for the third consecutive year, clocking in at 1:05.02. Blixt also qualified in the 100 fly, placing second (55.23) just behind Ogren.

Returning to the state meet with Blixt will be Century senior Chloe Magnuson, who qualified for her third-place finish in the 100 free (53.23) and fourth-place finish in the 50 free (24.16). Magnuson recently verbally committed to swim for the Division I University of Northern Iowa next season. She is the second senior swimmer on the Panthers to announce her D-1 commitment, Blixt being the first, as she is set to head off to the University of South Dakota .

"I'm very excited," Magnuson said after the meet. "This is my first time going to state in all of my events. I made it individually last year, but I'm just super pumped, because I didn't think I would get the cut in the 100 free and I ended up getting it, so super happy."

Mayo senior Madeline Gau three-peated as the 100-yard backstroke champion, clocking in at 57.19 and improving her time from last year by 0.38 seconds. Gau also qualified for her fifth-place finish in the 100 fly (57.16), joining Ogren and Blixt.

It was a full-circle moment for the trio since it was the first time they all swam the same event since their freshman year.

Other Spartan swimmers who will compete at the state meet next week are juniors Corrina Tonn and Elise Weingarten. Tonn made the cut in the 100 fly, placing seventh (58.10) and fifth in the 100 breast (1:07.38).

As for relays, Mayo, Century and JM had multiple teams earn state berths. Mayo's 200 medley relay of Weingarten, Tonn, Gau and Penelope Hauser took home the section title (1:46.78) while Century's group of JiaYin Jian-Gross, Blixt, Magnuson and Sarah Homme finished second behind the Spartans (1:47.03). JM's Kayla Mingo, Tri, Ogren and Maysen Pettengill followed, placing third (1:48.47).

JM's Tri, Pettengill, Madilyn Keller and Ogren won the 200 freestyle relay (1:37.73) while Century's Karley Maley, Homme, Kenzie Brockman and Alexandra Pool came in second (1:41.78).

In the final event of the night — the 400 freestyle relay — Century's Magnuson, Homme, Pool and Blixt made the state cut with a third-place finish (3:36.56), while Mayo's Weingarten, Halle Yuan, Hauser and Gau qualified for finishing fifth with a time of 3:40.52.

"This is the first year that we've had more than a few people qualify for individuals," Gau said. "Last year, Elise qualified, but we're really building up our team. And we got two relays this year, which is really great. Last year, we only got one. ... I think this is probably one of the highest (scores) we've gotten at a section meet. ... We have a really strong junior class, and having a bunch of people qualify in individual events is really fun."

Rochester nearly swept the section awards as Century junior Kendall Langenbrunner was named section diver of the year after winning the Section 1-2A diving title Thursday night with a score of 322.70.

Ogren was named section swimmer of the year, while Century's Dale and Megan Magnuson and John Marshall's Lauren Kalwasinski were honored as section head coaches of the year, all for the second consecutive season.

No matter what happens at the state meet next week, one thing is for certain — the Rochester swim and dive teams will be cheering each other on as they represent the city.

200 medley relay — 1. Mayo (Elise Weingarten, Corrina Tonn, Madeline Gau, Penelope Hauser) 1:46.78; 2. Century (JiaYin Jian-Gross, Sophie Blixt, Chloe Magnuson, Sarah Homme) 1:47.03; 3. John Marshall (Kayla Mingo, Abi Tri, Julia Ogren, Maysen Pettengill) 1:48.47.

50 freestyle — 1. Tri (JM) 23.54; 4. Magnuson (Cent) 24.16.

100 butterfly — 1. Ogren (JM) 53.82 (meet record); 2. Blixt (Cent) 55.23; 5. Gau (Mayo) 57.16; 7. Tonn (Mayo) 58.10.

100 freestyle — 1. Ogren (JM) 50.28 (meet record); 3. Magnuson (Cent) 53.23.

200 freestyle relay — 1. JM (Tri, Pettengill, Madilyn Keller, Ogren) 1:37.73; 2. Century (Karley Maley, Homme, Kenzie Brockman, Alexandra Pool) 1:41.78.

100 backstroke — 1. Gau (Mayo) 57.19; 2. Elise Weingarten (Mayo) 57.99.

100 breaststroke — 1. Blixt (Cent) 1:05; 2. Tri (JM) 1:05.39; 5. Tonn (M) 1:07.38.

400 freestyle relay — 3. Century (Magnuson, Homme, Pool, Blixt) 3:36.56; 5. Mayo (Weingarten, Halle Yuan, Hauser, Gau) 3:40.52.

1. Rochester Century 372, 2. Lakeville North 315, 3. Rochester Mayo 305, 4. Lakeville South 291, 5. Farmington 253, 6. Rochester John Marshall 231, 7. New Prague 194, 8. Owatonna 120.