The Mound Westonka/Holy Family (MWHF) girls swim and dive team visited the perennial powerhouse team at Hutchinson on September 9 and came away with a hard-fought win.   

The win can largely be attributed to both the depth of the swim team and the solid execution by the varsity divers.  The swim team took 2nd and 3rd places in all individual events, with the exception of the 100 breaststroke, where a determined Kate Johnston (JR) eked out a win by just 0.00.04 over Hutchinson and Cathryn Dueck (SO) finished 3rd.  

Freestyle sprint events had a 2nd, 3rd, 5th place pattern all evening.  Ellen Ries (SR, Captain) finished 2nd in the 200 Freestyle (2:02:32) with Annemarie Johnson (FR) in 3rd and Kristin Collins (JR) in 5th.  Jaylyn Storm (JR) took 2nd in the 100 Freestyle (56:81) with Kathryn Collins (SR, Captain) in 3rd and Izzy Sullivan (JR) finishing 5th.  The fastest event of the evening, the 50 Freestyle, saw an impressive 2nd place finish by Storm (25:49) with Johnston in 3rd and Ka. Collins finishing 5th.

The 500 Freestyle distance event brought another 2nd place finish for E. Ries (5:34:49) followed by Johnson in 3rd and Onna Sullivan (FR) in 6th.  Dueck led the team in the 200 IM with a 2nd place finish (2:15:46) followed by Annie Springer (SR, Captain) in 3rd and Abigail Ries (SO) finishing 5th.    

While the top spot went to Hutchinson in the 100 Butterfly, it was a 2nd, 3rd, 4th place finish for MWHF.  Springer led the team, finishing 2nd (1:02:26), with teammates A. Ries and Camille Ness (FR) finishing 3rd and 4th.  The team’s depth in backstroke shone through with Kr. Collins taking 2nd (1:06:44) followed by Ness and O. Sullivan finishing 2nd and 3rd.

Relays bring the energy, the noise and the points.  Coach Hansen’s lineups delivered in all 3 relay events.  The team of Dueck, Springer, E. Ries and Storm won the 200 Freestyle Relay with teammates Ka. Collins, Johnston, I. Sullivan and Courtney French (JR) finishing 3rd.  

Kr. Collins, Johnston, Ness and Storm finished 2nd in the 200 Medley Relay with O. Sullivan, Johnson, A. Ries and Kr. Collins in 4th.  It was a 2nd place finish in the 400 Freestyle Relay for Springer, Johnson, E. Ries and Dueck with French, Kr. Collins, Ness and A. Ries finishing 3rd.  

It would have been a different outcome if not for the MWHF divers.  Seventh grade varsity diver Bailey Monette stole the show, winning the competition handily with 166.85 points.  Her high difficulty double front summersault executed with a splash-free entry had fans from both sides on their feet.  MWHF’s Sammy Christensen (7th grade) finished 3rd with teammate Callie Brown (FR) taking 4th.  

Next meet is Mound Westonka vs Watertown Mayer on Thursday, September 16, 2021.