For high school swim and dive teams, the path to the MSHSL State Tournament begins and ends at the Section Championship meet.  This two-day event includes preliminary races on day 1, with the top 16 finishers in each event invited to return for finals races on day 2.  Earning a state qualifying time in a finals event race is the sole opportunity to qualify for the state meet.   

The Mound Westonka – Holy Family (MWHF) Girls Swim and Dive team was one of 11 teams competing in the Section 3A Championships in Willmar on November 11 and 13.  Coach Ben Hanson’s team finished 5th overall and will send 7 swimmers to the MSHSL State Meet at the University of Minnesota November 19-20.   

Hanson pulled together a trio of MSHSL State Tournament qualifying relay teams.  The 200 Medley Relay team of Kristin Collins (JR), Kate Johnson (JR), Annie Springer (SR, Captain) and Jaylyn Storm (JR) had a 3rd place finish (1:50:24).  The 200 Freestyle Relay also finished 3rd (1.40.77) advancing Johnston, Annemarie Johnson (FR), Ellen Ries (SR, Captain) and Storm to the State Tournament.  E. Ries, Johnson, Abigail Ries (SO) and Springer earned their ticket to State with a 5th place finish (3.42.47) in the 400 Freestyle Relay.

Five MWHF swimmers advanced to the State Tournament in individual events;  Storm (JR) in the 50 Freestyle (24.47, 2nd place) and the 100 Freestyle (54.26, 5th place), E. Ries in the 500 Freestyle (5.24.44, 4th place); Johnston in the 100 Breaststroke (1.06.51, 2nd place), Johnson in the 100 Breaststroke (1.08.36, 3rd place) and Springer in the 100 Butterfly (59.87, 4th place).

Other individual competitors in the Section 3A event finals included E. Ries in the 200 Freestyle earning a 5th place finish (1.58.82) just 0:00:82 over the state qualifying time.  Also in the 200 Freestyle, Johnson finished 9th (2.02.93), Courtney French (JR) was 10th and Collins finished 12th (2.09.59).  Springer finished 10th in the 200 Individual Medley (2.18.76) with A. Ries 13th (2.24.68).  Johnston finished 14th in the 50 Freestyle (25.91) and French placed 13th in the 500 Freestyle (5.44.97).  Collins placed 13th in the 100 Backstroke (1.05.08) with Hanna Hall (SR, Captain) finishing the 100 Breaststroke in 12th.  Kathryn Collins (SR, Captain) took 15th in the 100 Butterfly (1.03.86).

Sophomore Catherine Dueck withdrew from the competition after the preliminary races due to illness.  Dueck’s preliminary races earned her a 3rd place seed in the 200 Individual Medley (2.14.57) and 4th in the 100 Freestyle (54.51).  Dueck’s 200 Individual Medley time in the preliminary race met the state qualifying time, though only races swam in Finals allow for advancement to the State Meet.  

Diver Bailey Monette (7th grade) earned 302.00 points for the 20 dives competed over the two days.  Monette    placed 5th, just 0.95 points behind the 4th place finisher.  The top 4 divers advance to the State Meet.  

Next meet is MSHSL State Tournament, University of Minnesota Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center:  November 18-20