MWHF divers (from left): Bailey Monette, Callie Brown, Erica Johnson, Anna Dueck, Coach Sarah Neve, Allison Kreiser, Hedi Smith, Jillian (Jill) Schmidtz, Ashlyn Koehler and Sarah Goralczyk.
Just two weeks into the high school swim and dive season, and the competition has begun. Mound Westonka/Holy Family (MWHF) welcomed Orono and Benilde-St. Margaret’s (BSM) to the pool on August 27 for the annual Tim Daly Invitational. This season kickoff event honors longtime MWHF swim coach Tim Daly. The MWHF team took first, followed by Orono in second and BSM in third.
Coach Ben Hanson is back for his sixth year as MWHF girls swim and dive coach after his team finished sixth at the state meet in 2021. Returning 2021 state qualifiers include senior Kristin Collins, senior Kate Johnston, sophomore Annemarie Johnson and senior Jaylyn Storm. The dive team, coached by Sarah Neve, also has a solid lineup with last year’s top diver eighth grader Bailey Monette along with senior newcomer Anna Dueck.
The 200-medley relay team of Collins, Johnston, sophomore Camille Ness and Storm finished first, with Orono finishing second. MWHF added another first in the 200 freestyle relay team of sophomore Grace Warden, sophomore Annemarie Johnson, Johnston and Storm. The 400 freestyle relay was won by Orono with Johnson, Ness, sophomore Onna Sullivan and Warden taking fourth.
BSM’s Claire Prindville was the top finisher in the 200 freestyle, followed by Addie Thalhuber from Orono and Emma Rudowsky from BSM. Warden, also new to the team this year, was impressive in the 200 IM, taking first place ahead of Orono and BSM.
The 50 Free proved to be a fast final heat with MWHF’s Storm out-touching BSM’s Lauren Benedict. Benedict came back with a first in the 100 butterfly, followed by Orono, and taking third was MWHF’s Warden. BSM’s Claire Prindiville came out fast and just barely held off MWHF’s Storm for a one, two finish – with O. Sullivan coming in fourth.
MWHF’s Johnson took second in the 500 freestyle behind Orono. The top finishers in the 100 backstroke were Orono and BSM, with MWHF’s O. Sullivan and Kristin Collins finishing fourth and fifth, respectively. Johnston took a first-place finish in the 100 breaststroke, followed by teammate senior Izzy Sullivan in second with BSM taking third.
The MWHF divers took the top two spots with Monette finishing first and ninth grader Erica Johnson second. These talented young divers will be fun to watch as this season progresses.
