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 one, with the top 16 finishers in each event invited to return for finals races on day two. Earning a state qualifying time, or a top-two finish, in a finals event race on the second day 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 Hutchinson Nov. 10 and 12. Coach Ben Hanson’s team finished an impressive third place overall and is headed to the MSHSL Class A State Meet at the University of Minnesota Nov. 16-18.   

Hanson pulled together a trio of MSHSL State Tournament qualifying relay teams. Delano, Orono and MWHF placed first, second and third, respectively, in each of the three relay events. The MWHF 200 medley relay team of senior Kristin Collins, senior captain Kate Johnston, sophomore Camille Ness and senior Jaylyn Storm finished in 1:50:87, just 0:00.01 behind Orono. The 200 freestyle relay (1.40.38) advanced Storm, Johnston, Ness and junior Catherine Dueck to the state tournament. Sophomores Grace Warden, Annemarie Johnson, Onna Sullivan and Dueck earned a trip to state in the 400 freestyle relay (3.42.07).

Four MWHF swimmers advanced to state individual events: Storm in the 50 freestyle (24.34, first place) and the 100 freestyle (54.09, second place); Dueck in the 200 IM (2:09.20, first place) and the 100 breaststroke (1:06.46, second place); Annemarie Johnson in the 500 freestyle (5:21.05, first place); and Johnston in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.02, third place). 

Eighth grade diver Bailey Monette has an arsenal of high difficulty dives with strong execution. Monette earned a second-place finish with 355.90 points and qualified for the state tournament.

Individual competitors in the Section 3A event finals included Warden, third place in the 200 freestyle and sixth in the 100 freestyle; Annemarie Johnson, fifth in the 200 freestyle; O. Sullivan, eighth in the 100 backstroke and 13th in the 100 freestyle; Ness, 12th in the 50 freestyle and 13th in the 100 butterfly; Collins, ninth in the 100 backstroke; senior captain Izzy Sullivan, 12th in the 100 breaststroke; senior captain Courtney French, 10th in the 200 freestyle; junior Abigail Ries, 15th in the 200 individual medley; ninth-grader Amelia Olson, 16th in the 500 freestyle; ninth-grader Erica Johnson, sixth in diving; and eighth-grader Jillian Schmitz, 14th in diving.

The MSHSL State Swim and Dive Tournament will be held at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center at the University of Minnesota Nov. 16-18.