Wyatt Helms swims the 100 Free
The Westonka boys swim team made a splash Jan. 30 as they faced off against a formidable St. Louis Park squad in an electrifying dual meet. The White Hawks put on a thrilling performance, delivering personal bests, dominant finishes, and heart-pounding races throughout the night.
The meet kicked off with an exciting victory in the JV 200 medley relay, where the team of Tyler Finley (backstroke), Brody Helms (butterfly), Connor Shaw (breaststroke), and Niles Senn (freestyle) raced to a first-place finish, setting the tone for an action-packed evening.
In the varsity 200 freestyle, junior Sean Dolder powered through the water, clocking an impressive 2:02.11 to claim third place. The 200 IM saw strong efforts from Niles Senn (2:26.69) and Tyler Finley (2:57.04) in the JV heat, while in the varsity race, junior Eren Alemdar battled hard for a fourth-place finish with a time of 2:19.49.
The 50 freestyle varsity heat was a nail-biter, with Connor Shaw surging to the wall in a personal-best time of 24.95, showcasing his speed and determination. Dolder returned for the 100-butterfly varsity heat, capturing third place with a time of 1:07.77. Meanwhile, Niles Senn dominated the JV 100 freestyle, taking first place with a blazing personal best of 59.80. In the varsity heat, Wyatt Helms delivered a personal best, touching the wall at 53.48 for third place.
Alemdar tackled the grueling 500 freestyle varsity heat, finishing fourth with a time of 5:28.16, demonstrating endurance and grit in one of the toughest races of the meet. The varsity 200 freestyle relay team of Wyatt Helms, Sean Dolder, Connor Shaw, and Eren Alemdar fought hard in a stacked field, securing fourth place. In the 100 backstroke varsity heat, Brody Helms delivered a strong swim,
clocking in at 1:11.87.
The 100 breaststroke JV heat saw Connor Shaw (1:23.34) and Tyler Finley (1:35.17) claim first and fifth place, respectively, while in the varsity heat, Wyatt Helms placed fourth with a time of 1:11.51.
The night wrapped up with the 400-freestyle varsity relay, as Sean Dolder, Brody Helms, Wyatt Helms, and Eren Alemdar put up a strong fight to secure fourth place in a highly competitive race.
Next up, the White Hawks take on Waconia in their ONLY home meet of the season on Thursday, Feb. 6, at 6 PM at the Orono pool. Let’s make some noise, show our support, and PACK THE POOL for this talented team!
