The Westonka-Holy Family (WHF) girls swim and dive team had a second-place finish at the Section 3A Championship on Saturday at Willmar High School. This is the first time in program history that WHF has taken second at sections, and it comes under the leadership of head coach Ben Hanson.

The meet featured 10 teams from across the region, and WHF entered the day determined to secure second place behind top-seeded Orono. Their intensity and depth were evident from the opening relay and carried through to the final race of the night.

The meet began with a surge of momentum in the 200-yard medley relay, where sophomore Mia Dongoske, junior Rachel Betts, junior Jaylen Juras, and junior Carina Gadtke delivered a powerful performance, placing second and earning a spot at the State Swim Meet. That momentum continued into the 200-yard freestyle, where junior Laney Hendrickson raced to a strong second-place finish and secured her state qualification. Junior Charlotte Lake took eighth, and sophomore Ava Dominguez followed in ninth, contributing crucial points.

In the 200-yard individual medley, Dongoske claimed second place and punched her ticket to state, followed by junior Chella Patterson in seventh, senior captain Kayla Quandt in 10th, and junior Verana Habicht in 12th, showing depth across multiple lanes. The 50-yard freestyle continued the scoring streak, with freshman Bridget Treacy finishing ninth, Gadtke taking 10th, and seventh-grader Alina Navidad placing 12th.

In diving, WHF delivered one of the most dominant performances of the meet. Junior Bailey Monette secured first place and punched her ticket to the state meet. Senior captain Erica Johnson followed with a strong second-place finish, also qualifying for state. Junior Jillian Schmitz rounded out the group with a 14th-place finish, adding important points to the team total.

The excitement continued in the 100-yard butterfly as Juras dropped significant time to finish third and qualify for state. Quandt placed ninth, Navidad finished 13th, and sophomore Lucia Faber rounded out the scoring in 16th. In the 100-yard freestyle, Betts powered to a fifth-place finish and secured her state qualification. Treacy placed eighth, Gadtke took 12th, and senior captain Izzy Starr finished 14th.

In the 500-yard freestyle, Hendrickson swam an exciting race, steadily pulling ahead of the field to finish as the 2025 Section 3A Champion and qualify for state. Lake also turned in an impressive performance, dropping time to finish third and qualify for state, while Dominguez added key points with a sixth-place finish.

History was made again during the 200-yard freestyle relay. For the first time under Coach Hanson, the 200 free relay qualified for the state meet. Treacy, Gadtke, Navidad, and Hendrickson raced to a third-place podium finish and punched their ticket to state.

The team continued its success in the 100-yard backstroke, where Juras placed fourth, Starr placed sixth, Patterson took 10th, and senior Hayden Nichols finished 13th.

The night’s second individual section title came in the 100-yard breaststroke. Dongoske surged ahead and touched the wall as the 2025 Section 3A Breaststroke Champion, earning her state qualification. Betts was close behind, finishing second and also punching her ticket to the state meet.

The meet concluded with the 400-yard freestyle relay, where Treacy, Starr, Betts, and Hendrickson powered to a third-place finish and secured yet another state qualification, closing out the meet with energy and emotion.

In total, WHF will send 11 state qualifiers and three alternates to the State Meet, represented by individual swimmers, divers, and three relays. It is one of the largest state delegations in program history.

From start to finish, WHF showcased exceptional depth with underclassmen stepping up in pressure moments, upperclassmen leading with poise, and relays rising to new heights. Multiple state qualifiers, two individual section champions, and historic relay accomplishments propelled the White Hawks to a runner-up finish that will be remembered as a defining moment for the program and a milestone in Coach Hanson’s tenure.

Head Coach Ben Hanson reflected on the night, saying, “This was a fun meet where the girls swam great. Second place is amazing, and I am proud of every one of them.”

The State Swim & Dive Championship will take place November 13–15 at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center at the University of Minnesota, where the White Hawks will compete against the top athletes in Class A. No matter what happens next, the legacy of this team is already written..they made history!