With barely a moment to dry their caps, the Westonka boys swim & dive team powered through a challenging doubleheader this week—turning back-to-back competitions into a true display of endurance, teamwork, and determination.
The White Hawks opened the week with their first conference dual meet in more than 10 years, traveling to Delano on January 13. The meet marked a milestone performance for diver Tyler Finley, who competed for the first time representing Westonka. Finley broke the 100-point mark for the first time in his career, earning an impressive fourth-place finish as the team’s sole diver.
Facing a larger and deeper Delano squad, the White Hawks delivered standout performances across the board. The 200 Medley Relay kicked off the racing with a strong second-place finish. In the 200 Freestyle, Wyatt Helms and Sean Dolder grabbed first and third place respectively.
In the 200 IM, Brody Helms and Finley added more points with second- and fifth-place finishes. The 50 Freestyle saw Niles Senn touch in third, followed by Ben Zook in fifth.
Momentum continued as Eren Alemdar charged to a first place finish in the 100 Butterfly. The 100 Freestyle brought more success, with Wyatt Helms taking first and Senn placing fifth.
Distance standout Sean Dolder kept the energy high with a second place finish in the 500 Freestyle.
Back in sprint mode, the 200 Freestyle Relay team of Alemdar, Senn, Dolder, and W. Helms secured first place. Alemdar returned for the 100 Backstroke, earning another first, with Zook taking fifth. B. Helms kept the momentum going with a first-place finish in the 100 Breaststroke.
The White Hawks closed the meet with a victory in the 400 Freestyle Relay, sealing a strong overall performance. Several Delano swims were listed as exhibition, and did not factor into the official placing.
Just days later, Westonka returned to the pool to host True Team Sections on Saturday, January 17—the first time the meet had been held at the Westonka pool in 10 years. With only seven swimmers, Westonka hosted six larger teams, including Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Thomas Academy, Orono, and Breck/Blake.
The meet opened with diving, where Tyler Finley completed six dives to finish ninth.
In the swimming events, the 200 Medley Relay team of Zook, B. Helms, Dolder, and Finley placed 17th. Senior captain Sean Dolder swam to ninth in the 200 Freestyle, while Brody Helms earned eighth in the 200 IM.
The 50 Freestyle featured three Westonka athletes: senior captain Wyatt Helms placed fourth, Niles Senn finished 15th, and Tyler Finley took 23rd. In the 100 Butterfly, senior captain Eren Alemdar placed seventh.
More strong swims followed in the 100 Freestyle, with W. Helms finishing third, Senn 29th, and Zook 22nd. Dolder fought his way through the punishing 500 Freestyle to earn 13th place.
The team of Senn, Alemdar, Dolder, and W. Helms placed 10th in the 200 Freestyle Relay, while Alemdar and Zook finished fourth and 22nd in the 100 Backstroke. B. Helms placed 11th in the 100 Breaststroke.
The meet concluded with the 400 Freestyle Relay, where Senn, B. Helms, Alemdar, and W. Helms earned seventh place, finishing the busy week on a strong note.
The White Hawks return to action in a home meet against Dassel Cokato-Litchfield on Tuesday, January 20. Fans are encouraged to come out and support this hardworking and resilient team.
Go White Hawks!
