Winona Area Public SchoolsThe postseason has started for the Winona Senior High School girls swimming and diving team.
The Winhawks finished ninth out of 12 teams at the Big 9 Conference Meet over the weekend in Northfield and Rochester, but a slight mistake in the 200 freestyle relay cost them three spots in the team standings.
“We would rather have mistakes now instead of at sections next week,” said coach Chris Mayer.
Winona finished with 118 points. Northfield won with 424.
“Our goal was to be at or near the season best times and for the majority of girls, that is how they finished,” Mayer said. “We did have many girls crush some new bests too, a very promising sign going into sections.”
The highlight of the meet came on Friday night in Northfield when Issara Schmidt won the diving competition with a score of 429.45. Morgan Walker took third with 353.40.
“What a great night for those two,” Mayer said.
In the swimming competition on Saturday, Carolyn Macon placed second in the 100 butterfly in 1:00.53. Ryka Parsi was 26th with a personal best of 1:13.11, while Grace Nelson was 29th in 1:13.80 and Sierra Lohnes was 38th in 1:24.24.
Macon also placed eighth in the 200 freestyle in 2:04.32. Anna McCormick dropped seven seconds and finished 22nd in 2:13.73. Anna-Lee Landers was 24th in 2:15.61, and Harper Wolner was 30th in 2:20.64.
Macon also swam with the 200 medley relay team that placed sixth with the ninth-fastest time in school history. Joining her were Anna MacLennan, Emily Robison and Mary Hoffman. The B relay of Makayla Finnegan, Ava Calvey, Grace Nelson and Tara Ziegewied shaved seven seconds off their time to finish in 2:09.78
In the 200 individual medley, Kaylee Niemeyer was 14th in 2:26.88. MacLennan was 22nd in 2:31.77; Nelson was 25th in 2:33.71 and Calvey was 31st in 2:43.33.
Pike almost scored but placed 20th in the 50 free with a personal best of 26.98. Parsi finished 32nd in 28.10, and Tara Ziegeweid finished 39th in 28.94.
Pike did score in the 100 freestyle by placing 13th in 59.49. Robison was 18th in 1:00.63. Meixi Yu finished 30th in 1:03.32. And Jillian Foss was 43rd in 1:08.33.
Niemeyer lead the Winhawks in the 500 as she placed 21st with a 5:52.16. Landers was right behind her in 22nd in 6:01.89. Ziegeweid was 27th in 6:07.71 and McCormick finished 29th in 6:10.11.
In the 100 backstroke, MacLennan just missed finishing on the podium as she placed ninth with a personal best of 1:06.27. Harper Wolner finished 19th in 1:09.77. Seirra Lohnes finished 40th in 1:22.34.
Robison just missed scoring again as she placed 17th in the 100 breaststroke with a personal best of 1:15.86. Calvey finished 30th in 1:23.50. Yu took 34th in 1:27.13. And Francesca Schewe took 40th in 1:32.26.
The 400 freestyle relay, took 11th in a time of 4:06.27. Mayer said the team has been trying to decide who will earn the four spots for sections, so the coaches chose eight girls for the A and B relays who were all within a few seconds timewise and needed to show what they could do.
“All eight girls had new season best times, making our decision of who earns the spot more tough,” Mayer said.
The A relay consisted of Pike, Landers, Niemeyer and Wolner. The B relay finished at 4:09.31.
The section meet begins Wednesday, Nov. 6 in Rochester with preliminary swims. Diving will take place on Thursday, Nov. 7, and the swimming finals will be held Friday, Nov. 8.