MORRIS -- It was a big afternoon Saturday for both the swimming and diving teams from Willmar and Montevideo/Yellow Medicine East.
When the times were all in for the Section 2A meet in the University of Minnesota-Morris pool, both teams will each advance six to the state meet Nov. 20-22 at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.
"It was a good day," said Willmar coach Carl Shuldes, trying to conceal his glee. "All week the girls seemed to be relaxed and confident. It was almost like the stars were aligned for them to have a big day."
Willmar freshman Alissa Tinklenberg advances in four events, anchoring two winning relays. She finished in a rare first-place tie with Hutchinson's Audrey Kumm in the 500 freestyle. Last year Tinklenberg medaled four times at the state meet.
Joining her will be senior Mary Morris (200 freestyle, 400 free relay), junior Sarah Frank (200 free relay), freshman Aleasha Blokzyl (200 free relay, 400 free relay), sophomore Sarah Hund (50 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay) and sophomore diver Beth Pollock.
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Willmar tied for third with Hutchinson, behind first-place Fergus Falls and runner-up Marshall.
It's a speedy section producing three of the top six teams at the 2005 state meet, including Willmar in a program-best sixth place.
Montevideo/YME senior Madi Eid advances in four events, including a second place in the 100 freestyle. Casey Schulte took second in the breaststroke. In her final opportunity senior Ashley Briones qualified on the 200 medley relay, following two brothers and a sister who competed at previous state meets for Montevideo.
Willmar's Hund, seeded at 26.37, broke 26 seconds for the first time in Friday's preliminaries and then swam 25.35 in the final to qualify by state cut.
"She would be our most improved without a doubt," said Shuldes.
Morris qualified on a relay as a sophomore and spent last year studying and swimming competitively in France. Stronger for the oversea experience, she qualified by time in the 200 freestyle, taking nearly five seconds off her seed time.
Willmar finished with a flourish, taking first in the 400 free relay in a school record 3:44.35, slashing 6.64 off the seed time. Splits were Morris 56.92, Blokzyl 58.0, Hund 55.83, and Tinklenberg 54.02.
Willmar placed four divers in the top eight led by Pollock in fourth place. She improved from 11th place after 13 dives with a solid three-dive final during the championship round. Brooke Feichtinger, Laura Polman and Alicia Alvarado had also hoped to crack the top four but each fell one good-dive short.
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Class A events are at noon each day starting Nov. 20 at the Aquatics Center on the University of Minnesota campus.
Team scoring
(1) Fergus Falls 394 (2) Marshall 315 (3) tie, Willmar and Hutchinson, each 275.5 (5) Melrose 238 (6) Sauk Centre 184 (7) Montevideo/Yellow Medicine East 179 (8) Dassel-Cokato 98 (9) tie, Minnewaska/-Morris/Chokio-Alberta and Rocori, each 89 (11) Litchfield 72
(KEY: State qualifiers in bold, area finishers in top 16... other Willmar preliminary times.)
200 Medley Relay
(1) Fergus Falls 1:52.59 (2) Hutchinson 1:55.99 (3) Montevideo/YME: Alison Rongstad, Casey Schulte, Ashley Briones, Madi Eid; 1:56.65 ... (6) Willmar: Shelby Stevens, Katie Pakola, Sarah Frank, Mary Morris; 2:01.98 (9) Minnewaska/MCA: Alison Moore, Brittany Opdahl, Tess Cotter, Laura Moe; 2:04.49 (10) Litchfield: Alysha Balbo, Hannah Walsh, Mackenzie Thomes, Megan Boyle; 2:05.20
200 Freestyle
(1) Chelsea Caron, Marshall, 1:59.46 (2) Alissa Tinklenberg, Willmar, 2:00.02 (3) Mary Morris, Willmar, 2:02.95 ... (11) Alison Moore, MMCA, 2:10.56 (22) Amy Brandt, Wil, 2:16.10 (25) Emily Zondervan, Wil, 2:17.68 ...
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200 Individual Medley
(1) Kara Fisher, FF, 2:15.77 (2) Audrey Kumm, Hut, 2:16.23 ... (6) Ashley Briones, MYME, 2:27.81 (9) Liz Devorak, MYME, 2:28.11 (15) Shelby Stevens, Wil, 2:33.17 (24) Ashley Alvarado, Wil, 2:38.11 (26) Megan Michaelis, Wil, 2:42.38 (28) Valor Gorans, Wil, 2:43.91
50 Freestyle
(1) Megan Rieland, SC, 24.54 (2) Kirsten Koetter, Mel, 25.01 (3) Heidi Busak, FF, 25.24 (4) Sarah Hund, Wil, 25.35 (5) Madi Eid, MYME, 25.51 (5) Susie Kitzman, FF, 25.54 ... (9) Aleasha Blokzyl, Wil, 25.81 (13) Sarah Frank, Wil, 26.74 (27) Amy Brandt, Wil, 28.34
Diving
(1) Beth Keskey, DC, 333.35 (20 Lindsey Keskey, DC, 329.10 (3) Molly Hansvick, Lit, 289.85 (4) Beth Pollock, Wil, 267.25 ... (6) Brooke Feichtinger, Wil, 264.30 (7) Laura Polman, Wil, 258.05 (8) Alicia Alvarado, Wil, 255.50 (13) Angi Buchanan, MMCA, 229.45
100 Butterfly
(1) Kirsten Koetter, Mel, 1:02.04 (2) Kalin Webskowski, Mar, 1:02.39 ... (11) Mackenzie Thomes, Lit, 1:08.29 (14) Megan Blommel, MYME, 1:10.39 (22) Anna Fuglestad, Wil, 13.42 (29) Jaime Orsten, Wil, 1:19.21
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100 Freestyle
(1) Megan Rieland, SC, 54.97 (2) Madi Eid, MYME, 55.35 (3) Ashley Hunstiger, SC, 55.46 (4) Suzie Kitzman, FF, 55.64 (5) Heidi Busack, FF, 55.66 ... (6) Sarah Hund, Wil, 56.44 (7) Mary Morris, Wil, 56.88 (9) Aleasha Blokzyl, Wil, 58.30 (14) Laura Moe, MMCA, 59.49 (15) Melissa Varpness, MYME, 59.58 (17) Sarah Frank, Wil, 1:00.10
500 Freestyle
(1) tie, Alissa Tinklenberg, Wil, and Audrey Kumm, Hut, each 5:24.10 (3) Chelsea Caron, Mar, 5:33.63 (4) Miranda Anderson, FF, 5:36.60 ... (11) Ashley Briones, MYME, 5:52.14 (19) Megan Michaelis, Wil, 6:04.93 (22) Ashley Alvarado, Wil, 6:11.22 (30) Sara Tinklenberg, Wil, 6:22.09
200 Freestyle Relay
(1) Willmar: Sarah Hund, Sarah Frank, Aleasha Blokzyl, Alissa Tinklenberg; 1:42.40 (2) Marshall 1:42.51 (3) Sauk Centre 1:42.89 (4) Montevideo/YME: Liz Devorak, Alison Rongstad, Melissa Varpness, Madi Eid; 1:43.86 ... (8) Minnewaska/MCA: McKayla Smith, Brittany Opdahl, Dani Boutain, Tess Cotter; 1:53.91 (9) Litchfield: Alysha Balbo, Megan Boyle, Hannah Walsh, Mackenzie Thomes; 1:50.79
100 Backstroke
(1) Kara Fisher, FF, 1:01.39 (2) Nikki Bakke, Hut, 1:03.04 ... (5) Alison Moore, MMCA, 1:07.29 (12) Alysha Balbo, Lit, 1:09.60 (17) Shelby Stevens, Wil, 1:10.99 (27) Emily Zondervan, Wil, 1:13.69 (33) Samantha Crow, Wil, 1:15.33 (34) Ashley Zondervan, Wil, 1:16.35
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100 Breaststroke
(1) Kelly Ross, FF, 1:09.96 (2) Casey Schulte, MYME, 1:10.88 ... (7) Liz Devorak, MYME, 1:13.77 (14) Katie Pakola, Wil, 1:16.91 (20) Kristen Daniels, Wil, 1:19.46 (24) Kendra Sietsema, Wil, 1:20.14 (30) Valor Gorans, Wil, 1:21.98
400 Freestyle Relay
(1) Willmar: Mary Morris, Aleasha Blokzyl, Sarah Hund, Alissa Tinklenberg; 3:44.35* (2) Marshall 3:44.83 (3) Fergus Falls 3:44.84 (4) Sauk Centre 3:49.19 (5) Melrose 3:49.55 ... (7) Montevideo/YME: Kayla Eklund, Courtney Krueger, Ashley Briones, Melissa Varpness; 4:03.59 (8) Minnewaska/MCA: Dani Boutain, Alison Moore, Tess Cotter, Laura Moe; 4:08.44 (10) Litchfield: Kjerstin Meyer, Mikka Langmo, Jordan Peterson, Ashlee Lundberg; 4:23.30
*New Willmar record.
