Posted: 10/12/05
Swim team qualifies several more for section 7AA meet
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Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
Time is running out on the season so the Forest Lake High School girls swimming and diving team is making the most of the remaining dual meets. With dual meets against Suburban East Conference rivals Stillwater and Woodbury the Rangers continued to qualify swimmers for the section meet as well as set new school records.
Amanda Nelson took fourth place in 200-meter freestyle, setting a new school record time of 2:01.54. Nelson set a new school record in the 100-meter butterfly as well with her first place time of 1:00.05.
Carrie Peterson continued her improvement in the 200-meter individual medley with a fourth place finish time of 2:33.90.
Nelson also placed first in the 100-meter butterfly with a time of 1:01.02. Mary Walters took fourth in the 100-meter with a time of 1:00.90 and Rachel Merrierís fifth place time of 1:01.48 in the 100-meter freestyle qualified her for the section meet.
ìSheís been fighting for it all year so this was pretty exciting,î Rangers swimming coach Rochelle McKenzie said.
Eighth grade sensation Gaby Bunten, Merrier, Walters and Nelson took first in the 200-meter freestyle relay with a time of 1:49.15, while the 200-meter medley relay team of Walters, Sarah Williamson, Nelson and Merrier took second.
Eighth grader Natalie Emholz qualified for the section meet with a time of 1:20.46 in the 100-meter breaststroke.
ìSheís been working really hard in practice to get her times down and she finally did it,î McKenzie said. ìThis is very exciting to have so many young section qualifiers.î
Bunten took second in the 200-meter freestyle with a time of 2:05.17, while Walters had a section qualifying time of 2:28.64 in the 200-meter individual medley. Nelson took second in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 26.00 and Julianna Dahlager took fourth in the same race with a time of 28.21.
The Rangers saw improved time in the 500-meter freestyle in both the varsity and junior varsity races. Bunten had a time of 5:35.90, while Becky Zierke had a time of 5:53.17. In the JV race Ann Husfeldt dropped under six minutes for the first time with a time of 5:59.46 and Laura Oberg-Hauser had a time of 6:01.59.
ìWe have such a great group of distance swimmers who keep pushing themselves and each other,î McKenzie said. ìThey are all constantly improving with each meet.î
Walters had a third place time of 1:06.19 in the 100-meter backstroke and Allison Garrity had a time of 1:12.87 in the same race.
ìOverall the meets have gone really well so far, but with only three dual meets left there is a big push for those who havenít qualified for sections yet to get moving and for those who already have to secure their spots,î McKenzie said.
ìWe are only allowed to take the top four qualifiers in each event so there is a lot of friendly team competition going on, especially in the 500 where we have six swimmers qualified. Itís going to be interesting and is going to have to end with some really tough decisions.î
Today, Thursday, is parents night for the Rangers as they host White Bear Lake at 6 p.m. at the Southwest Junior High pool.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605