(Herald video) Mainstreeters 200 MR at state

Here's video from Thursday's preliminary round of the Class 1A state girls' swimming and diving meet. Sauk Centre's 200 medley relay has much to be proud of for their successes this season!

(Herald video) Section diving prelims

Here's Cassandra Bohnsack in the diving prelims on Thursday in Morris:

State swimming seeding

Sauk Centre's time in the 200MR was 1:54.45 at the section meet. The average time of those competing at state is 1:57.47. The average time of the top eight is 1:49.45. The eight best seed time is 1:52.09, while the 16th best time is 1:53.93.

Danielle Banal's 100BK time from sections is 1:01.75. The average time of the top eight is 59.36. The eight best time is 1:00.56, while the 16th best time is 1:01.68.

The top 16 finishers in each event compete in the finals on Friday.

The preliminary round starts at 12 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday) at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis. Sauk Centre's 200MR squad swims in the first heat right away at the start of the meet in heat number one. Banal competes later in the 100BK, the 10th event, in lane one, heat two.

Best of luck Mainstreeters!

Four to state

Sauk Centre's Hannah Berg, who competed in the finals of the diving championships on Saturday.

Sauk Centre's 200 medley relay team of Emily Mensen, Morgan Marthaler, Danielle Banal and Alyssa Kohorst plus Banal in the 100 backstroke are headed to the Class 1A state girls' swimming and diving meet, which begins on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 12 p.m. in Minneapolis. More to come on Sunday.

Jaw-dropping performances

Cassandra Bohnsack, Lexie Marthaler and Hannah Berg cheer on Morgan Marthaler in a 100 breaststroke preliminary heat in Morris on Thursday. Morgan shaved 2.5 seconds off of her season-best time while qualifying for the championship finals.

Can you believe it? In 94 percent of the section preliminary races by Sauk Centre swimming and diving team members on Thursday in Morris, season-best records were broken. Two school records also fell: 200 medley relay team of Emily Mensen, Morgan Marthaler, Danielle Banal and Alyssa Kohorst plus Kali Sayovitz in the 500 freestyle.

That's the highest percentage for such a feat in head coach James Schreiner's tenure. Read the full list of season-best performances in the Sauk Centre Herald.

Here's video from the end of one of the 500 freestyle preliminary races, where Sauk Centre's Jenna Kill finishes the home stretch. She is greeted by fellow teammate Kali Sayovitz, who had just set the Sauk Centre school record in that event.

Much to smile about for Sauk Centre swimmers last night.

Here's the results from Thursday night for events that Sauk Centre has athletes going to the finals in; they were all season-best results!
200 MR: Mensen, M. Marthaler, Banal, Kohorst 2nd (seed time 1:58.18, prelim time 1:54.89)

200 FS: Sayovitz 9th (seed time 2:07.28, prelim time 2:04.97); K. Hanson 15th (seed time 2:15.11, prelim time 2:12.04)

200 IM: J. Kill 12th (seed time 2:35.79, prelim time 2:31.35)

50 FS: Banal 3rd (seed time 26.35, prelim time 25.12); Kohorst 4th (seed time 25.89, prelim time 25.18)

100 FLY: K. Hanson 11th (seed time 1:08.95, prelim time 1:07.91)

100 FS: Kohorst 5th (seed time 56.94, prelim time 56.33)

500 FS: Sayovitz 6th (seed time 5:43.63, prelim time 5:33.47); J. Kill 13th (seed time 6:00.7, prelim time 5:57.01)

200 FSR: Mensen, Banal, Sayovitz Kohorst 4th (seed time 1:47.65, prelim time 1:47.44)

100 BS: Banal 4th (seed time 1:05.05, prelim time 1:02.19); Mensen 12th (seed time 1:07.82, prelim time 1:05.8)

100 BT: M. Marthaler 6th (seed time 1:14.76, prelim time 1:12.26); S. Bushard 9th (seed time 1:17.13, prelim time 1:14.24); M. Weiers 15th (seed time 1:21.95, prelim time 1:17.85)

400 FSR: K. Hanson, Rachey, J. Kill, Sayovitz 10th (seed time 4:11.97, prelim time 4:04.63)

Streeter swimming and diving beats Alexandria

The Sauk Centre girls' swimming and diving team picked up one of their biggest dual wins in many years after they edged a very good Alexandria squad by a 98-88 score in the home pool tonight.

Head coach James Schreiner was truly ecstatic about the come-from-behind nature of the win. Read more about the win with individual event results and meet scoring in this week's Sauk Centre Herald.

Schreiner said after the win, "We knew the meet was going to be close. I told the girls we would probably be losing after diving and the 100 fly but not to panic. We really started to click in so many spots. When the Medley Relay took third place, that helped a lot. Diving was huge as well. With Kaylee Hanson going crazy in the fly and Lexie Marthaler dropping nearly five seconds in her swim, that added up."

About what the win means for the team this early in the season, Schreiner added, "The win is huge. When I scored it out before the meet, we came out behind. Having one or two meets like this in a season is really exciting. They make you see what you have and also where you need to improve. Although this win was big for us, it is just one step. We need to keep cutting times and keep getting better."

Up next for the Mainstreeters is the Park Rapids Invitational on Saturday. Diving starts at 9 a.m. with swimming to follow at 12:30 p.m.

(Video) Diving vs. Albany

Here's part of the diving competition last Thursday during the meet against Albany Area:

(State swim video) Tiana Molitor 100 backstroke

From the finals round on Wednesday in Minneapolis:

(Photo gallery) Day two at the Class 1A state swimming/diving meet

Photos of Melrose, Sauk Centre and Minnewaska Area athletes:
http://saukherald.smugmug.com/2013SPORTS/Swimming/Class-1A-state-swimming-day-tw

Mainstreeters collect numerous medals at State

Tiana Molitor finished her stellar swimming and diving career in style, garnering three All-State medals today at the Class 1A state meet at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.

She and the rest of her 200 freestyle relay team members (Julie Bushard, Alyssa Kohorst, Hanna Waldhart) earned All-State medals with an eighth-place finish in today's finals. They also reset Sauk Centre school record with a time of 1:40.49.

Here's video from the state meet today at the conclusion of the 200 FSR:


Here's a few comments immediately following today's action from Coach Schreiner:

Great job to the Mainstreeters for their efforts at the state meet!

Incredible first day at State Swimming

Led by a fifth-place finish by Tiana Molitor in the 100 backstroke, the Mainstreeters had an outstanding day of swimming in the preliminary round of the Class 1A state meet in Minneapolis today.

The 200 freestyle relay squad set a new school record and placed seventh in the preliminary round with a time of 1:40.51.

Here's a video from the Section 6A meet in Alexandria, featuring Tiana Molitor in the 100 backstroke:


More will appear in this week's Sauk Centre Herald. Check back on Wednesday afternoon for results from the championship round.

Outstanding

The Sauk Centre Mainstreeters girls' swimming and diving team is sending six student-athletes to the Class 1A state meet after a truly outstanding day in the final round of the Section 6A meet in Alexandria.

Tiana Molitor advanced in both the 100 freestyle (second place) and the 100 backstroke (fourth place).
Hanna Waldhart is going to state in the 100 butterfly (fifth).
In the 200 freestyle relay, Waldhart, Molitor, Alyssa Kohorst and Julie Bushard is going to state after taking second at the section meet.
Finally, the 400 freestyle relay of Molitor, Waldhart, Sarah Nelson and Danielle Banal is going to state after setting a new school record in that event with a time of 3:43.08.

Great job, Mainstreeters! More details to follow on what is taking place next week.

Big time drops at Section 6A swimming and diving meet

For example, the 200 medley relay squad had a seed time of 2:04.21, but they shattered that at prelims last night with a time of 1:57.83 which was good for fourth place out of 11 teams. That Sauk Centre squad was made up of Emily Mensen, Julie Bushard, Sarah Nelson and Tracy Kortan.

Sarah Nelson came in seeded 11th in the 200 freestyle race, but the senior captain blew up that and her seed time (2:11.8) with a fifth-place finish and a time of 2:03.87. Kaylee Hanson shaved almost six seconds off her seed time in the 200 FS with a finish of 2:13.35. Savanna Metzger took over five seconds off her seed time in the 200 FS and finished with a time of 2:19.84.

All those seed times were beaten with just two events completed.

Quite the night at Section 6A prelims

Emily Mensen, Sarah Nelson and Alyssa Kohorst.

A large group of Mainstreeters cheer on the 400 freestyle relay squad in tonight's final event.

At the 11-team Section 6A girls' swimming and diving preliminary round tonight, the Sauk Centre Mainstreeters had numerous drops in times - including some huge drops - to build a great deal of momentum heading into the finals on Saturday.

Head coach James Schreiner had this to say after the last race tonight, "Holy Cow!!!!  We had some amazing swims. I wouldn't even know where to start there were so many! I'm so happy for them all. What a great way to represent our school."


Here's more of what Coach Schreiner had to say after prelims tonight:


 Action resumes on Saturday at Discovery Middle School with diving at 11 a.m. in Alexandria.

Shania Baum in the 100 breaststroke prelims. PHOTO BY TIM MIECZKOWSKI

One example of the huge drops Sauk Centre swimmers had in times was with freshmen Sarah Bushard in the 100 breaststroke event. Her seed time was 1:21.58, good for 25th place coming into the night. She turned in a lifetime best time of 1:16.08, good for ninth place in the field and putting her in the finals round.
That type of night brings this type of smile...!

Sarah Bushard right after hearing her name announced as a qualifier for the 100 breaststroke finals.

Tracy Kortan with the lap board while cheering for Josephine Mensen in the 500 FS. PHOTO BY TIM MIECZKOWSKI

In another example of a stellar performance, senior Josephine Mensen swam the 500 freestyle race with a career-best time and dropped under six minutes for the first time ever.

Menley Rehm flies off the block in the 500 freestyle race. PHOTO BY TIM MIECZKOWSKI

Coach Schreiner giving some last-minute instructions. PHOTO BY TIM MIECZKOWSKI

Additional details will follow tomorrow as well as Saturday night after the conclusion of the meet.

Section 6A swimming and diving coming up!

Team members Morgan Marthaler, Morgan Adams, Jenna Kill and Menley Rehm gather after a successful day in the pool at Morris for the West Central Conference championships on Oct. 26.  PHOTO BY RACHEL FRERICKS

The preliminary round of the Section 6A girls' swimming and diving meet is tomorrow night (Thursday) beginning at 5 p.m. at Discovery Middle School in Alexandria.

The final round is on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. (diving) with the swimming races to follow at 3 p.m.

The Sauk Centre Mainstreeters have a group of 20 excited athletes gearing up for the big meet. Check back later tonight to see a few highlights from the meet and other updates from Alexandria.

Records fall! and pies fly!

Lots of pies were thrown tonight at the Sauk Centre pool following the Holdingford meet tonight! PHOTO BY RACHEL FRERICKS

Breaking news!

At tonight's home swimming and diving meet against Holdingford, Tiana Molitor broke the pool and school records in the 100 backstroke race.

The 400 freestyle relay team broke the pool record for the second week in a row. Great job!

Get more results from the meet in this week's Sauk Centre Herald.

*Also: the team's Breast Cancer Awareness fundraiser met all targets to earn pies in the faces for numerous individuals (in the photo)...read more on that in this week's Herald.

**And can't forget this terrific news: Bethany Ellis punched her ticket to the Class 1A state girls' tennis tournament with a Section 6A semifinal win today in Sartell. Again, read more details in this week's Herald.