Boys' basketball scrimmage

A 14-team boys' basketball scrimmage is today at Sauk Centre high school and their extra gymnasiums. Action begins at 10 a.m. Teams included are Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, Benson, Holdingford, Kimball Area, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle, Melrose Area, New London Spicer, Osakis, Paynesville, Royalton, Saint John's, West Central Area and Brandon-Evansville.

The Mainstreeters boys' basketball team faces Kimball Area in the first scrimmage at 10 a.m.

(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!

State swimming update

Sauk Centre's state swimmers standing pool side at the U of M Aquatic Center today. PHOTO SUBMITTED

At the Class 1A girls' state swimming and diving preliminaries, Sauk Centre's medley relay team and individual in the 100 backstroke both met their seeds but were unable to crack the top-16 and advance to Friday's finals round.

The 200 medley relay squad of Emily Mensen, Morgan Marthaler, Alyssa Kohorst and Danielle Banal finished 21st out of 24 entries with a time of 1:56.94. Their seed time was 1:54.45, and had they met their seed time they would have finished 18th. The cutoff to get into the finals (16th place) had a time of 1:54.21.

Banal, the lone senior of the group of six Mainstreeters at the state meet (including alternates), finished 22nd out of 26 entries in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:03.55. The cutoff for the finals had a time of 1:02.37. Banal's seed time was 1:01.75, and that time would have taken 14th place and gotten a spot in the finals.

In the sport of swimming, the differences can be extremely tight between earning medals or just earning a spot in a championship round. No matter what, we can all be proud of seeing these athletes get to state and keeping a terrific long-standing tradition going in Sauk Centre.

In a brief interview following the state meet prelims, head coach James Schreiner said, "Our girls had very good swims, but we were unable to get anyone back for the final day. We get five of these six talented and dedicated girls back in 2015. We are definitely excited about next year!"

Note: state video footage will be posted some time on Friday.

(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!

(Herald video) Diving at sections

Here's sophomore Hannah Berg in the Section 6A diving finals on Saturday in Morris:

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.