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Thursday, November 19, 2009
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Goal achieved for swimmer Goll WARRIORS ATHLETE OF WEEK Sports Editor Laura Goll and Erica Campbell were linked together at an early age.
One of Goll's baby-sitters as a youngster was Campbell and both grew up to swim for the Brainerd Warrior girls' team.
In 2001, Campbell set the Brainerd High School girls' school record in the 500-yard freestyle (5:32.24). In last week's Section 8-2A meet at St. Cloud Tech, Goll smashed Campbell's record in the prelims (5:28.69) and again in the finals (5:28.38).
"Actually, it was two years ago when I had a 5:43 at sections and thought I had a shot (at the record)," Goll said. "My junior year I went 5:33, which was disappointing because I wanted to get it last year."
Warriors coach Dan Anderson said setting the record was no easy accomplishment for Goll.
"Last year was kind of a heartbreaker, she missed it by less than a second," he said. "She swam an incredible race and came up short. I've never seen a kid so spent after a race.
"This year she came out right off the bat swimming real well, and she kept inching closer and closer. She was within two seconds going into the section meet, but that's still no guarantee."
Illness further complicated Goll's pursuit this year.
"She comes up sick the Monday before the section, and misses practice," Anderson said. "The next day she shows up and looks not very good, and you think she's worked hard all year, now this happens. I think in her case it was mind over matter. She willed herself to get better. She never complained, she never asked why me, she was just going to break that record.
"She went out in prelims and broke it by six seconds. In the finals it would have been easy to let down because she had achieved her goal, and making state was a long shot. But she actually went out and swam faster in the finals."
Laura Goll
Sport: Swimming
Events: 200 free relay, 200 free, 500 free
Year: Senior
Age: 17
Height: 5-8
Career highlight: Breaking the 500 freestyle school record
Grade-point average: 3.5
Favorite class: Band
Favorite food: Pasta
Favorite movie: Young Frankenstein
Favorite Web site: Facebook
Tentative plan: Attend Minnesota State, Moorhead, and swim
Favorite athlete: Michael Phelps
Parents: Steve and Renae Goll
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Goll was seeded fifth entering the section and moved up to third for the finals.
"(Elaine Boosalis of Maple Grove and Morgan Lynch of Elk River) went 5:12 and 5:15 in the prelims, the two girls who went on to state," she said. "They were just amazing. Just to be swimming in the same heat as them was really exciting."
She was hoping to finish her career with a trip to the state meet but breaking the record was gratifying.
"I would love to swim for another week, experience the whole state experience, but my goal was to break the school record and if I made to state, I made it to state," Goll said.
She helped the Warriors to an 8-1 mark in conference meets, 9-1 overall, and a fourth-place finish in the section.
"To be fourth behind (champion) Maple Grove, which is just a phenomenal team this year, was really nice," Goll said. "It was a ton of fun and we bonded well. It was a great year. I feel proud to be a senior."
Anderson said the four-year varsity competitor was dedicated in the weight room and swam twice a day in the summer. She finished her career as an all-conference selection in the 500 free.
"To be all-conference is becoming a pretty big deal because we have state champions in our conference, state record holders in our conference," Anderson said. "She won the 500 free in every single dual meet we had, except against Sartell, and they had the state champion. She was just rock solid for us all year long. We could count on first place in the 500 free.
"She's the best distance freestyler we've ever had."
Other notable efforts:
• Jordan Hayes, football, rushed for 125 yards and three TDs vs. Centennial.
• Carsten Nelson, football, rushed for 104 yards vs. Centennial.
• Reid Mimmack, football, passed for 131 yards and a TD vs. Centennial.
• Katy Etterman, diving, finished third in the section and qualified for state.
• CJ Arndt, girls' hockey, had two goals and two assists against Detroit Lakes.
MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5861.
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