Boys Swimming and Diving: Host of Warriors qualify for section finals

ST. CLOUD-Brainerd's Andy Dillon, Tristan Dawson and the Warrior 200-yard freestyle relay all posted the fastest times in the Section 8-2A prelims Friday, Feb. 21.

The top eight places in each event advance to Saturday's championship round. Places 9-16 will compete in the consolation round. Seven different Warriors plus the Brainerd divers will be competing in the championships.

Dawson led the field in 100-yard backstroke and Dillon outswam the field in the 200 individual medley. Dillon joined Parker Tatge, Griffin Blegen and Ethan Hebert for the quickest time in the 200 free relay.

Blegen qualified in the 50 freestyle (2nd) and 100 freestyle (3rd). Dillon advances with a fifth-place in the 100 freestyle.

Connor Lund and Mason Kuepers will both swim in the 200 and 500 freestyle finals. Cade Rosenwald qualified in two events with a third-place in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly.

Dawson placed fourth in the 100 fly. Cody Evans finished the 100 breaststroke in fourth.

Brainerd's 200 medley relay was second and the Warrior 400 free relay was fifth.

Prelim results

200 medley relay: 1-Elk River 1:43.62, 2-Brainerd (Thomas Ruhl, Jacob VanRisseghem, Cade Rosenwald, Dylan Paulson) 1:44.85

200 freestyle: 1-Nate Meyer (SMA) 1:48.72, 2-Connor Lund (Brd) 1:49.34, 5-Mason Kuepers (Brd) 1:52.18, 15-Baden Bastien (Brd) 1:58.84, 17-Tennyson Kelm (Brd) 1:59.26

200 individual medley: 1-Andy Dillon (Brd) 2:00.96, 3-Rosenwald 2:06.19; 12-Parker Tatge (Brd) 2:11.39, 15-Ruhl 2:11.84

50 freestyle: 1-Zack Kopp (ER) 21.98. 2-Griffin Blegen (Brd) 22.31, 10-Paulson 23.51, 14-Ethan Hebert (Brd) 24.07, 18-Riley Backstrom (Brd) 24.76

100 butterfly: 1-Kelby Modene (MG) 51.76, 3-Rosenwald 55.65, 4-Tristan Dawson (Brd) 55.95, 18-Cody Evans (Brd) 1:01.97, 20-Lance Zemke (Brd) 1:04.60

100 freestyle: 1-Kopp (ER) 47.36, 3-Blegen 48.47, 5-Dillon 49.72, 13-Paulson 52.34, 17-Backstrom 54.56

500 freestyle: 1-1-Meyer (SMA) 5:01.51, 5-Lund 5:04.89, 6-Kuepers 5:07.80, 10-Kelm 5:22.05, 16-Bastien 5:28.96

200 freestyle relay: 1-Brainerd (Tage, Dillon, Blegen, Hebert) 1:33.48

100 backstroke: 1-Dawson 54.83, 9-Ruhl 59.96, 16-Zemke 1:03.68, 20-Tyler LaPorte (Brd) 1:05.69

100 breaststroke: 1-Modene (MG) 57.75, 4-Evans 1:03.37, 9-Tatge 1:06.31, 10-VanRisseghem 1:07.05, 25-Cayden Sumption (Brd) 1:15.75

400 freestyle relay: 1-Elk River 3:24.28, 5-Brainerd (Rosenwald, Kuepers, Ruhl, Backstrom) 3:32.74

Next: Brainerd in Section 8-2A Finals at Saturday, Feb. 23 at St. Cloud Tech.