INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MINN. — The Austin boys swimming and diving team had its strongest showing at the Section 1A meet in at least all least five years in Inver Grove Heights Saturday.

The Packers advanced seven swimmers to state in seven different events, senior Nick Brehmer was named co-Section 1A Swimmer of the Meet, and two Austin relay teams won Section 1A titles.

The team of Craig Heimark, Ian Christopherson, Carson Hackel and Nick Brehmer won the 200-yard freestyle relay by taking nearly one second off their prelim time and the same group of swimmers won the 400-yard freestyle relay, by taking nearly four seconds off their prelim time.

Brehmer also advanced to state in the 100-yard freestyle, where he finished second, and the 200-yard freestyle, where he finished second, Heimark advanced to state in the 200-yard-freestyle, where he finished third, and Christopherson advanced to state in the 50-yard freestyle, where he took fourth.

The 200-yard medley relay team of Sawyer Myers, Alex Laury, Seth Clasen and Hackel took fourth to get to state as they took 1.5 seconds off their preliminary time.

The Class ‘A’ state swimming preliminaries will be held Friday at noon at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis and the finals begin Saturday at noon.

Austin finished second as a team at the Section 1A meet with 281 points. St. Thomas Academy won the meet with a score of 488.

AUSTIN RESULTS

200-medley relay: Sawyer Myers, Alex Laury, Seth Clasen, Carson Hackel (fourth, 1:44.52)

200-individual medley: Sawyer Myers (eighth, 2:14.34); Ben Carroll (10th, 2:13.53); Chris Brown (16th, 2:20.64)

200-freestyle: Nick Brehmer (second, 1:46.47); Criag Heimark (third, 1:47.69)

50-freestyle: Ian Christopherson (fourth, 22.59)

Diving: Alec Anderson (seventh, 314.70)

100-butterfly: Seth Clasen (eighth, 57.49); Ben Walker (10th, 59.54)

100-freestyle: Nick Brehmer (second, 48.86); Craig Heimark (seventh, 50.71); Ian Christopherson (10th, 51.09); Carson Hackel (11th, 51.12)

500-freestyle: Sawyer Myers (eighth, 5:09.75); Isaac Christopherson (14th, 5:15.40)

200-freestyle relay: Criag Heimark, Ian Christopherson, Carson Hackel, Nick Brehmer (first, 1:30.48)

100-backstroke: Sam Clasen (13th, 1:03.22)

100-breaststroke: Chris Brown (10th, 1:08.71); Andrew Baker (16th, 1:14.88)

400-freestyle relay: Criag Heimark, Ian Christopherson, Carson Hackel, Nick Brehmer (first, 3:16.90)