Austin swim team gets solid performances against Owatonna

By Herald staff (Contact) | Austin Daily Herald

Originally published 12:24 a.m., September 12, 2008
Updated 12:24 a.m., September 12, 2008

The Austin girls swimming and diving team fell to Owatonna by a score of 97 to 86 Thursday at Ellis Middle School.

The team showed some strides in the meet. The 200-medley relay team of Brooke Johnson, Kelli Bednar, Averi Splinter, and Nicole Haugland took second, but had a time of 1:57.37. It is the third time this season, the relay team, which went to the state swim meet last season, swam under the state cut time.

“It doesn’t get us to the state meet yet, but it builds a lot of confidence in them to do even better when we get to the end of the year,” Austin head coach Lynn Gulbrandson said.

Averi Splinter also had a big night for Austin, as she swam her fastest race this season in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 25.67 seconds that was good for first in the event. Splinter also finished under the state cut time in the 100-butterfly when she took first with a time of 1:02.82.

Courtney Fleming took first in diving, and Helen Heimark took first in the 500-freestyle with a season-best time of 5:55.15.

Owatonna 97, Austin 86

200-medley relay: Brooke Johnson, Kelli Bednar, Averi Splinter, Nicole Haugland (second, 1:57.37)

200-freestyle: Helen Heimark (third, 2:10.10); Kendyl Losee (fourth, 2:13.37); Lindsay Halsey (fifth, 2:18.81)

200-indiv. medley: Kelli Bednar (second, 2:32.19); Meredith Fritz (fifth, 2:40.14)

50-freestyle: Averi Splinter (first, 25.76); Nicole Haugland (fourth, 26.50)

Diving: Courtney Fleming (first, 183.50); Caroline Brown (third, 157.65); Robyn O’Leary (fifth, 1:20.60)

100-butterfly: Averi Splinter (first, 1:02.82); Kendyl Losee (fourth, 1:11.08); Anna Smith (fifth, 1:13.79)

100-freestyle: Nicole Haugland (third, 58.52); Jacqi Srock (fifth, 1:04.51)

500-freestyle: Helen Heimark (first, 5:55.15); Amanda Zahradnik (fifth, 6:17.99)

200-freestyle relay: Averi Splinter, Kelli Bednar, Helen Heimark, Nicole Haugland (second, 1:46.41); Morgan Aker, Lauren Edwards, Ingrid Baudler, Kendyl Losee (third, 1:55.44)

100-backstroke: Brooke Johnson (second, 1:05.49); Lindsay Halsey (fourth, 1:12.85)

100-breastroke: Kelli Bednar (second, 1:15.49); Audrey DeVries (third, 1:19.13); Emily Jensen (fourth, 1:30.27)

400-freestyle: Helen Heimark, Meredith Fritz, Brooke Johnson, Kendyl Losee (second, 4:10.84); Lauren Edwards, Morgan Aker, Lindsay Halsey, Ingrid Baudler (third, 4:15.12)