While a streak of illness plagued the swimmers, an Austin diver had no problems in a dual Thursday at Ellis Middle School.

The Austin girls swimming and diving team fell to Rochester John Marshall 83-65 as the team was without much of it’s lineup, due to a rash of the flu on the team.

But eighth grade diver Sela Fadness was feeling just fine as she scored a 186.2 to take first in a dual for the fifth time this season.

Fadness struggled on just one dive, a back one and a half pike, in which she scored a 13.8.

“It was a little frustrating and I slipped off the board,” Fadness said. “Hopefully I got it out of my system for Saturday’s (Austin) invite. I think there’s a little work I can do on all my dives, but that one especially I need to work on.”

Fadness just began trying the dive last week and it helped her get a season-high score of 215 at Winona.

While Fadness cruised to a strong finish with scores of 39.6 and 35.65 on her last two dives, she also was in learning mode as both of JM’s top divers finished in the 150s.

“I like seeing the different divers because I know what I need to work on by watching them,” she said.

While just an eighth grader, Fadness has taken on the role of top diver for the Packers this season.

It’s a role that has grown on her.

“I wasn’t expecting to be a leader, but now that I’ve stepped into the top spot, I hope I’m leading,” she said. “Last year it was like ‘I’m going to go out there and have some fun.’ Now I’m a lot more serious about it and I visualize what I need to work on.”

The Packer Invite will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the diving at Ellis Middle School this Saturday.

AUSTIN RESULTS

200-medley relay: Brooke Johnson, Kelli Bednar, Averi Splinter, Mikayla Finney (third, 2:01.92); Tori Grev, Emily Johnson, Ashley Wilson, Heather Johnson (fifth, 2:13.66);

200-freestyle: No Austin entrees

200-individual medley: Tori Grev (fourth, 2:43.97); Mikayla Finney (fifth, 2:52.61)

50-freestyle: Averi Splinter (third, 27.28); Ashley Wilson (fifth, 28.28)

Diving: Sela Fadness (first, 186.20); Autumn Laury (fifth, 111.90)

100-butterfly: Brooke Johnson (third, 1:10.72)

100-freestyle: Kelli Bednar (third, 1:00.84); Lindsey Halsey (fifth, 1:02.31)

200-freestyle relay: Averi Splinter, Kelli Bednar, Mikayla Finney, Ashley Wilson (third, 1:51.43)

100-backstroke: Brooke Johnson (third, 1:09.13); Tori Grev (fourth, 1:13.89); Lindsey Halsey (fifth, 1:15.34)

100-breastroke: Kelli Bednar (second, 1:16.32); Emily Johnson (fifth, 1:20.29); Lauren Stasi (sixth, 1:25.65)

400-freestyle relay: Lindsey Halsey, Brooke Johnson, Tori Grev, Ashley Wilson (fourth, 4:17.58)