Packers send five swimmers to state

Published 11:48 pm Friday, November 12, 2010

Helen Heimark swims the 200 yard freestyle during the Section 1A finals Friday night at Ellis Middle School. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

They were as fast they’ve been and they’re hoping to get even faster.

The Austin girls swimming team and diving team advanced five swimmers to the Class ‘A’ state meet at the Section 1A meet in Ellis Middle School Friday night.

Austin's Averi Splinter swims in the finals of the 100 yard freestyle during the Section 1A finals Friday night at Ellis Middle School. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

The Packers opened the night by missing a school record by .17 seconds as they cruised to a first place finish in the 200-yard medley relay. It was the best finish by Austin in the race in years and the team of Brooke Johnson, Kelli Bednar, Averi Splinter and Helen Heimark is hoping to do even better at state next week.

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“This year getting to state is not the best part. The (state) meet itself will be the best part,” Splinter, one of three seniors on the relay team said.

Splinter, who is making her sixth trip to state, and Heimark, who is making her third trip to state, gave the Packers a strong finish in the medley as they pulled away to win by just under three seconds. Heimark, a sophomore, was ready to go from the second she got on the starting block.

“I was so incredibly nervous leading up to the race and as soon as I stepped on that block, I blocked out the crowd and everybody and I just focused on Averi,” she said. “I knew that I was going to do well and I knew that we could win it. It was nice to go out with first place finish and we still have a chance (at the record) at state. I plan on breaking it up there.”

Austin's Mikayla Finney swims the second leg of the 200 yard freestyle relay during the Section 1A finals Friday night at Ellis Middle School. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Austin's Mikayla Finney swims the second leg of the 200 yard freestyle relay during the Section 1A finals Friday night at Ellis Middle School. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Splinter won the 100-yard butterfly with a strong finish as she took the race by .22 seconds. She swam a season best time of 1:01.18 to win the race, but that time is still a couple of second off her career best — a school record she set last season.

“This year has been really tough and I’m just happy to go to state,” Splinter, who took sixth at state in the 100-butterfly last season, said. “I want to make top-eight and be all-state again, but it’s been a good career and I’m happy to be going back.”

Johnson, who is making her fourth trip to state, took second in the 100-yard backstroke to advance to state. She swam the race in a season’s best time of 1:03.08 and she’s looking forward to getting faster at state.

“In past years, we’ve done really well at sections and at state, but we didn’t have the drive like we have this year,” Johnson said.

Brooke Johnson kicks off into the final 50 yards of the 100 yard backstroke during the Section 1A finals Friday night at Ellis Middle School. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Brooke Johnson kicks off into the final 50 yards of the 100 yard backstroke during the Section 1A finals Friday night at Ellis Middle School. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Austin will also send it’s 200-yard freestyle relay team of Splinter, Mikayla Finney, Bednar, and Heimark to the state meet and Heimark advanced to state in the 200-yard freestyle.

Finney, an eighth grader at Pacelli, is making her first trip to state.

“I get really nervous out there sometimes but now it’s really exciting for me and I just feel happy,” she said.

Heimark was able to qualify for the 200-yard freestyle, despite the fact that it came immediately after she closed out the 200-yard medley relay. She also closed out the 200-yard freestyle relay team after shaving seven seconds off her best 500-yard freestyle time.

“I’m kind of used to (swimming in back to back events) by now. I do it so much that I have my own routine,” she said.

As a team, Austin took second with score of 290. Northfield won the meet with a score of 445.

The Class ‘A’ state swimming and diving meet will take place at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center with preliminaries on Friday and finals on Saturday.

AUSTIN RESULTS

200-yard medley relay: Brooke Johnson, Kelli Bednar, Averi Splinter, Helen Heimark (first, 1:52.38)

200-yard freestyle: Helen Heimark (fourth, 2:01.17); Lindsey Halsey (12th, 2:08.87)

200-yard individual medley: Merideth Fritz (10th, 2:26.41); Emily McAlister (11th, 2:26.41)

50-yard freestyle: Averi Splinter (fifth, 25.53); Mikayla Finney (ninth, 26.23); Lauren Edwards (12th, 26.92); Lindsey McAlister (15th, 27.28)

Diving: Autumn Laury (sixth, 280.85)

100-yard butterfly: Averi Splinter (first, 1:01.18); Emily McAlister (third, 1:03.31); Anna Smith (sixth, 1:06.25); Brooke Johnson (eighth, 1:07.86)

100-yard freestyle: Kelli Bednar (ninth, 57.46); Mikayla Finney (11th, 58.46); Lindsey McAlister (15th, 1:00.16); Lauren Edwards (16th, 1:00.18)

500-yard freestyle: Helen Heimark (sixth, 5:33.38); Merideth Fritz (11th, 5:49.85); Amanda Zahradnik (15th, 5:57.81)

200-yard freestyle: Averi Splinter, Mikayla Finney, Kelli Bednar, Helen Heimark (fourth, 1:42.36)

100-yard backstroke: Brooke Johnson (second, 1:03.08); Lindsey Halsey (13th, 1:10.70)

100-yard breaststroke: Kelli Bednar (fourth, 1:13.14); Emily Johnson (ninth, 1:17.31)

400-yard freestyle relay: Mikayla Finney, Merideth Fritz, Lindsey Halsey, Brooke Johnson (DQ)