Teams: Albany, Cathedral/St. John’s Prep, Holdingford, Little Falls, Melrose Area, Rocori, Sauk Centre, St. Cloud Apollo, St. Cloud Tech
- 2022 Section Champion: Melrose Area – 484.5 pts
- 2022 Section Runner-up: Alexandria – 334 pts
Notable Graduates:
- Paige Gruber (Melrose Area) – 200 Free (3rd Sections), 100 Free (3rd Sections)
- Kaydence Bertram (Melrose Area) – 50 Free (4th Sections), 100 Fly (5th Sections)
- Laney Schneider (Rocori) – 200 Free (1st Sections), 100 Free (4th Sections)
- Jenna Torborg (Rocori) – 200 IM (6th Sections), 100 Brest (3rd Sections)
- Cece Woods (Rocori) – Diving (1st Sections)
- Katie Spanier (Albany) – 100 Fly (3rd Sections), 100 Back (2nd Sections)
- Emily Mclachlan (Albany) – 500 Free (2nd Sections)
- Lynn Deters (Albany) – 100 Breast (5th Sections)
- Olivia Scheeler (Cathedral/St. John’s Prep) – 50 Free (5th Sections 5A), 100 Free (6th Sections 5A)
- Sydney Gustin (St. Cloud Tech) – 50 Free (9th Sections 5A), 100 Breast (7th Sections 5A)
- Megan Heveron (Sauk Centre) – 50 Free (3rd Sections), 100 Free (2nd Sections)
- Ella Rausch (Little Falls) – 200 Free (5th Sections), 100 Free (6th Sections)
- Molly Leners (Holdingford) – 100 Breast (6th Sections)
Team Outlook
Some changes in the section should mix things up a bit in the section this year. Last year’s runner-up, Alexandria moves to section 8A as does Morris. Section 5A runner-up St. Cloud Tech and Cathedral/St. John Prep move in. For all the details of the section realignments, you can visit our previous article.
This might be the closest section battle in the state. We will start with the defending champions, Melrose Area. They graduated two strong point scorers and relay swimmers in Paige Gruber and Kaydence Bertram but have plenty returning – including section and state champion in the 200 IM and 100 Breaststroke Hallie Drossel. Fellow senior Makayla Zirbes was a top eight section finisher in the 100 Fly and third in the 100 Back. Junior Jaiden Smith returns after finishing sixth in the 200 Free and fourth in the 500 Free. Sophomore Brooke Ruoff and freshman Maggie Frieler will look to take the next step and move into that top point scorer range in 2023. Ruoff was ninth in the 50 Free and seventh in the 109 Back, while Frieler was thirteenth in the 200 Free and sixth in the 500 Free in 2022.
St. Cloud Tech brings a veteran team into the section lead by three seniors, Avery Doom, Kierstyn Nelson, and Katelyn Siers. In section 5A, Doom placed sixth in the 200 IM and third in the 100 Breast, just missing the state qualifying time there. Nelson scored a section championship in the 100 Fly and was runner up in the 50 Free in 2022 at section 5a. She went on to place twelfth in the 100 Fly at state. Siers was section champion in the 100 back in last year’s section and finished runner up in the 100 Free. Siers placed ninth at the state meet in the 100 back. In addition to the seniors, Tech has junior Addy Stine who placed eighth in both the 50 and 100 Free. Sophomore Maggie Cole placed third at section 5A in the 200 Free and 500 Free and Freshman Aliina Gustin placed fourth in the 200 IM and fifth in the 100 Free.
Sauk Centre senior Stella Schirmers will be a force as returning section champion in the 100 Fly and 100 Back. Schirmers placed seventh in the 100 Back the following week at the state meet. Sophomore Brooke Bromenshenkel was fourth in the 200 IM in 2022 and second in the 100 Breast. She went on to place top sixteen at the state meet in the Breaststroke. Junior Maizie Jennissen placed eighth in the 200 Free and fifth in the 500 free at the section meet last year. Senior Carmen Loxtercamp placed sixth in the 50 Free and seventh in the 100 Free at sections and played a valuable role in the Sauk Centre relays. Junior Addison Bick returns after placing fourth in the 100 Fly in 2022.
Other Notables
Cathedral/St. John Prep will return three state qualified swimmers from 2022. Sophomore Izzy Westling placed tenth at state in the 200 IM and senior Claire Westling placed thirteenth in the 500 Free. Unfortunately, junior Taba Kuhl placed twelfth in the 100 Back, had moved out of state They will be looking to get their stable of younger swimmers to take the next step in 2023
Rocori freshman Ariana Outhwaite returns as section champion in the 500 Free and section runner up in the 200 IM. Rocori lost a lot of front line points last season and swimmers like junior Megan Willenbring, sophomore Malea Beeler, and eighth grader Chelsea Willenbring will be looking to take the next step to fill the gap.
Albany senior Trista Hoffarth returns after finishing sixth in the 50 Free and playing an integral part of all three section relays.
Little Falls senior Berit Gustafson placed fifth in the 50 Free in 2022 and with three seniors finishing ahead of her last year is poised to move up in that event.
Morris sophomore Clare Barnstuble placed top eight in diving last season and will look to challenge the field for one of the four state qualifying spots.
Holdingford will be looking to rebuild after the graduation of their top point scorer from last season, Molly Leners.
From 2018 to 2021, Apollo had only qualified for finals in 3 individual events or fewer every year. Last year Apollo qualified someone for finals in every individual event except the 50. They made a significant jump last year and are expecting to make an even larger jump this year. St. Cloud Apollo is still building up their team and have a solid group of young swimmers looking to make a leap in the section in 2023.