Teams: Andover, Anoka, Blaine, Cambridge-Isanti, Centennial, Coon Rapids, Duluth East, Forest Lake
- 2023 Section Champion: Duluth East – 513 pts
- 2023 Runner-up: Centennial – 310 pts
Notable Graduates:
- Dylan Manchester (Duluth East) – 200 Free (4th Sections), 100 Free (5th Sections)
- Lukas Niska (Duluth East) – 100 Breast (6th Sections)
- Erik Oase (Duluth East) – 100 Breast (2nd Sections/15th State)
- Grant Wodny (Duluth East) – 200 Free (1st Sections/2nd State), 500 Free (1st Sections/2nd State)
- Leif Ziring (Duluth East) – diving (1st Sections), 100 Back (3rd Sections)
- George Atkinson (Centennial) – 100 Fly (7th Sections), 100 Back (4th Sections)
- Ben Condon (Centennial) – 200 Free (7th Sections), 100 Free (3rd Sections)
- Max Scheurer (Centennial) – 200 IM (1st Sections/15th State), 100 Breast (1st Sections/1st State)
- Deacon Andre (Forest Lake) – Diving (6th Sections)
- Ryan Eddy (Forest Lake) – 200 Free (8th Sections), 100 Breast (3rd Sections)
- Joseph Galsworthy (Forest Lake) – 200 Free (6th Sections), 500 Free (4th Sections)
- Riley Siedow (Forest Lake) – 50 Free (3rd Sections), 100 Free (6th Sections)
- Ryan Mickelborough (Andover) – 50 Free (5th Sections), 100 Free (2nd Sections)
- Ewan McAllister (Anoka) – 100 Back (5th Sections)
- Calvin Takkunen (Anoka) – 50 Free (4th Sections), 100 Breast (4th Sections)
- Jayce Dayton (Blaine) – 100 Fly (1st Sections), 100 Back (2nd Sections/15th State)
- Ryan Mackey (Blaine) – 50 free (2nd Sections), 100 Free (7th Sections)
- Frank Denton (Coon Rapids) – 100 Breast (7th Sections)
- Nate Larson (Coon Rapids) – 200 IM (3rd Sections), 100 Fly (5th Sections)
Team Outlook
While there are no changes to the teams in the section, things will look very different due to a large amount of graduation at the top in 2023. For all the details of the section realignments you can visit our previous article.
2023 champion Duluth East won by roughly 200 points last year and certainly lose their fair share to graduation, but probably still have enough to hang on in 2024. Sophomore Joey Zelen was section champion in both the 50 and 100 Free. Junior Landon West returns as section champion in the 100 Back and section runner up in the 100 Fly. Joining those two will be senior Travis Elling. Elling was section runner up in both the 200 and 500 Free and with teammate Grant Wodny graduating, will be eyeing section titles in both. Junior Seiji Sudoh will take advantage of 6 of the top 7 finishers in the 100 Breast graduating. Sudoh placed 6th in 2023. Fellow junior Pete Saftner will be looking to crack the top 8 in the 200 IM after a 9th place finish last year. Saftner also placed 3rd in the 100 Fly. Diver Cal Bortnem will be the second highest returner in that event after finishing 3rd last season.
Other Notables
Centennial will rely on juniors Caleb Cregan and Joseph Murray to take the lead after graduating several top swimmers in 2023. Cregan placed 12th in the 200 IM and 6th in the 100 Back last season, while Murray finished 7th in the 50 Free and 10th in the 100 Free.
Forest Lake is in the same position as Centennial, with many of their top point scores graduating last year. Sophomore diver Jamison Livermore placed 2nd in the section meet in diving and will look to take home the section championship this year.
Andover sophomore Raymond Maki had a very solid section meet last season, placing 4th in the 200 IM and 5th in the 500 Free. A trip to the state meet isn’t out of the question if he improves on those spots in 2024.
Anoka seniors Jack Diehl and Morrison Vanderhoof will be the top returning point scores for the Tornadoes. Diehl will look to improve on his 5th place finish in the 200 IM and 4th place finish in the 100 Fly, while Vanderhoof was just outside the top 2 in the 200 and 500 Free, placing 3rd in both in 2023.
Blaine will be in rebuilding mode after graduating many of its top sections scorers last year. Junior Bradley Weishair placed 6th in the 50 Free and 8th in the 100 Free last season and will help bolster their free relays this season.
Coon Rapids seniors Mitch Thornson and Nolan Schultz are the top retuning point scorers for the Cardinals. Thornson finished 2nd in the 200 IM and 6th in the 100 Fly while Schultz placed 10th in the 200 Free and 6th in the 500 Free
Cambridge-Isanti will look to take advantage of being the only team not losing much to graduation. Senior Christopher Williams returns after placing 8th in the 50 Free and 12th in the 100 Free in 2023.