Teams: Apple Valley, Eagan, East Ridge, Eastview, Hastings, Park, Rosemount, Two Rivers
- 2024 Section Champion: Eagan – 445 pts
- 2024 Section Runner-up: East Ridge – 386 pts
Notable Graduates:
- Derek Bang’O (Eagan) – 50 Free (3rd Sections/14th State), 100 Free (4th Sections)
- Dobbin Chong (Eagan) – 200 IM (3rd Sections), 100 Breast (3rd Sections)
- Owen Kipp (Eagan) – Diving (2nd Sections/2nd State)
- Miguel San Jose (Eagan) – 200 Free (1st Sections), 100 Back (2nd Sections)
- Neil Abrahamson (East Ridge) – 50 Free (2nd Sections/5th State), 100 Fly (1st Sections/5th State)
- Poyraz Olgun (East Ridge) – 50 Free (8th Sections), 100 Free (6th Sections)
- Vincent Xiong (East Ridge) – 100 Fly (2nd Sections)
- Jackson Preusse (Rosemount) – 50 Free (7th Sections), 100 Breast (2nd Sections/14th State)
- Spencer Rudd (Rosemount) – 100 Fly (3rd Sections), 100 Back (4th Sections)
- Quinlan Schroeder (Rosemount) – 200 IM (2nd Sections), 100 Breast (1st Sections/3rd State)
- Josh Sikorski (Rosemount) – 50 Free (4th Sections/16th State), 100 Free (3rd Sections)
- Sawyer Smith (Rosemount) – 200 Free (3rd Sections), 100 Fly (7th Sections)
- Jack Dahlager (Two Rivers) – 100 Fly (5th Sections)
- Jimmy Friedrichs (Two Rivers) – 100 Back (8th Sections)
- Nathan Frisch (Two Rivers) – 50 Free (*6th Sections), 100 Free (7th Sections)
- Fin Gustafson (Two Rivers) – 200 IM (4th Sections), 100 Free (2nd Sections/8th State)
- Taylor Schmaltz (Hastings) – 200 Free (7th Sections)
- Mason Darling (Park) – 200 IM (6th Sections), 100 Breast (4th Sections)
- Jack Schweigert (Park) – 200 IM (7th Sections), 100 Breast (5th Sections)
- Joven Langseth (Apple Valley) – 200 IM (5th Sections), 100 Back (3rd Sections)
- Isaac Field (Eastview) – Diving (5th Sections)
Team Outlook
I now have carpal tunnel from typing all the names of the top graduates from last year in this section. The section meet finals should look a bit different from last year from an individual standpoint. From the team rankings, Eagan lost a little more than East Ridge, but the Raptors are going to have to have to take another step forward to catch Eagan.
Eagan senior Braden Hegenbarth was a double event winner at sections in the 50 Free and 100 Free in 2024. At the state meet, he placed 5th and 9th in those events. Senior diver Stone Larson placed third in sections and state last year and if it weren’t for state record holder Lucas Gerten of Rosemount, he would be the favorite to win both this year. Senior Mason Deitering placed 4th at the section meet in the 500 Free and 9th in the 200 Free. There is going to be lots of room for him to move up this year. Junior Louis Decattoire finished 4th in the 200 Free and 5th in 100 Free in 2024 and will help boost the relays. Junior Josiah Schaffhausen was a top 8 finisher at the section meet in the 500 Free with a 7th place finish and junior Brad Simpson placed 6th in the 200 Free and 500 Free. There is an abundance of good freestyle options for Eagan.
East Ridge senior Aidynn Havermann was section champion in both the 200 IM and 100 Back and will look to defend those titles in 2025. At the state meet he placed 11th and 9th respectively. Sophomore diver Nathan Hagemann will look to improve on his 2024 8th place finish and sophomore Blake Moss on his 7th place finish in the 100 Back. East Ridge has several returning swimmers that finished in the high end of the consolation finals last year at the section meet and if they make a little jump this year, it could make the section meet interesting.
Other Notables
Rosemount features section and state champion diver Lucas Gerten. Last year, Gerten set the state record and will look to up that score this season. Senior Will Durfee placed 5th in the 200 Free and was section champion in the 500 Free. Freshman Wes Knapp had a strong section meet in 2024 with an 8th place finish in the 200 Free and 9th place in the 500 Free. Look for him to move into the top half of the finals heats this year.
Two Rivers will be in a bit of rebuilding mode this season, losing the majority of their section points to graduation. Junior Ruslan Bayuk returns after a 9th place finish in the 100 Back to lead the way for the squad.
On the flip side, Hastings did not graduate many of their section points and will look to move up the standings of the section in 2025. Sophomore Thomas Foss placed 6th in both the 100 Fly and 100 Back in 2024 and senior Oliver Gergen placed 5th in the 50 Free and 8th in the 100 Free. Junior Tristan Herbst joins that group of top returners with an 8th place finish in the 200 IM and 2nd place finish in the 500 Free last year.
Park will be led by senior Parker Jeseritz. Jeseritz placed 4th in the 100 Fly and 5th in the 100 Back at the section meet last season. Sophomore Ethyn Schilling placed 6th in diving and will look to compete for a top 4 spot this year and a trip to the state meet.
Apple Valley junior Gabe Lenzen is the top returning swimmer for the Eagles. Lenzen finished 2nd in the 200 Free and 3rd in the 500 Free last season. Sophomore Charlie Peterson placed 7th in diving and will also be looking to compete for a top 4 spot in 2025.
Eastview sophomore Lincoln Joyner was the 8th place finisher in the 50 Free last season and 11th in the 200 IM. He will be a key piece this year as Eastview continues to build their program.