Teams: Alexandria, Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Melrose-Sauk Centre, Morris Area, Park Rapids, Thief River Falls
- 2024 Section Champion: Melrose-Sauk Centre – 523 pts
- 2024 Section Runner-up: Alexandria – 476.5 pts
Notable Graduates:
- Zander Olmschenk (MSC) – 100 Breast (8th Sections)
- Jacob Robischon (MSC) – 200 IM (1st Sections), 100 Fly (1st Sections)
- Andrew Crowser (Alexandria) – 100 Free (8th Sections)
- Mark Meece (Alexandria) – 200 IM (7th Sections)
- Eric Peterson (Alexandria) – 50 Free (1st Sections), 100 Free (1st Sections)
- Logan Rott (Fergus Falls) – 100 Fly (4th Sections), 100 Breast (3rd Sections)
- Micah Barberg (Detroit Lakes) – 50 Free (7th Sections), 100 Back (7th Sections)
- Ryan Erickson (Detroit Lakes) – 50 Free (4th Sections), 100 Free (2nd Sections)
- Lane Yliniemi (Detroit Lakes) – Diving (5th Sections)
- Dash Martin (Park Rapids) – 100 Breast (7th Sections)
Team Outlook
It was Melrose Sauk Centre by a comfortable margin last season and it looks like the graduation losses are about equal between the Fusion and Alexandria, so we will call MSC the favorite. Senior Servin Anderson will return to defend his title as section champion in the 100 Breast and he was section runner up in the 100 Fly last year. At the state meet he placed 16th in the 100 Fly and 14th in the 100 Breast. Junior Thatcher Van Beck finished 3rd in the 200 Free and 2nd in the 500 Free at the section meet in 2024 and went on to place 16th and 11th in his events respectively. Senior Alex Wilwerding finished 5th in the 100 Free and qualified for the state meet with a 2nd place finish in the 100 Back. At state, he finished 11th. Junior diver Andrue Stalboerger was section runner up in diving and went on to a 3rd place finish at the state meet in 2024. The Fusion feature a lot of section depth and seniors Macen Toavs-Etcheverry and Grant Eveslage as well as juniors Nolan Fleischhacker and Zaron Olmschenk form the core of that depth. All will be challenging for section finals spots across the lineup.
Alexandria will feature senior Cooper Running, who returns as section champion in the 200 Free and 500 Free. Running placed 6th in both events at the state meet in 2024. The Cardinals always have great diving and this year is no different. They return the reigning state champion in senior Kyler Kavanagh and 11th place state finished sophomore Krew Muscha. Sophomore Andy Wacek will look to build on a stellar freshman season after finishing 2nd in the 200 IM and 100 Breast at the sections meet. At the state meet, he scored a 15th place finish in the 200 IM. Sophomore Gavin Peterson will be a strong contributor, building on his 8th place finish in the 100 Fly and 5th place finish in the 100 Back last season. Junior Adison Newman will also be a factor for Alexandria, looking to improve on his 6th place finish in the 50 Free and 7th place finish in the 100 Fly.
Other Notables
Fergus Falls will be led by junior Reece Hansen, who placed 3rd in the 100 Fly and 2nd in the 100 Back at the section meet last season. He would go on to finish 12th in the 100 Back at the state meet. Fellow junior Matthew Tuel placed 2nd in the 200 Free and 3rd in the 500 Free at sections and finished 14th and 12th at state in those events. Sophomore Jaden Kwapinski had a solid section meet with a 2nd place finish in the 200 IM and a 6th place finish in the 100 Fly. In the 200 IM, Kwapinski placed 16th at the state meet. Junior Landon Votava will return looking to make his first state meet as an individual. Last season, he placed 4th in the 200 Free and 5th in the 500 Free.
Detroit Lakes senior Blake Swenson will lead the way for his squad this season, returning after a section championship in the 100 Back and a section runner up finish in the 50 Free. He would go on to a 10th place finish in the 50 Free and 5th place finish in the 100 Back. Sophomore diver Lucas Lundberg qualified for the state meet with a 4th place sections finish last season and should be in good position to retain that spot this year
Junior Carter Schiller will lead the way for Park Rapids. He placed 4th in the 200 IM and 6th in the 100 Back at the section meet in 2024.
Morris Area’s Isaac Just placed 9th in the 200 Free and 12th in the 100 Free last season and will be the top returning point scorer for his squad. Senior diver Parker Pew finished 9th last year and will be looking to crack the top 8 this year at the section meet.
Thief River Falls sophomore Andy Dagg had a strong section meet as a freshman, placing 4th in the 50 Free and 100 Free to lead the way for his team.