2025 Boys High School Preview: Section 7AA

Teams:  Duluth East, Centennial, Forest Lake, Coon Rapids, Andover, Anoka, Blaine, Cambridge Isanti

  • 2024 Section Champion: Duluth East – 502 Points
  • 2024 Section Runner-up:  Centennial – 339 Points

Notable Graduates:  (seniors that placed top 8 in sections in individual events)

  • Travis Elling (Duluth) -200 Free (1st Sections/ 15th State) 500 Free (1st Sections/ 19th State)
  • Nolan Schultz (Coon Rapids) – 200 Free (5th Sections) 100 Free (Sections 5th)
  • Mitch Thronson (Coon Rapids) – 200 IM (3rd Sections) 500 Free (2nd Sections/ 22nd State)
  • Beau Brady (Forest Lake) – 50 Free (3rd Sections) 100 Fly (4th Sections)
  • Manny Poscher (Centennial) – 50 Free (8th Sections)
  • Sam Trocke (Forest Lake) – 100 Fly (7th Sections) 100 Back (4th Sections)
  • Maximus Quigley (Andover) – 100 Fly (8th Sections)
  • Talen Greeson-Stormoen (Centennial) – 100 Free (7th Sections)
  • Jami Craig (Duluth East) – 500 Free (5th Sections)
  • Connor Bueltel (Coon Rapids) 100 Back (8th Place)

Team Outlook

Section 7AA is a section with a lot of young up and coming swimmers. Duluth East won the section last year by 163, beating out Centennial for the 2nd year in a row. Duluth has won the section since 2020, and is looking to repeat this year, after only graduating 2 athletes that were on their section roster. Duluth currently has a large number of seniors coming back who will be strong section points contributors and will be looking to head back to state. Elliot Young made it to state in the 200 Free and 100 Free, Landon West in the 100 Fly and 100 Back, Seji Sudo in the 100 Breast, and Cale Bortnem in Diving. There are also returning point scorers who were top 8 in multiple events and key parts of Duluth’s state bound relay returning with Leif Braaten and Alex Tomczak. Another notable swimmer to watch returning to Duluth this year is Junior Joey Zelen. Joey was the top performing athlete for Duluth last year, taking 1st in both the 50 and 100 free at sections, and 3rd and 10th respectively at the state meet. 

Other Notables

Centennial – Centennial is looking to make a run at the section title this year with a lot of talent returning to the pool for the year. Senior Caleb Cregan looks to make returns to the podium and state in both the 200 IM and 100 Back, alongside Joseph Murray who placed 2nd to make it state in the 50 Free. Junior Issac Nguyen returns with hopes of improving his 8th place finishes in both the 200 and 500 free to make it to the state competition. Sophomore Benno Schuhbauer also returns this year looking to continue being a key part of Centennials success, and improve upon his 4th and 3rd place finishes in the 200 IM and 100 Back last year. Benno was also a key part of Centennial relays the past season, and will be a part of those again so that Centennial can challenge the Duluth relays. 

Forest Lake – Last year Forest Lake took 3rd with a team of young athletes, and four upperclassmen, with two of those upperclassmen graduating. The returning two seniors, Levi Carlson and Eric Gregiore, look to improve their top 8 finishes to hopefully advance to the state meet. Junior Jamison Livermore looks to repeat his diving win at sections so he can continue improving at the state meet, where last year he placed 13th. Other returning Junior Thatcher Robertson returns to improve his top 8 finishes in the 200 IM and 100 Breast. Forest Lake’s young athletes all look to return and improve upon their initial performances at the section meet last year, and make Forest Lake a team to watch, to see how this young and talented team will develop.  

Coon Rapids – Graduating 5 seniors last season, Coon Rapids still has some strong athletes returning this year with top 8 finishes in several events. Senior Captain Jackson Ling returns with goals of making state in the 200 free and 100 fly, improving his 4th and 3rd place finishes from the 2024 season. Ben Effiom also returns as a key part of Coon Rapids relays alongside Ling, and hopes to improve his 100 Back top 8 finish to a podium position to make it to the state meet. Senior Diver Luke Currier is aiming to be on the podium for diving this year, and will continue to be a part of Coon Rapids relays.

Andover – Graduating 6 seniors last year, Andover still returns this season with a strong group of swimmers and divers. Leading the section in diving with all four of their section divest returning, Charlie Nohner and Isaiah Croaston look to return to state for the 2nd year in a row, while also bringing returning Senior Coen Andersland to the state meet with them. Ethan Oswell looks to improve his 14th place finish and podium alongside his diving team mates. The swim side of the pool is also strong for Andover, with Junior Ray Maki, and Sophomore Rogan Ellis looking to improve their section finishes and make state in multiple individuals this year. Maki looks to improve his 6th and 7th place finishes in the 200 IM and 500 Free, while Ellis looks to make it back to state in the 100 Breast and whatever other individual he sets his sights on.

Anoka – Another relatively young team last year, Anoka looks to continue its improvements across the board at the section meet this year. 8th Grader Dante Famke returns with goals of making state in the 50 and the 100 free placing 5th and 3rd last year, and will continue to be a strong piece in Anoka relays. Senior Leo Kenny looks to continue a strong showing in diving and improve upon his 8th place finish. Seniors Abe Olsonand Levi Garberg return to lead the team on relays, and return to the top 8 podium again in the 100 Back and 100 Fly respectively. Anoka has a strong showing of up and coming young sprinters that should make them a force to be reckoned with in the free relays and sprint free events in the coming years.

Blaine – With only one graduating athlete last year on the section roster, Blaine looks to surprise teams this year with some fast swims and several more day two athletes. Top point scores Carson Hammill, Benjamin Kurilla, and Nolan Peterson all return this year looking to improve their top 8 finishes in their respective individuals, as well as challenge for a first place finish in the 200 Free Relay with most of last year’s 2nd place relay returning. Moving over from Andover to Blaine, Freshman Jarrid Magnuson joins the Blaine team as a strong distance swimmer, looking to improve his 9th place finish in the 500 free to a top 8 performance.

Cambridge Isanti – Cambridge Isanti looks to keep improving this year with many of the CI returning in hopes of making it to day two of the section meet. Senior Carter Rand looks to improve his 200 and 500 free swims to make day two at the section meet alongside teammate Gabe Ludwig who made the consolation heat last year in the 100 Fly. Sophomore Joshua Clinkenbeard also looks to make improvements to a top 8 finish in the 100 back, where he was 10th place last year. Sophomore Diver Eddie Steman also returns this season, with goals to improve upon his 7th place diving finish.

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