2025 Boys High School Preview: Section 1A

Section 1A

Teams in the Section
Albert Lea, Faribault, Mankato East, Mankato West, Northfield, Red Wing, Simley, Winona

2024 Section Champion: Northfield – 537 pts
2024 Section Runner-up: Winona – 377 pts

Notable Graduates

• Spencer Flitter (Mankato East) – 1m Diving (5th sections)
• Dani Mauri (Mankato West) – 50 Free (1st sections, 2nd state); 100 Free (1st sections, 2nd state)
• Josh Kraby (Northfield) – 100 Fly (2nd sections, 2nd state); 100 Back (2nd sections, 2nd state)
• Brady Cook (Northfield) – 200 Free (13th sections); 100 Fly (16th sections)
• Nick Scheglowski (Northfield) – 200 Free (4th sections, 9th state); 100 Free (4th sections)
• Oliver Momberg (Northfield) – 200 IM (8th sections); 100 Fly (8th sections)
• Peyton Truman (Northfield) – 50 Free (2nd sections, 6th state); 100 Breast (1st sections, 3rd state)
• Declan Chappuis (Faribault) – 50 Free (9th sections); 100 Fly (15th sections)
• Finn Larson (Faribault) – 50 Free (10th sections); 100 Free (14th sections)
• Drake Kirkpatrick (Faribault) – 100 Free (16th sections)
• Alessandro Paladini (Winona) – 200 IM (2nd sections, 3rd state); 100 Breast (2nd sections, 4th state)
• Tyler Bergler (Winona) – 200 Free (9th sections); 100 Back (9th sections)
• Matthew Bricco (Winona) – 50 Free (5th sections, 15th state); 100 Back (3rd sections, 14th state)
• Cameron Hancock (Winona) – 100 Fly (13th sections); 100 Back (11th sections)
• Fernando Madrid Pina (Simley) – 1m Diving (6th sections)
• Gavin Magill (Red Wing) – 200 IM (9th sections); 100 Breast (8th sections)
• Ethan Ihrke (Red Wing) – 50 Free (6th sections); 100 Fly (4th sections)
• AJ Mikkelson (Red Wing) – 100 Breast (12th sections)
• Eli Hanlin (Red Wing) – 500 Free (16th sections)

Section 1A will have a slight change with the section realignments.  Austin has been bumped up to Class AA, leaving 8 teams remaining in the section 

Northfield is loaded with returning firepower. Will Redetzke swept the distance events at sections and was a state champion in the 500 Free and 3rd in the 200 Free. Will Udelhofen was close behind, placing 2nd in the 200 Free (10th at state) and 4th in the 500 Free. James Graham is a top-3 IM swimmer who placed 13th at state, and he also returns strong in the backstroke. Rourke Bennett (4th in Breast, 13th at state), Odin Bergs (4th in the 50 Free and 2nd in the 100 Free, both top 10 at state), and Parker Malecha (finalist in both sprint frees) provide major depth. Underclassmen like John Tracy and Grayson Gray also scored, contributing in distance free and diving respectively.

Winona remains strong with a deep class of underclassmen scorers. Cordel Ruppert placed 3rd in both the 200 and 500 Free (16th and 14th at state respectively), and Owen Ellinghuysen scored top-6 in both the IM and Fly. Carson Prodzinski and Matthew Baumgartner (who placed 3rd in both the 100 Free and 100 Breast, reaching 16th and 10th at state) offer top-tier versatility. Additional scorers include Quinn Wangberg in the 500 Free and Gus Menton in diving, making Winona one of the deeper all-around teams in the section.

Faribault will again rely on diving strength, with Asher Ferris returning as a key contributor after placing 2nd in the section and earning a 6th-place finish at state.

Mankato East brings back a high-powered trio. Elliot Bartell returns as the reigning state champion in the 100 Fly and a 5th-place state finisher in the 50 Free. He’ll be a leading name across all classes in 2025. Elam Asker made noise as a freshman with a 2nd-place finish in the 500 Free (13th at state) and a 7th-place showing in the 200 Free. Hayden Kulas adds more distance depth with a 5th-place section finish in the 500.

Mankato West boasts a large returning group, including Sam Simmons (5th in the 200 IM and 6th in the 100 Breast), Wyatt Bartell (3rd in the 100 Fly and 13th at state), and Kaid Maxwell (6th in the 100 Back). Isaac Sanderson placed 5th in the 200 Free and could push into state qualification range. The team also brings back divers and breaststrokers like Corbin Deichman and Ian Ray to round out a well-balanced roster.

Red Wing features the top diving duo in the section. Zachary Mikkelson won sections and state on the board, and Landen Nelson was 3rd at sections and 11th at state, giving Red Wing massive potential point hauls in diving alone. Elijah Flattum scored in both the 200 Free and 100 Back, and Nick Babcock added a 7th-place finish in the 100 Free, helping round out a competitive lineup.

Simley returns Jaxon Wanek, who placed 6th in the 200 Free and 7th in the 100 Fly, along with Vincent Evangelista (4th in the 200 IM and 5th in the 100 Back), both of whom are likely to move up in placement with another year of experience.

Albert Lea will be looking for some more young athletes to join the squad this season.  Four of their eight athletes from the 2025 section team have graduated.