2025 Boys High School Preview: Section 7AA

Section 7AA

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

2025 Section Champion: Duluth East – 501 Points
2025 Section Runner-up: Centennial – 357 Points

Notable Graduates

• Elliot Yung (Duluth) – 200 Free (2nd Sections/ 21st State) 100 Free (4th Sections)
• Jackson Ling (Coon Rapids) – 200 Free (3rd Sections) 500 Free (1st Sections/ 21st State)
• Levi Carlson (Forest Lake) – 200 Free (6th Sections) 100 Back (7th Sections)
• Caleb Cregan (Centennial) – 200 IM (3rd Sections) 100 Back (4th Sections/28th State)
• Pete Saftner (Duluth) – 200 IM (4th Sections) 100 Fly (1st Sections/ 15th State)
• Seji Sudoh (Duluth) – 50 Free (2nd Sections/ 25th State) 100 Breast (1st Sections/ 5th State)
• Joseph Murray (Centennial) – 50 Free (3rd Sections) 100  Free (8th Sections)
• Abe Olson (Anoka) – 50 Free (4th Sections) 100 Back (6th Sections)
• Leif Braaten (Duluth) – 50 Free (8th Sections)
• Landon West (Duluth) – 100 Fly (2nd Sections/ 19th State) 100 Back (3rd Sections/19th State)
• Levi Garberg (Anoka) – 100 Fly (4th Sections)
• Nolan Peterson (Blaine) – 100 Free (7th Sections) 100 Breast (8th Sections) 
• Charlie Nohner (Andover) – Diving (3rd Sections/ 16th State)
• Cale Bortnem (Duluth) – Diving (4th Sections/ 18th State)
• Coen Andersland (Andover) – Diving (8th Sections)

Section 7AA is a section with a lot of young up and coming swimmers. Duluth East won the section last year by 144 Points, making the 2025 season a Three-peat for the program. Having graduated 8 seniors out of the 20 athletes they brought to the meet last year, they will have to fight hard to get that 4th win.  Even with the large number of graduates, a good number of point scoring athletes are returning to Duluth this year, and are still the team to watch for 7aa. Returning seniors Joey Zelen, Lucas Warren, Keegan Persons and Isaac Clark, all look to return to the podium in their respective events. Zelen is looking to defend 1st place finishes in both the 50 and 100 Free where he went on to take 3rd and 2nd respectively at the State Meet. Warren is coming back to defend a win in the 200 IM, where he went on to place 12th at State, as well as returning to state in the 100 Free where he placed 2nd at the section meet, and 18th at state. While some of the notable graduates from Duluth made up key parts in their all 1st place relays, they are still going to be the team to beat in those relays with most of the returning athletes still being top 16 swimmers at the meet.

Centennial – Centennial looks to continue their trend of being a strong team, with a large number of their team’s top performers returning from last year. Seniors Isaac Nguyen and Elliot Shepard are both returning with goals to continue their trend of being top point scorers for Centennial. Nguyen looks to continue to be key parts of Centennial relays and a Top 8 Finisher in the 100 Free, while Shepard looks to return to the Top in the 50 free. Centennial’s top performer, Junior Benno Schuhbauer, returns to the team after winning both the 200 Free and 100 Back last year, with 12th and 13th place finishes respectively at State. Juniors Grant Page and Sawyer Celotta will also be returning this season looking to continue their Top 8 Finishes, with Page in the Fly and Celotta in the 50 Free.

Anoka – Placing 3rd in the section last only 29 points behind Centennial, Anoka looks to return to the meet stronger than the year before, having only graduated 3 seniors. With a large number of returning point scorers, Anoka is not a team to be counted out. Senior Wesley Anderson is looking to break into the Top 8 in the 200 IM and return to the podium in the 100 Breast, while Junior Kaleb Erickson looks to improve his 5th place finishes in both the 200 and 500. Senior Richard Vojtek returns looking to improve his 6th place finishes in the 50 and 100 Free with so many notable graduates in both events. Finally Anoka’s top performing athlete, 9th grader Dante Framke, returns with goals to make the state meet again in both the 100 Free and 100 Back where he placed 10th and 11th respectively.

Blaine – With a fairly even split of younger and older athletes last year, Blaine looks to yet again surprise teams with speed in unexpected places and continue their increase in the amount of athletes returning to day two of sections. Placing 4th overall last year, Blaine did not send any athletes to state but had several Top 8 athletes. Returning Junior Carson Hammill has goals of continuing his Top 8 placement in the 200 IM and 500 Free, while 9th Grader Benjamin Lam looks to break into the Top 8 with a crazy hard event lineup of the 100 Fly followed by the 500 Free. Blaine’s top performing athlete Jarrid Magnuson returns to Blaine with goals of making state in both the 500 Free and 100 Back where he placed 3rd and 5th respectively.

Andover – Placing 5th last year, Andover is looking to make a jump in the standings with goals to catch Blaine and move back into the top half of the section. With only 4 of their point scoring seniors having graduated, it looks like Andover may just be able to do it. Senior Raymond Maki looks to drop below the 5 minute mark, and return to state in the 500 Free where he placed 2nd at sections. Maki also looks to make a return to the Top 8 in the 200 IM where he placed 5th last year. Sophomores Taylor Maki and Nobel Andersland both return to the team to continue being key parts of the teams relays, and hope to break into the Top 8 in their individual events. Andover has a strong Junior Core this year, with Divers Isaiah Croaston and Ethan Oswell returning to the team. Croaston looks to return to the state meet this year, while Ethan has goals of punching into the Top 8. Andover’s top performing athlete, Junior Rogan Ellis, also returns to the team to continue being a key part of Andover’s relays. Ellis is also looking to make a return to the state meet in the 200 IM and 100 Breast, bettering his 2nd and 3rd place finishes last year at the section meet. 

Forest Lake – Only graduating 2 seniors from last year, Forest Lake is going to be a much stronger team than the previous season. With almost every athlete returning, this young team will be looking to place far higher than the year before now that they have the experience of the section meet. With only two returning Seniors, the team is still young, but under the guidance of Thatcher Robertson and Jamison Livermore, they will be quick. Livermore is back to defend his diving win and return to the state meet, and Robertson looks to improve upon his 5th and 6th place finishes in the 100 Fly and 100 Breast respectively. Junior Leo Schmidt looks to improve his  Top 8 Placements in the 200 IM and 100 Breast. 

Coon Rapids – Being a small team, Coon Rapids has struggled recently at the section meet. With their top point earner and state athletes Jackson Ling graduating, Conn Rapids is in a rebuilding year. Returning Junior Carter Ling, is looking to make Top 8 in the 50 free, as well as improve his 6th Place finish in the 100 Fly. Senior Michael Currier has goals to break into the Top 8 in both the 200 and 500 where he placed 9th and 12th respectively. Several other Coon Rapids athletes are returning who just missed out on making day two of the section meet. If those boys can make day two this year, it is possible that Coon Rapids has a much better showing at the section meet this year. 

Cambridge Isanti – Similar to Forest Lake, Cambridge Isanti is looking to bring back their young team and hope that their experience from last year helps them improve and have more athletes make day two of the meet. Junior Joshua Clinkenbeard looks to make Top 8 in the 50 free and 100 Back where he placed 12th and 9th respectively. Alongside him Juniors Reid Streed looks to make Top 8 in the 100 Fly where he placed 11th, and Junior diver Eddie Steman has goals to take one of the Top 4 spots on the podium for diving to make state, improving on his 5th place finish from last year.