Apple Valley edged Burnsville in a tightly contested dual on Friday night, securing a narrow 91–87 varsity victory in a meet that stayed undecided until the final events. Strong top-end performances from the Eagles, paired with timely depth points, proved just enough to hold off a late Burnsville push.
Apple Valley set the tone early in the 200 Medley Relay, as the A-relay of Aidan Kahle, Gabe Lenzen, Hunter Barnhart, and Charlie Peterson claimed the win and delivered the first scoring swing of the night. Burnsville responded with a strong effort from its B-relay, but a disqualification of the Blaze A-relay kept Apple Valley firmly in control early.
Momentum continued in the 200 Freestyle, where freshman Ethan Wetrosky delivered a standout swim to take the win for Apple Valley. Teammate Tyden Tompkins followed closely in second, while Burnsville stayed in striking distance with scoring finishes from Arnold Sweet and Zion Frank.
The Eagles widened their lead in the 200 IM as Aidan Kahle returned to the pool for his second victory of the night, holding off teammate Javier Laffitte. Burnsville countered with points from Max Rocca and Jackson Nejman, but Apple Valley maintained the upper hand through the opening events.
Sprint speed shifted the tone of the meet in the 50 Freestyle. Gabe Lenzen powered to a convincing win for Apple Valley, while Burnsville’s Oliver Dineen and Pietro Rossi answered with second and third to prevent the Eagles from pulling away. That back-and-forth set the stage for a pivotal middle stretch.
Apple Valley gained a critical boost on the diving boards, where Charlie Peterson delivered a dominant performance to win the event. Teammates Reid Ahnemann and Jeffrey Simon Burton added valuable points, helping offset Burnsville’s strong finishes from Zander Boyko and Seamus Boos.
The 100 Butterfly brought one of the night’s most competitive races, with Aidan Kahle once again touching first for Apple Valley. Burnsville stayed close behind with strong swims from Zander Boyko and Wyatt Hoel, keeping the team score within reach.
Lenzen returned in the 100 Freestyle to post another key win for Apple Valley, followed by teammates Tyden Tompkins and Javier Laffitte, giving the Eagles a crucial 1–2–3 finish. Burnsville answered with points from Jackson Sundquist and Jack Christman, limiting the damage as the meet moved into the distance races.
In the 500 Freestyle, Wetrosky continued his strong night, winning decisively for Apple Valley. Burnsville countered with a solid second-place swim from Marty Pritchard and additional scoring from Thomas Pritchard, preventing the Eagles from building too much separation.
Burnsville made its biggest push in the 200 Free Relay, as Rossi, Rocca, Boyko, and Dineen combined for a win that pulled the Blaze back within a handful of points. Apple Valley answered with two scoring relays behind them, setting up a dramatic final stretch.
The meet swung again in the 100 Backstroke, where Burnsville swept the top three positions behind Charles Burnes, Thomas Pritchard, and Arnold Sweet, briefly giving the Blaze momentum heading into the breaststroke.
Burnsville continued its surge in the 100 Breaststroke with another sweep led by Max Rocca, Jackson Nejman, and Jackson Sundquist, tightening the team score even further and putting pressure on Apple Valley entering the final relay.
With the meet on the line, Burnsville closed strong by winning the 400 Free Relay. However, Apple Valley had already banked enough points earlier in the meet to withstand the charge, sealing a hard-fought 91–87 victory.
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