Owatonna and Red Wing squared off in a tightly contested dual Tuesday night, trading momentum throughout the meet before Owatonna sealed a 94–91 varsity victory behind strong sprinting, clutch relay performances, and key points in the closing events.
Red Wing struck first in the 200 Medley Relay, as the quartet of Zach Shefveland, Brenden Reinhart, Chase Holzer, and Zachary Mikkelson touched first in 2:01.59. Owatonna stayed close with a second-place finish from its A-relay in 2:03.59, setting the tone for a back-and-forth meet.
The 200 Freestyle delivered one of the night’s best races, with Red Wing senior Eli Flattum edging Owatonna’s Phoenix Storm by just four hundredths, 2:00.72 to 2:00.76. Owatonna countered with valuable depth points from Lucas Candullo, while Red Wing added points through Bradley Abney and Tanner Ide.
Owatonna gained momentum in the 200 IM as Logan Flynn posted a strong win in 2:15.63, narrowly holding off Red Wing’s Nick Babcock (2:16.13). Additional scoring from Aiden Thurber helped the Huskies keep the team score tight heading into the sprints.
Sprint speed favored Owatonna in the 50 Freestyle, where Jacob Gleason delivered the fastest swim of the night in 22.76. Teammate Blake Bishman added a third-place finish, while Red Wing stayed in range with points from Luke Farrar and Zachary Mikkelson.
Red Wing answered on the diving boards with a dominant performance from Zachary Mikkelson, who won the 1-meter event with a score of 317.80. Teammate Landen Nelson followed in second, but Owatonna stayed close thanks to points from Andrew Jacott and Connor McBroom.
The 100 Butterfly swung momentum back toward Owatonna, as Phoenix Storm touched first in 1:03.49. Red Wing countered with a strong second-place swim from Nick Babcock, while additional points from Chase Holzer and Zach Shefveland kept the meet within a few points.
Red Wing briefly regained the edge in the 100 Freestyle, sweeping the top two spots behind Eli Flattum (53.76) and Luke Farrar (57.26). Owatonna limited the damage with solid swims from Henrik Johnson and Lucas Candullo, keeping the dual within reach as the distance swimmers took over.
The 500 Freestyle proved pivotal. Red Wing freshman Bradley Abney earned a big win in 6:10.91, but Owatonna responded with second from Aiden Thurber (6:14.58) and fifth from Reese Mukanov, grabbing crucial depth points that would loom large later.
Owatonna delivered one of its biggest swings in the 200 Free Relay. The A-relay of Logan Flynn, Henrik Johnson, Phoenix Storm, and Jacob Gleason surged to victory in 1:36.58, finishing ahead of Red Wing’s A-relay (1:38.83) and giving the Huskies a narrow lead entering the final stretch.
That momentum continued in the 100 Backstroke, where Jacob Gleason picked up another win for Owatonna in 1:03.45, while teammate Levi Johnson added points in fourth. Red Wing stayed close with second and third from Bryce Goebel and Zach Shefveland.
The 100 Breaststroke set up the final relay showdown. Logan Flynn delivered a clutch win for Owatonna in 1:14.18, followed by teammate Samuel Hayes in third. Red Wing answered with points from Brenden Reinhart and Colton Auge, leaving the meet undecided heading into the final event.
With the dual on the line, Owatonna closed strong in the 400 Free Relay. The team of Phoenix Storm, Henrik Johnson, Logan Flynn, and Jacob Gleason touched first in 3:41.41, narrowly holding off Red Wing’s A-relay (3:44.93) and sealing the 94–91 victory.
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