Bragging rights were once again on the line Tuesday night as Anoka and Andover squared off in their annual “Battle of the Pool,” a rivalry meet made unique by the fact that both programs train daily in the same facility. Familiar lanes and familiar faces did nothing to dull the intensity, as Anoka emerged with a 104–82 varsity victory after a night filled with head-to-head racing and momentum swings.
Anoka set the tone early in the varsity 200 Medley Relay, where the quartet of Dante Framke, Wyatt Willers, Collin McCarty, and Kaleb Erickson delivered a sharp winning swim in 1:45.94. Andover stayed close with its A relay finishing second (1:57.41), keeping the rivalry tight from the opening event.
The 200 Freestyle showcased Andover’s depth, led by Ray Maki, who won the event in 1:56.11, while teammate Taylor Maki followed close behind (2:00.38). Anoka countered with strong scoring swims from Emrick Lee (1:59.13) and Kaleb Erickson (2:00.49), preventing Andover from pulling away.
Versatility belonged to Andover in the 200 IM, as Rogan Ellis controlled the race for a decisive win in 2:02.06. Anoka answered with Wyatt Willers (2:13.64) and Collin McCarty (2:19.59) stacking points to keep the team score within reach.
Sprint speed swung the momentum back toward Anoka in the 50 Freestyle. Wesley Anderson touched first in 22.66, followed by Andover’s Noble Andersland (24.52) and Will Widmark (25.63). The sprint depth helped Anoka regain ground in a meet where every point mattered.
Andover found a key boost on the diving boards, where Isaiah Croaston dominated the 1-meter event with a winning score of 222.40. Anoka stayed close with Deklan Blinkman (200.85) and Colton Steiner (171.00), limiting the swing.
The rivalry intensity peaked in the butterfly events. Rogan Ellis doubled up for Andover with another win in the 100 Fly (56.26), but Anoka answered immediately with points from Collin McCarty (59.98) and depth finishes that kept the team race leaning their way.
Anoka continued to press in the 100 Freestyle, where Dante Framke delivered a big win in 48.08, while Andover countered with points from Ray Maki (52.58) and Noble Andersland (54.11). The event proved pivotal as Anoka began to separate on the scoreboard.
Distance racing further tilted the meet toward Anoka. Emrick Lee captured the 500 Freestyle in 5:20.25, followed by teammates Wesley Anderson (5:32.22) and Tyler Kraemer (5:56.12). Andover’s Owen Wilkerson placed fourth (5:57.37) to keep his team within striking distance.
Relays again played a major role late. Andover struck in the 200 Free Relay, as Noble Andersland, Taylor Maki, Ray Maki, and Rogan Ellis surged to victory in 1:34.87, narrowly edging Anoka’s A relay (1:35.54) and reigniting the rivalry heading into the final events.
Anoka responded decisively in the 100 Backstroke, sweeping the top three spots behind Dante Framke (1:00.81), Kaleb Erickson (1:04.13), and Tyler Kraemer (1:11.18), creating one of the largest point swings of the night.
The 100 Breaststroke kept the meet competitive, with Wyatt Willers earning the win for Anoka in 1:08.09, while Andover’s Finn Oredson (1:11.26) and Owen LeBeau (1:19.68) added crucial points.
The meet closed with the 400 Free Relay, where Anoka’s A relay of Wesley Anderson, Kennen Nelson, Kaleb Erickson, and Dante Framke sealed the rivalry win in 3:26.72. Andover followed with a strong second-place finish (3:33.15), but Anoka had already done enough to lock up the team victory.
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