In a rivalry that has defined Minneapolis high school swimming for generations, Minneapolis South–Washburn–Roosevelt (TMT) leaned on depth, relay execution, and a record-breaking performance late to pull away from Minneapolis Southwest for a 102–81 varsity victory Tuesday night.
TMT set the tone immediately in the 200 medley relay, as the A relay of Ravi Elliott, Rowan Lesmeister, Leif Olson, and Emery Taylor delivered a sharp opening win in 1:44.76. The early relay control was a familiar sight in this long-running city matchup, with TMT also stacking points through its B relay to establish early separation.
Southwest countered in the 200 freestyle behind Jackson Jaglo, who surged to a convincing win in 1:51.55. TMT stayed steady with scoring swims from Finn Davies and Graham Wellner, limiting the swing and keeping the Panthers in front as the meet moved into the IM.
Momentum swung briefly in Southwest’s favor in the 200 IM, where Roman Johnson won in 2:06.89. TMT absorbed the hit with depth from Lesmeister and Olson, a recurring theme that prevented Southwest from stringing together a sustained run.
Sprint speed favored TMT in the 50 freestyle, as Emery Taylor edged Ethan Holm in a tight race, 22.96 to 23.07. Southwest answered on the diving boards, where Landon Sheposh captured the win with a score of 151.35, injecting energy back into the Lakers’ bench.
The rivalry intensity ramped up again in the butterfly, with Jaglo doubling up for Southwest in 54.15. TMT responded immediately in the 100 freestyle, where Holm delivered a 50.28 win for Southwest, but once again the Panthers stacked points just behind to preserve their overall advantage.
Distance racing brought another swing. Sam Resar controlled the 500 freestyle to win in 5:25.74 for Southwest, but TMT countered with Asher Bisek and Ellis Walsh scoring heavily behind him, keeping the margin intact as the meet entered relay season.
The 200 freestyle relay added another chapter to the back-and-forth. Southwest’s A relay of Jackson Jaglo, Noah Brennom, Roman Johnson, and Ethan Holm surged to a win in 1:33.34, trimming the deficit and keeping the outcome very much alive. TMT answered with its A relay of Matthew Borger, Sam Falk, Finn Davies, and Emery Taylor, limiting the damage and setting up the final individual events.
TMT steadied itself in the 100 backstroke when Asher Bisek touched first in 58.17, narrowly ahead of Johnson, restoring breathing room and setting the stage for the defining moment of the night.
That moment came in the 100 breaststroke. Rowan Lesmeister delivered a historic swim, winning in 1:00.22 and setting a new pool record, electrifying the deck and putting an emphatic stamp on the rivalry. The record-setting performance symbolized TMT’s control across the lineup and effectively sealed the team outcome.
Southwest closed the meet on a high note in the 400 freestyle relay, as the A relay of Jaglo, Brennom, Johnson, and Holm captured the win in 3:26.10. But by the time the final relay touched the wall, TMT’s earlier relay depth, middle-event consistency, and a record-breaking swim had already secured the result.
Updates and information around swimming in the state of Minnesota.