Meet Recaps

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.

With the South Suburban Conference championship on the line, Lakeville North delivered a poised, complete performance Friday night, defeating Prior Lake 100–84 to secure the conference crown and cap a title-clinching dual.

The Panthers wasted no time setting the tone in the 200 medley relay. Lakeville North’s A relay of Luke Hoffman, Oliver Snaza, Micah Debeltz, and Owen Beaudette fired off the blocks and touched first in 1:39.70, narrowly edging Prior Lake and immediately putting pressure on the Lakers in a meet where every point carried postseason weight.

Prior Lake answered in the 200 freestyle behind Jamey Solt, who surged to a win in 1:47.85 to pull the Lakers back even. Lakeville North responded with depth, stacking points behind Kellan Krance and Parker Mann, a recurring theme that allowed the Panthers to absorb individual losses without losing control of the team race.

Momentum swung again in the 200 IM, where Braxton Helmers delivered a strong win for Prior Lake in 2:04.06. But Lakeville North stayed firmly in the title fight with scoring swims from Oliver Snaza and Aiden Sorlie, keeping the margin tight as the meet moved into the sprint phase.

Sprint speed belonged to Prior Lake in the 50 freestyle, as Owen Beaudette blasted a 21.70 to win and briefly tilt the energy toward the Lakers. Lakeville North quickly answered in a decisive way on the diving boards. Caleb Baldeshwiler led a big Panthers showing in 1-meter diving, winning with a score of 224.20, while teammates added key depth points to swing the meet back in North’s favor.

The back-and-forth continued in the butterfly, where Helmers doubled up with a 53.45 win for Prior Lake. Lakeville North countered immediately in the 100 freestyle, as Solt returned to win in 47.73, preventing the Lakers from building momentum and keeping the Panthers’ conference hopes firmly intact.

Distance racing proved to be a turning point for Lakeville North. Luke Hoffman controlled the 500 freestyle from the opening length and touched first in 5:14.30, with Jonathan Colbert close behind. That one-two punch created critical separation on the scoreboard as the meet entered its final stretch.

Relays again became a focal point in the 200 freestyle relay. Prior Lake’s A relay of Owen Beaudette, Luke Hoffman, Micah Debeltz, and Jamey Solt captured the win in 1:31.54, trimming the deficit and keeping the conference title undecided heading into the closing events.

Lakeville North answered with poise in the 100 backstroke. Parker Mann delivered one of the most important swims of the night, winning in 58.55 and restoring breathing room for the Panthers. Prior Lake refused to fade, as Beaudette returned to win the 100 breaststroke in 58.75, ensuring the meet remained tense to the very end.

The night closed with Prior Lake winning the 400 freestyle relay, as the Lakers’ A relay of Beaudette, Solt, Zobrack, and Helmers touched first in 3:25.64. But Lakeville North’s depth across the individual events and earlier relays had already done the damage. By the time the final relay hit the wall, the Panthers had built enough of a cushion to lock up both the dual and the South Suburban Conference championship.

With the Metro West Conference championship on the line, Waconia delivered when it mattered most, edging Orono 95–91 Thursday night in a dual that came down to the final relay.

The tone was set immediately in the 200 medley relay, where Waconia’s A relay fired the opening shot, winning in 1:41.54 and grabbing the early advantage. Orono stayed close with a strong second-place finish, signaling that neither side would give an inch in a meet carrying postseason stakes.

Waconia added early momentum in the 200 freestyle as Henry Kleve controlled the race from the front, touching first in 1:48.69. Orono answered with solid depth behind Eli Fish and Luke Mitchell, keeping the team score tight and preventing Waconia from building separation.

The back-and-forth continued in the 200 IM, where Sam Swanson delivered a statement swim for Waconia, winning in 2:00.28. Orono countered with Ben Mitchell in second, staying within striking distance as the meet moved into the sprint events.

Sprint speed favored Waconia in the 50 freestyle, as Michael Sower surged to the wall first in 23.05. That burst was answered moments later on the diving boards, where Orono produced one of its biggest swings of the night. Gideon Fish dominated the 1-meter event with a winning score of 298.55, with teammates close behind, swinging key points back to the Spartans and tightening the conference race.

Waconia responded in the butterfly, where Sower doubled up with a win in 54.83, steadying the Wildcats after the diving swing. The meet tightened again in the 100 freestyle as Maitrey Gulati edged the field in 52.00, barely holding off Orono’s Davis Kelly in a race that underscored how thin the margin had become.

Distance racing proved pivotal. Swanson returned to the pool in the 500 freestyle and delivered another critical win in 4:58.66, while Waconia stacked additional points behind him. That result gave the Wildcats a slight cushion as the meet turned toward the relays.

The pressure spiked in the 200 freestyle relay, where Waconia’s A relay held off Orono in a near photo finish, winning 1:33.65 to 1:33.84. That razor-thin relay result loomed large as the dual moved into the final individual events with the conference title still undecided.

Waconia extended its edge in the 100 backstroke behind Kleve, who picked up his second win of the night in 55.36. Orono answered immediately in the breaststroke, as Ben Mitchell captured the 100 breast in 1:02.70, trimming the gap and setting the stage for a winner-take-all finish.

With everything on the line, Waconia left no doubt in the 400 freestyle relay. The Wildcats’ A relay surged from the opening leg and pulled away down the stretch, winning in 3:22.25 and sealing both the dual victory and the Metro West Conference championship.

The meet opened with fireworks in the 200 medley relay, and Wayzata immediately set the pace as Nathan Carr, Noah Landry, Jerry Lou, and Benjamin Pei touched first in 1:32.05. Edina stayed right in striking distance behind Patrick Curran, Talan Macfarlane, Joe Hemberger, and Patrick Gabler at 1:35.27, while Chanhassen-Chaska grabbed third with Sam Kvam, Owen Larson, Bryson Hougas, and Joey Petersen in 1:37.03, launching a three-team sprint toward the top of the scoreboard.

Woodbury delivered the first individual statement in the 200 freestyle, where Grant McElwain won in 1:44.15, edging Edina’s Willy Thurk (1:44.78) and Minnetonka’s Will Jabs (1:46.11). The top of the field stayed tightly packed, and it was already clear that depth would decide far more than just who won each race.

The 200 IM became a Wayzata showcase, as Jerry Lou took control in 1:51.73, followed closely by Mounds View’s Danny Bai (1:51.85) and Wayzata teammate Nathan Carr (1:52.05). That one-three punch allowed Wayzata to stack points and keep pressure on both Edina and Minnetonka early in the meet.

Sprint speed took center stage in the 50 free, and Duluth East made its presence known with Joey Zelen ripping a 20.56 to win. Wayzata’s Benjamin Pei (21.21) and Noah Landry (21.31) followed right behind, keeping Wayzata firmly in the hunt while Duluth East surged forward with valuable sprint scoring.

Then came the first major momentum swing of the meet — diving — and Edina completely changed the team race. Edward Frey led a dominant Hornets sweep with a winning score of 471.90, followed by teammates Niko Yannopoulos and Kingston Kavati, giving Edina three massive finishes in a single event and launching them straight into the championship conversation.

Wayzata answered immediately in the 100 butterfly as Jerry Lou picked up his second win of the day in 50.34. Chanhassen-Chaska’s Bryson Hougas (51.26) and Minnetonka’s William Finucane-Tuccio (51.57) stayed close, but Lou’s front-end speed helped stabilize Wayzata after Edina’s diving surge.

Mounds View flexed its sprint muscle in the 100 freestyle behind Danny Bai, who won in 45.36. Duluth East’s Joey Zelen followed in 46.38, and Minnetonka’s Benjamin Jabs took third in 46.69, turning the sprint lanes into another three-team tug-of-war that kept the scoreboard tight at the top.

Edina kept rolling in the distance as Willy Thurk captured the 500 free in 4:43.10, with teammate Alex Allocco right behind in 4:47.08 and Minnetonka’s Will Jabs third in 4:48.62. With two Hornets near the front, Edina continued to pile on points in one of the meet’s heaviest-scoring individual races.

Minnetonka struck back in the 200 free relay, where William Finucane-Tuccio, Soonhong Chua, Rowen Irwin, and Benjamin Jabs combined for a winning time of 1:26.01. Woodbury chased them home behind Finn Novak, Ethan Lu, Alex McElwain, and Andrew Qing in 1:27.49, with Edina right there in 1:27.71, keeping three powerhouse programs locked in a late-meet standoff.

Wayzata reclaimed momentum in the 100 backstroke as Nathan Carr won in 49.19, edging Edina’s Patrick Curran (50.65) and Wayzata’s Benjamin Pei (51.02). With Carr adding a win, Wayzata stayed firmly entrenched in the podium fight heading into the final individual event.

The breaststroke brought more balance to the team battle, as multiple programs landed top finishes and prevented any single squad from breaking away completely. Wayzata’s Noah Landry topped the event with a time of 57.82, followed closely by the Stormhawk’s Izndro Warain (58.00). Taking third in the event was Woodbury’s Andrew Qing in a time of 58.71. The event kept the scoreboard compressed and set up the final relay as the true deciding moment.

Everything came down to the 400 free relay, and Wayzata delivered under pressure. Nathan Carr, Benjamin Pei, Jerry Lou, and Tristan Farrey surged to victory in 3:09.09, with Edina right behind at 3:09.34 and Minnetonka close in 3:11.39. The top three were separated by barely two seconds, but the relay points proved decisive in finalizing the team championship order.

Minnetonka’s depth across nearly every event ultimately carried the day, pairing relay strength with steady individual scoring in sprints, distance, and IMs. Edina’s massive diving points and distance strength kept them in the hunt until the very end, while Wayzata’s relay firepower and sprint dominance secured a strong podium finish in one of the tightest Class AA races in recent True Team history.

Minnetonka head Coach John Bradley commented:

“As a team in this particular event, our athletes’ understood the need for everyone to step up and perform. The power of this meet is that it creates opportunities for everyone to score and contribute, and many of our athletes who, in a normal meet, are relegated to JV or exhibition status get to step up and get to run with the big dogs”

Final Team Scores

1. Minnetonka — 2295
2. Edina — 2276
3. Wayzata — 2049
4. Chanhassen-Chaska — 1812
5. Lakeville North — 1466
6. Woodbury — 1319
7. East Ridge — 1269.5
8. Stillwater — 1033.5
9. Champlin Park — 1032
10. Mounds View — 1003.5
11. Alexandria — 982
12. Duluth East — 949.5