Swimming: Irish on patrol
by Andy Rogers
Thisweek Newspapers
It’s safe to say the expectations for the boys swimming and diving team at Rosemount have been elevated.
With dozens of returning swimmers who helped the Irish place seventh at the Class AA swim meet last season, there’s an excitement brewing in the water that’s to a boiling point.
“It is hard to tell where we will go this year,” coach Patti Wegner said. “There is a lot of talent on the team and a lot of the guys trained off-season in preparation for this year. I am just a little unsure of how far that will take us.”
She said the team would like a top-five finish at both True Team State and at individual team state championships.
“However, I think we can do better than that. … The bar has been raised for a great season, now we just have to go out there and do it,” she said.
“We have a large group of seniors who are undefeated so far in their conference swimming careers, so we would like to help them finish that run out.”
The backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, individual medley and all the relays feature several top-flight swimmers, including Jake Stern, Luke Dowell, Conor Manning, Braden McCormack, Andrew Urness, Sheldon Hatlen, Matthew McCormack, Nick Jeffrey and Tyler Lawson.
A few elite swimmers have graduated, leaving shallow depth in the sprint freestyle event.
Still, this is one of Wegner’s favorite teams to coach. She says the swimmers are motivated to swim fast and they’re not afraid to let loose.
“I believe they are best dancing team in the conference, or so they hope to think, and they practice it quite a bit too,” Wegner said. “Overall a great team to coach. Great athletes from freshmen up to the seniors. Oh, and they grow the best mustaches, too.”
The Irish lost to Eden Prairie, the No. 1 ranked team in Class AA, on Dec. 13 by a score of 102-81, but it’s still early.
“If we want to compete with (Eden Prairie) by the end of the season, we are going to have to do all the little things right,” she said. “So far I am still looking for guys who are going to put the team on their shoulders and beat other teams’ No. 1 guy.”
The 200-yard medley relay is one event to watch. After finishing second in the state last season with Braden McCormack, Stern, Dowell and Conor Manning, who are all back, the boys have unfinished business.
The four swam the relay in 1 minute, 37.96 seconds against Eden Prairie, about two seconds behind their state tournament time. They broke their own pool record already and broke Eagan’s pool record last Friday.
Stern was second in the 100 breaststroke at state in 2011 and is aiming for the top spot.
“Maybe even eyeing a state record,” Wegner said. “It will be very tough, but he’s one of the toughest people I have ever met, so it’s not out of the question. It’s just up to him and how much he wants it.”
Eagan
After tying for the South Suburban Conference title in 2011, the Wildcats will have a tough time defending it after losing six state qualifiers to graduation.
That leaves just one past state participant – diver Keith Krawza who placed 11th and helped the Wildcats finish in the top 10.
The program has 21 new swimmers, which helps with depth and the diving group looks very strong.
“We could have four of the top eight at sections with three going to state,”coach Christopher Morgan said.
Morgan figures to send a few more to state in March with swimmers such as Eli Broman and Bill Leighton on pace to swim qualifying times.
“(Broman) is perhaps the fastest freshman in the metro area,” Morgan said. “He’s already at state cuts in three different events. (Leighton) is on pace to be an all-state athlete.”
Morgan had some concerns about the team’s attitude after losing so many leaders to graduation.
“We have a long way to go, but the pace this team is setting so far on the improvement front is quite impressive,” Morgan said.
Andy Rogers is at andy.rogers@ecm-inc.com.
