Earning medals in all three relays and also placing in the top three in three individual events highlighted the International Falls girls swimming and diving team’s third-place showing out of nine teams at Saturday’s Taconite Invitational hosted by Mesabi East.
Duluth East finished first with 326 points, followed by Two Harbors/Silver Bay (231), the Falls (203), Mesabi East (165) and Eveleth-Gilbert (114.5) in the top five.
Broncos head coach Jill Herzig said facing Duluth East, a Class AA school, was like having Class A powerhouse Grand Rapids in the meet, while Two Harbors/Silver Bay is also among the top teams in Section 7A.
Falls’ 200-yard freestyle relay team comprised of seniors Breanna Shofner and Blair Johnson, sophomore Abby Kostiuk and freshman Claire Herzig placed first in 1 minute, 50.08 seconds.
Shofner, Johnson and Kostiuk joined freshman Emily Saari to place second in the 200 medley relay (2:04.49). Duluth East won in 1:56.03.
Johnson, senior Courtney Klow, junior Tayler Hebner and freshman Emma Misner placed third in the 400 freestyle relay (4:11.95). Duluth East won the event in 3:59.59.
Individually, Shofner finished runner-up in the 100 freestyle (1:00.19), 2.09 seconds behind the top time of Duluth East junior Alissa Marlow. Shofner added a fourth-place finish in the 50 freestyle (26.67), 62 hundredths of a second behind Marlow’s winning time.
Kostiuk placed second in the 100 backstroke (1:06.75), 2.95 seconds behind the winning time of Duluth East junior Kelly Punyko. Klow added a fifth-place finish in 1:11.42.
Misner finished third in the 100 butterfly (1:09.44) with Kostiuk coming in fourth in 1:11.07. Duluth East senior Cora Knauss won the event in 1:06.19.
Saari added a fourth-place individual finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:18.07) with Claire Herzig placing seventh in 1:20.19. Duluth East freshman Meghan Zwak won in 1:12.4.
Broncos junior Jessie Hell placed fifth in the 1-meter diving competition with 258.6 points. Mesabi East senior Savannah Robertson had the top score of 288.9.
Falls freshman Carolann Stone scored points in two events by placing seventh in the 500 freestyle (6:25.3) and 10th in the 200 freestyle (2:23.47).
Misner added a seventh-place finish in the 100 freestyle (1:02.09) with Hebner placing 11th in 1:03.85.
The other top-12 individual finish to score points for the Broncos came from Klow, who placed ninth in the 200 individual medley (2:43.64).
Medals were awarded to the top three in each event with individual finishers from fourth to 12th place receiving ribbons.
The Falls will be back in action Thursday at an invitational at Grand Rapids.
Taconite Invitational
Team scores: Duluth East 326, Two Harbors/Silver Bay 231, International Falls 203, Mesabi East 165, Eveleth-Gilbert 114.5, Chisholm 112.5, Virginia 86.5, Cloquet/Esko/Carlton 66.5, Northeast Range/Ely 54.
International Falls finishers
Diving — 5. Jessie Hell, 258.6; 13. Josie Bates, 181.15.
200-yard medley relay — 2. Abby Kostiuk, Emily Saari, Breanna Shofner, Blair Johnson, 2:04.49.
200 freestyle — 10. Carolann Stone, 2:23.47; 19. Megan Herrly, 2:31.27; 29. Reina Goulet, 2:49.01.
200 individual medley — 9. Courtney Klow, 2:43.64; 13. Abby Auran, 2:49.28.
50 freestyle — 4. Breanna Shofner, 26.67; 15. Blair Johnson, 28.47; 19. Claire Herzig, 29.0.
100 butterfly — 3. Emma Misner, 1:09.44; 4. Abby Kostiuk, 1:11.07. 14. Abby Auran, 1:19.86.
100 freestyle — 2. Breanna Shofner, 1:00.19; 7. Emma Misner, 1:02.09; 11. Tayler Hebner, 1:03.85.
500 freestyle — 7. Carolann Stone, 6:25.3.
200 freestyle relay — 1. Abby Kostiuk, Blair Johnson, Claire Herzig, Breanna Shofner, 1:50.08.
100 backstroke — 2. Abby Kostiuk, 1:06.75; 5. Courtney Klow, 1:11.42; 23. Megan Herrly, 1:26.86.
100 breaststroke — 4. Emily Saari, 1:18.07; 7. Claire Herzig, 1:20.19; 14. Anna Earley, 1:26.4.
400 freestyle relay — 3. Emma Misner, Tayler Hebner, Blair Johnson, Courtney Klow, 4:11.95.
