International Falls’ girls swimming and diving team has advanced to today’s Section 7A finals in eight swimming events following Thursday’s preliminary competition in Hibbing.
The top eight in each swimming event advanced to today’s championship heat, while the top 9-16 advanced to the consolation heat.
Broncos junior Breanna Shofner has qualified for the finals in four events.
Shofner placed fourth in the 50-yard freestyle (26.71 seconds) and sixth the 100 freestyle (59.41).
A Section 7A and pool record had been set in both events Thursday by Grand Rapids junior Solveig Viren, who posted the top qualifying time in the 50 and 100 in 24.02 and 52.4, respectively.
Shofner was also part of two Bronco relay teams that advanced to the finals.
She joined freshman Abby Kostiuk, eighth-grader Emily Saari and senior Sarah Todd to place fourth in the 200 medley relay (2:03.28) in a time more than 2 seconds faster than for what the team received the No. 4 seed.
Shofner also joined Todd, junior Blair Johnson and eighth-grader Claire Herzig to place fifth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:50.44).
Grand Rapids posted the top time in both relays in 1:58.44 and 1:43.77, respectively.
Todd also advanced to the championship heat in two individual events by placing sixth in the 200 individual medley (2:33.44) and seventh in the 100 breaststroke (1:18.65).
Saari finished eighth in the 100 breaststroke (1:18.69) to advance to the championship heat.
Two Falls swimmers also advanced to the championship heat in the 100 backstroke, in which Kostiuk placed fourth in 1:08.18 and junior Courtney Klow finished fifth in 1:09.72.
Kostiuk, Klow, Johnson and eighth-grader Emma Misner made it to the championship heat with a fourth-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay (4:09.64).
Falls swimmers who advanced to the consolation heat in five events included:
• 200 individual medley — 14. Klow, 2:42.03.
• 50 freestyle — 15. Johnson, 28.15.
• 100 freestyle — 11. Misner, 1:01.04; 16. Johnson, 1:02.25.
• 100 backstroke — 15. Carolann Stone, 1:15.06.
• 100 breaststroke — 12. Herzig, 1:19.86.
The diving preliminaries take place today in Hibbing at 11 a.m., followed by the swimming and diving finals at 3 p.m.
Following today’s finals, the Section’s top two in each individual swimming and relay event and the top four in the diving competition all advance to the Class A State Girls Swimming and Diving Meet being held Nov. 15-17 at the U of M Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.
