Joe Baron and Ben Shofner spent last season climbing up the school record books.
Now they have their sites set on Roberto Lezama and Kyon Hoffman, names that haven’t been spoken in a while. Lezama, a foreign exchange student from the late 90s, holds the school record in the 50-yard freestyle at 22.21 seconds, while Hoffman holds the record in the 100 butterfly at 55.4. Hoffman’s record from 1977 is the longest standing individual mark in the boys swimming program.
Baron and Shofner lead the 2009-10 Broncos into action, and spirits are up, just like expectations.
“We have the new guys putting in a lot of effort. Everyone’s working hard,” said Shofner, who finished ninth at state last year in 55.79. His season-best time from prelims was 55.69.
Baron also qualified for state and finished 10th in 22.68. His season-best time came in prelims at 22.64. It was Baron’s second state meet after swimming in a leg of the 200 freestyle relay as a freshman (Shofner was an alternate on that relay).
“If we could bring our team along to state, that would be nice,” Shofner said.
The only quirk about this year’s Section 4A competition is the location at Sartell-St. Stephen High School. Mapquest.com estimates it’s nearly five hours away, while Broncos head coach Beth Reed said it takes six hours for the bus to get there.
The meet usually rotates between Hibbing and Grand Rapids, but the southern schools of the section — Princeton, Sauk Rapids-Rice, Sartell-St. Stephen and Chisago Lakes — wanted in on the rotation.
“That’s going to be the toughest part at sections,” Reed said about the location, before noting they are taking a trip to the same pool for True Team Sections, which will help get acquainted with the surroundings and environment.
Joining Baron and Shofner as this year’s top returners are Alex Henningson, Ames Bryant, Trevor Plasky, Chevy Arnold and Kirden Wenger. Plasky and Arnold swam in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays last season, while Henningson and Wenger highlight what is turning into an impressive group of divers.
Henningson, only a sophomore, missed state by one place last year, while Wenger, a junior, has shown improvement. Throw in seventh-graders Cody Tatsak and Chase Carrigan, and the Broncos expect diving to be their biggest point booster this season.
“It’s crazy to say this, but we could have 2-3 guys go to state. It’s exciting,” said Broncos diving coach Hailey Hyatt, who noted Tatsak has been diving three years already even though he’s in seventh-grade.
Bryant, who’s a strength anywhere he swims, is a wild card to open the season. He’s been cleared to swim, but not run yet, and said he’s about 80 percent after suffering a broken right ankle during football practice in August that required eight screws and a plate. He was laboring around practice late last week, and hadn’t attempted any turns yet, but he said he’ll be fine.
The Broncos only lost three to graduation — Mike Menard, Andrew Mannausau and Jacob Joslyn — and have the same number of kids from last season — 21.
They also have a revitalized adrenaline about facing Grand Rapids, a perennial section power.
The captains believe they have a legit shot at taking down the Thunderhawks this season, and it would be the first time since the “late 70s or early 80s,” according to Reed.
The Broncos take on the Thunderhawks in the last duel meet of the season on Parent’s Night.
“If anything can get these guys fired up, it’s Rapids on Parent’s Night,” Reed said.
