International Falls expecting big things from divers, relays
Joe Baron and Ben Shofner are the biggest faces representing International Falls in Thursday’s Section 4A preliminaries at Sartell-St. Stephen High School, but it’s the Bronco divers that could make the biggest splash.
Or smallest splash in this case.
Baron and Shofner return to the section meet as the only two Broncos to qualify for state last season, but divers Alex Henningson and Kirdan Wenger are in great position to qualify, as well.
Henningson is seeded third and Wenger fourth.
“As long as they’re consistent and keep diving the way they’ve been diving in practice, they’ll be in good shape,” Broncos diving coach Hailey Hyatt said.
The top four finishers in each event, plus anyone else who beats the state-qualifying mark, qualify for state.
Henningson missed out last year by one place, finishing fifth.
“Being that close, it’s driving me hard this year,” the sophomore said Tuesday at practice.
Both Henningson and Wenger have come a long way since finishing second-to-last and last in the section two years ago. Wenger finished last again last season, but the junior has worked hard and is right on the heels of Henningson.
“We tell it how it is,” Henningson said. “We don’t sugarcoat nothing. If it’s horrible, it’s horrible.”
For Baron and Shofner, Thursday’s prelims and Saturday’s finals are two more opportunities to break the school record in their respective events. Baron is closing in on the 50-yard freestyle record and Shofner nearly clipped the 100 butterfly mark last year at state. Baron is also close in the 100 freestyle, while both swimmers have a good shot to win the section in all three events.
Baron is seeded second in the 50 and 100, while Shofner is third in the 100 fly. Both have goals to finish in the top eight at state after finishing just outside of winning a medal last year.
Ames Bryant is the highest-seeded individual Bronco behind Shofner and Baron at 12th in the 100 butterfly, leaving the three relays as the next-best shot at a berth in the state meet.
The 200 freestyle relay had its streak of three straight state tournaments come to a halt last year, and the 200 medley missed state by .28 seconds last year. The Broncos are seeded seventh in the 200 medley, fifth in the 200 freestyle and 13th in the 400 freestyle.
“Most have been to the section meet already, so we all know what to do,” Bryant said. “We’re all older than last year.”
The 2010 Minnesota Boys State Swimming and Diving Tournament is March 4-6 at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.
