Henningsen 12th in diving
Joe Baron and Alex Henningsen didn’t have the best results at the Class A state swimming and diving championships on Saturday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center – just ask them – but both came away thinking about their careers in the pool next season.
Long-time head coach Beth Reed, however, will not be around a pool next season. She turned in her letter of resignation on Monday after 25 years in the program.
“I was actually pretty relaxed and pretty calm,” Reed said when asked how her last meet went. “I think I made the right decision.”
By all accounts, including Reed’s, Hailey Silvers is the favorite to take over next year. Silvers, a Falls High School grad, has worked with the program the last few years and turned the diving program into a force.
“I’m going to walk away and wish her the best,” Reed said.
Baron, who finished fifth in the 50-yard freestyle and 10th in the 100 at state last year, finished ninth in the 50 and 11th in the 100 on Saturday. He posted a time of 22.47 seconds in the 50 and 49.92 in the 100. The highlight for the senior, however, was a discussion with Al Boelk, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point head swimming and diving coach. Baron, who holds the school record in the 50 and 100, was accepted at the school and will be a member of the Pointers swim team.
“Pretty pumped. He told me I got accepted to the school,” Baron said, noting he visited the campus back in October and has been interested every since.
“It was fun this year. It went by really fast,” Baron said.
Henningsen improved on his 14th-place finish from a year ago to finish 12th with 260.35 points, but he was upset he didn’t medal (top eight) even though he admitted he was under the weather. He missed school on Tuesday and said he didn’t feel much better on Thursday during prelims. He didn’t move up from 12th place in Saturday’s finals.
“There’s lots of motivation (for next year),” the junior said.
Another reason Henningsen was frustrated was his final score from the section meet would’ve placed him second at state. Judges score on a more difficult scale at state, Henningsen said, but Prineton’s Tony Kottke managed a third-place finish after finishing fourth at sections (behind Henningsen).
“And I’m way capable of beating him,” Henningsen said.
