As the final race — 400-yard freestyle relay — was concluding Tuesday at the Falls Natatorium, numerous Broncos were talking about what should have been following a disappointing 53-48 loss to Eveleth-Gilbert.
Already down to 19 on the varsity roster, the Broncos knew they would be without Nick Riley, who is recovering from back surgery, but expected junior Wilson Johnson and senior Kirden Wenger to participate. The duo wasn’t there Tuesday and Broncos head coach Beth Reed doesn’t expect them to return until Sunday from a Christmas break trip to Florida. Johnson and Wenger also missed the Bronco Invitational on Dec. 29.
“The guys that were here swam very well,” Reed said.
Reed’s biggest lineup adjustment was moving Alex Henningsen from diving — where he participated in state last year — to four swimming events. Joe Baron also switched from the 50 freestyle — where he finished fifth at state last year — to the 200-yard individual medley.
The Broncos held a slim 38-37 lead with three events remaining, but didn’t have the depth to hold off the Golden Bears.
“They gave everything they had,” Reed said. “The numbers just weren’t enough.”
Baron finished first in the 200 individual medley (2 minutes, 21.93 seconds) and 100 freestyle (52.66), while four other individuals had top finishes: Henningsen in the 50 freestyle (25.54), Chase Carrigan in diving (143.75 points), Ames Bryant in the 100 butterfly (1:02.71) and Jeff Klow in the 100 breaststroke (1:18.91). The foursome of Bryant, Klow, Baron and Henningsen also won the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:58.90.
Eveleth-Gilbert 53,
I. Falls 48
200-yard medley relay — 1, Ames Bryant, Jeff Klow, Joe Baron, Alex Henningsen, 1:58.9; 3, Cody Tatsak, Marco Griffith, Corin Wenger, Joe Toninato, 2:22.97.
200 freestyle — 3, Ian Ducharme, 2:25.65; 4, Scott Ducharme, 2:38.42.
200 individual medley — 1, Baron, 2:21.93; 3, Klow, 2:47.14.
50 freestyle — 1, Henningsen, 25.54; 4, Myles Wolden, 28.4; 5, Griffith, no time.
Diving — 1, Chase Carrigan, 143.75; 2, Tatsak, 129.15.
100 butterfly — 1, Bryant, 1:02.71; 3, Wenger, 1:16.25; 5, Tyler Plasky, 1:50.64.
100 freestyle — 1, Baron, 52.66; 4, Wolden, 1:03.34; 5, Toninato, 1:10.59.
500 freestyle — 3, Scott Ducharme, 7:30.61.
200 freestyle relay — 2, Henningsen, Wolden, Bryant, Baron, 1:41.84; 3, Carrigan, Klow, Toninato, Ian Ducharme, 2:17.15.
100 backstroke — 2, Bryant, 1:12.4; 4, Wenger, 1:23.34.
100 breaststroke — 1, Klow, 1:18.91; 4, Plasky, 1:41.05; 5, Griffith, 1:41.42.
400 freestyle relay — 2, Henningsen, Ian Ducharme, Wenger, Wolden, 4:15.96; 4, Carrigan, Levi Lucy, Toninato, Scott Ducharme, 4:46.03.
Junior varsity results — Eveleth-Gilbert 55, I. Falls 31.
Dec. 29 results
Bronco Invitational
Team results — 1, Virginia, 339; 2, Hibbing, 284; 3, I. Falls, 191; 4, Mesabi East, 156; 5, Eveleth-Gilbert, 149; 6, Chisholm, 112.
Broncos results:
1-meter diving — 1, Alex Henningsen, 323.7; 3, Chase Carrigan, 257.55; 4, Cody Tatsak, 217.9; 5, Joe Toninato, 148.45.
200-yard medley relay — 4, Joe Baron, Ames Bryant, Jeff Klow, Henningsen, 2:00.66; np, Myles Wolden, Marco Griffith, Corin Wenger, Tatsak, 2:17.61.
200 freestyle — 15, Ian Ducharme, 2:33.1; 17, Carrigan, 2:37.17; 19, Scott Ducharme, 2:42.22.
200 individual medley — 12, Tyler Plasky, 3:30.19.
50 freestyle — 1, Baron, 23.63; 6, Henningsen, 25.76; 15, Toninato, 30.0; 20, Levi Lucy, 31.95.
100 butterfly — 3, Bryant, 1:03.18; 9, Wenger, 1:15.95; 10, Klow, 1:21.78.
100 freestyle — 1, Baron, 53.47; 13, Wolden, 1:04.56; 15, Ian Ducharme, 1:06.45; 20, Scott Ducharme, 1:12.21.
500 freestyle — No Bronco participants.
200 freestyle relay — 4, Baron, Bryant, Ian Ducharme, Henningsen, 1:44.32; np, Scott Ducharme, Toninato, Wolden, Klow, 2:05.67; np, Griffith, Plasky, Lucy, Carrigan, 2:09.39.
100 backstroke — 5, Bryant, 1:12.33; 9, Wenger, 1:20.40; 11, Tatsak, 1:28.33.
100 breaststroke — 10, Klow, 1:19.45; 17, Plasky, 1:39.71; 18, Griffith, 1:41.08.
400 freestyle relay — 6, Toninato, Wolden, Wenger, Carrigan, 4:36.23; np, Scott Ducharme, Lucy, Ian Ducharme, Tatsak, 4:46.62.
np - no place
