The closest International Falls’ girls swimming and diving team came Saturday to sending someone to state was 37-hundreths of a second.
In the Section 7A finals at Grand Rapids, the top two finishers in each swimming event automatically qualified for the state meet taking place this coming weekend at the University of Minnesota’s Aquatic Center.
Broncos senior Morgan Bruess placed third in the 100-yard backstroke in 1 minute, 6.82 seconds. Two Grand Rapids swimmers, junior Nicole Pardinas and freshman Katie Welshinger, advanced to the state meet by placing 1-2 in 1:06.09 and 1:06.45, respectively.
Bruess was also part of Falls’ 200 freestyle relay team that placed third. She joined senior Rachel Adams and sophomores Breanna Shofner and Blair Johnson to finish in 1:48.18. Grand Rapids posted the fastest time in 1:42.74, while Hibbing came in second in 1:44.61.
Senior Ashley Hasbargen joined Bruess, Adams and Shofner to place fourth in the 200 medley relay in 2:01.54. Hibbing won the race in 1:57.09.
Falls’ 400 freestyle relay team comprised of Adams, Johnson, senior Therese Youso and junior Abby Oveson placed fifth in 4:04.85. Grand Rapids recorded the winning time in 3:48.11.
Individually, Adams and Shofner placed fifth and sixth in the 50 freestyle in 26.24 and 26.56, respectively. Grand Rapids sophomore Solveig Viren won in 24.09.
Hasbargen placed seventh in 100 breaststroke (1:17.93). Hibbing senior Kristy Rudberg won in 1:10.4.
Shofner, who competed in four events Saturday, added an eighth-place finish in the 100 butterfly (1:11.12). Hibbing sophomore Sammy Bird placed first in 1:05.11.
In the diving competition, Falls freshmen Jessie Hell and Clara Wenger placed ninth and 10th with 218.5 and 205.5 points respectively. The top diver was Grand Rapids freshman Morgan Justus at 327.3.
A few other Falls swimmers competed in Saturday’s “B” finals after having qualified Thursday by having the ninth- through 16th-fastest times.
Junior Sarah Todd recorded a 10th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:19.02) and placed 11th in the 200 individual medley (2:35.75).
Junior Courtney Klow placed 13th in the 100 backstroke (1:12.51) and 15th in the 100 butterfly (1:17.69).
Eighth-grader Abby Kostiuk placed 15th in the 100 backstroke (1:17.06).
Falls placed fourth in the overall team point standings. Of the nine teams in the Section 7A meet, Grand Rapids won with 516, followed by Hibbing (503), Two Harbors/Silver Bay (295), the Falls (193), Mesabi East (175), Eveleth-Gilbert (164), Virginia (128), Chisholm (84) and Northeast Range/Ely (81).
