Divers make the difference in Skipper swim victory over Edina
Minnetonka High’s boys swimming and diving team made a statement Jan. 11 with a 103-83 Lake Conference dual meet win over perennial power Edina.
The divers made the difference for Tonka, who had a 1-2-3 finish from Taylor Hall, Teddy Goodyear and Patrick Quarberg. Hall’s winning score was 247.10 points. Goodyear scored 221.55 and Quarberg checked out with 213.60.
Edina opened the meet with a win in the 200-yard medley relay, and then the Hornets finished 1-2 in the 200-yard freestyle with Erick Huft and Sean Satterthwaite. Jackson Lindell of Edina won the 200-yard individual medley, and then the tide turned in Tonka’s favor.
Skipper senior Noah Busch posted a win in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 21.86 seconds. The diving sweep followed, but Edina was still even following Lindell’s win in the 100-yard butterfly.
Tonka sophomore Ryan Current won the 100-yard freestyle in 48,70. John Seylar of Tonka followed with a win in the 500 freestyle in 4:52.70.
Tonka surged with a 1-2 finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Current, Ryan Jessen, Trent Youngdahl and Seylar were first. Chris Bader, Ben Snyder, Joe Hanson and Sam Illies finished second.
Busch scored his second win of the meet in the 100-yard backstroke to lengthen Minnetonka’s lead. His time was 52.53.
Edina’s Huft edged Bader to win the 100-yard breaststroke.
Edina took first in the 400 freestyle relay, but Minnetonka closed strong by finishing second and third for the final 20-point margin.
Next for Minnetonka is a Lake Conference dual meet against Wayzata at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, at Minnetonka Middle School East.
The Lake Conference is loaded with individual stars this season. Minnetonka’s Busch and Current are among the top-ranked swimmers statewide in their events. Busch is the defending state Class AA champion in the 100-yard backstroke. Dan Bielski is also a proven state-meet swimmer.
Edina has a quartet of standouts with Buzz Rehnberg, Huft, Lindell and Satterthwaite. Plus the Hornets have the state’s most experienced coach. Art Downey, who started in the fall of 1956 is in his 57th season as head coach.
Eden Prairie is loaded with star power. The best of the Eagles are Bryce Boston, Jenia Foster, Aaron Greenberg, Jonathan Lieberman and Mike Solfelt.
Hopkins has eighth-grade standout Corey Lau, a state place-winner in two events last year.
Contact John Sherman at john.sherman@ecm-inc.com
