Tri-captains Grace Livermore, Jocelyn Skoda, Sam Hanson and the Laker swimming and diving team placed 12th in the program’s first-ever appearance at the State True Team meet Wednesday at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center. “It was really cool; I think a lot of the younger girls enjoyed it and it was super cool to see how excited they were,” Livermore said. Prior to the meet, the Lakers were able to take in some Big 10 University action watching the Gophers swim team practice prior to taking on some of the biggest and best teams in the state.
“It was overwhelming, but it was really fun,” Skoda said. The state meets, whether MSHSL or the True Team can be an overwhelming experience for first-time visitors. The pace is fast, the action in the pool is choppy and the competition is top notch. “It’s really crazy,” Hanson said. “I never thought I would say that I swam in the state pool.” The job of the seniors is not only to perform well but to be a voice to and for the younger girls getting them to perform their best on the biggest swimming stage in the state. “I told them, ‘we are all in it,’” said Hanson. “Some of these girls aren’t used to scoring varsity points. I told them, ‘Every time you see that score go up, that’s you’ and I think that pushed them a lot to swim fast.” Swimming powerhouse Visitation won the meet with 2,266 points, winning by a wide margin over runners-up Mankato West with 1,877. The Lakers have faced Visitation once already this season and knew what to expect from their competition. “I don’t think we had a lot of high expectations,” said Livermore. “We’ve never been there before.” “It’s more of a team thing,” Skoda said. “We have to do it together, instead of just by ourselves.” “We do a lot better at big meets like that, rather than duals, and it was a really good experience for our younger girls,” said Hanson. “We’re a really young team and they are going to get progressively better.” Team unity is built on big experiences and an already close Laker team is now closer after the trip to True Team. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227815","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"319","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"480"}}]] “This year is one of the closest we’ve been as a team,” said Livermore. “There’s not a separation between seniors and seventh-graders. We’re all one big team and we work together.” The Lakers scored 690 points for the 12th place finish. Top 10 finishes in each event were at a premium. Sophomore Clara Livermore recorded the Lakers’ top individual finish placing 11th in the 100-breaststroke in 1:17.08. Three of the Laker divers participated. Diving has been a strong suit for this year’s team. Seventh-grader Jackson Hegg led the trio with a 13th place score of 305.75. Eighth-grader Lexy Yliniemi was 16th with 285.85 and sophomore Thia Olds placed 17th with a score of 190. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227817","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"480","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"319"}}]] Eighth-grade standout Syd Gulon had top marks in her specialties the 50 and 500-freestyle. Gulon placed 13th in the 50 with a time of 26.44 and 17th in the 500-free (5:48.49). The state meet experience will be a boon to the Lakers as they chase a Section 8A championship and a Class A state berth later this season. Having a well-rounded lineup will be key asset to DL’s success in the big meets to come. “We have the top swimmers, but we have a lot of the middle swimmers.” “We’re thinking about that,” said Hanson. “We have a pretty good chance to win sections.” The Lakers are off until the Mid-State Conference championships in Park Rapids Friday, Oct. 24. Sections are scheduled for Nov. 7-8 in Detroit Lakes. State True Team Meet - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Wednesday, Oct. 15 Team results: Visitation 2,266 Mankato West 1,877 Sartell-St. Stephen 1,806 Breck 1,684 The Blake School 1,641 Dassel-Cokato 1,514 Melrose Area 1,445 Hill-Murray 1,306 Foley 1,198 Hibbing 822 Detroit Lakes 690 200-Medley relay1. Visitation A 1:49.75; 16. DL – A (Grace Livermore, Clara Livermore, Syd Gulon, Ella Henderson) 2:03.71 37. DL – B (Josie Retz, Berit Ramstad-Skoyles, Lucy Steinke, Jocelyn Skoda) 2:13.79; 46. DL – C (Elena Gilbert, Chelsy Johnson, Anna Schumacher, Sam Hanson) 2:28.57; 47. DL – D (Gracie Bellware, Lauren Krengel, McKenna Ruchti-Westrum, Makehna Beck) 2:51.91. 200-Freestyle1. Chantal Nack (MANW) 1:56.08; 38. M. Krengel 2:19.14; 42. A. Smith 2:19.83; 47. S. Hanson 2:42.46. 200-IM1. Abbie Dolan (V) 2:06.76; 17. G. Livermore 2:26.42; 33. C. Livermore 2:34.89; 4. M. Henderson 2:45.14; 48. E. Gilbert 2:59.15. 50-Freestyle1. Emily Conners (V) 24.34; 13. S. Gulon 26.44; 46. J. Skoda 29.30; 47. L. Steinke 29.32; 48. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 30.15. 1m Diving1. Megan White (Blake) 436.35; 13. J. Hegg 305.75; 16. L. Yliniemi 285.85; 17. T. Olds 190. 100-Butterfly1. Lorelei Gaertner (V) 58.26; 40. J. Skoda 1:13.66; 46. A. Smith 1:19.21; 47. M. Ruchti-Westrum 1:32.63; 48. C. Johnson 1:41.73. 100-Freestyle1. Dolan (V) 50.79; 39. E. Henderson 1:02.73; 45. M. Henderson 1:06.17; 46. E. Nelson 1:06.67; 47. L. Steinke 1:08.34. 500-Freestyle1. Nack (MANW) 5:16.90; 17. S. Gulon 5:48.49; 39. M. Krengel 6:19.81; 41. A. Schumacher 6:26.10; 44. J. Retz 6:28.16. 200-Freestyle relay1. Visitation A 1:39.49; 33. DL – A (Skoda, Nelson, Ramstad-Skoyles, Krengel) 1:57.07; 40. DL – B (Smith, Steinke, Johnson, M. Henderson) 2:00.62; 46. DL – C (Gilbert, Ruchti-Westrum, Beck, Olds) 2:16.16; 48. DL – D (Bellware, Bolar, L. Krengel, J. Hegg) 2:29.85. 100-Backstroke1. Caroline Gaertner (V) 1:00.09; 17. G. Livermore 1:07.33; 33. J. Retz 1:12.45; 42. E. Gilbert 1:18.99; 45. A. Schumacher 1:20.78. 100-Breaststroke1. Elisa Burgstahler (DACO) 1:05.56; 11. C. Livermore 1:17.08; 38. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 1:25.85; 40. E. Nelson 1:27.14; 48. S. Hanson 1:33.41. 400-Freestyle relay1. 1. Visitation A 3:37.58; 19. DL – A (G. Livermore, E. Henderson, C. Livermore, Gulon) 4:06.78; 38. DL – B (M. Krengel, Skoda, Smith, M. Henderson) 4:26.30; 45. DL – C (Nelson, Schumacher, Hanson, Retz) 4:47.21; 47. DL – D (Johnson, Beck, Bellware, Bolar) 5:15.27. Tweets by @DLNewspapersTri-captains Grace Livermore, Jocelyn Skoda, Sam Hanson and the Laker swimming and diving team placed 12th in the program’s first-ever appearance at the State True Team meet Wednesday at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center. “It was really cool; I think a lot of the younger girls enjoyed it and it was super cool to see how excited they were,” Livermore said. Prior to the meet, the Lakers were able to take in some Big 10 University action watching the Gophers swim team practice prior to taking on some of the biggest and best teams in the state. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227813","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"319","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"480"}}]] “It was overwhelming, but it was really fun,” Skoda said. The state meets, whether MSHSL or the True Team can be an overwhelming experience for first-time visitors. The pace is fast, the action in the pool is choppy and the competition is top notch. “It’s really crazy,” Hanson said. “I never thought I would say that I swam in the state pool.” The job of the seniors is not only to perform well but to be a voice to and for the younger girls getting them to perform their best on the biggest swimming stage in the state. “I told them, ‘we are all in it,’” said Hanson. “Some of these girls aren’t used to scoring varsity points. I told them, ‘Every time you see that score go up, that’s you’ and I think that pushed them a lot to swim fast.” Swimming powerhouse Visitation won the meet with 2,266 points, winning by a wide margin over runners-up Mankato West with 1,877. The Lakers have faced Visitation once already this season and knew what to expect from their competition. “I don’t think we had a lot of high expectations,” said Livermore. “We’ve never been there before.” “It’s more of a team thing,” Skoda said. “We have to do it together, instead of just by ourselves.” “We do a lot better at big meets like that, rather than duals, and it was a really good experience for our younger girls,” said Hanson. “We’re a really young team and they are going to get progressively better.” Team unity is built on big experiences and an already close Laker team is now closer after the trip to True Team.
“This year is one of the closest we’ve been as a team,” said Livermore. “There’s not a separation between seniors and seventh-graders. We’re all one big team and we work together.” The Lakers scored 690 points for the 12th place finish. Top 10 finishes in each event were at a premium. Sophomore Clara Livermore recorded the Lakers’ top individual finish placing 11th in the 100-breaststroke in 1:17.08. Three of the Laker divers participated. Diving has been a strong suit for this year’s team. Seventh-grader Jackson Hegg led the trio with a 13th place score of 305.75. Eighth-grader Lexy Yliniemi was 16th with 285.85 and sophomore Thia Olds placed 17th with a score of 190. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227817","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"480","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"319"}}]] Eighth-grade standout Syd Gulon had top marks in her specialties the 50 and 500-freestyle. Gulon placed 13th in the 50 with a time of 26.44 and 17th in the 500-free (5:48.49). The state meet experience will be a boon to the Lakers as they chase a Section 8A championship and a Class A state berth later this season. Having a well-rounded lineup will be key asset to DL’s success in the big meets to come. “We have the top swimmers, but we have a lot of the middle swimmers.” “We’re thinking about that,” said Hanson. “We have a pretty good chance to win sections.” The Lakers are off until the Mid-State Conference championships in Park Rapids Friday, Oct. 24. Sections are scheduled for Nov. 7-8 in Detroit Lakes. State True Team Meet - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Wednesday, Oct. 15 Team results: Visitation 2,266 Mankato West 1,877 Sartell-St. Stephen 1,806 Breck 1,684 The Blake School 1,641 Dassel-Cokato 1,514 Melrose Area 1,445 Hill-Murray 1,306 Foley 1,198 Hibbing 822 Detroit Lakes 690 200-Medley relay1. Visitation A 1:49.75; 16. DL – A (Grace Livermore, Clara Livermore, Syd Gulon, Ella Henderson) 2:03.71 37. DL – B (Josie Retz, Berit Ramstad-Skoyles, Lucy Steinke, Jocelyn Skoda) 2:13.79; 46. DL – C (Elena Gilbert, Chelsy Johnson, Anna Schumacher, Sam Hanson) 2:28.57; 47. DL – D (Gracie Bellware, Lauren Krengel, McKenna Ruchti-Westrum, Makehna Beck) 2:51.91. 200-Freestyle1. Chantal Nack (MANW) 1:56.08; 38. M. Krengel 2:19.14; 42. A. Smith 2:19.83; 47. S. Hanson 2:42.46. 200-IM1. Abbie Dolan (V) 2:06.76; 17. G. Livermore 2:26.42; 33. C. Livermore 2:34.89; 4. M. Henderson 2:45.14; 48. E. Gilbert 2:59.15. 50-Freestyle1. Emily Conners (V) 24.34; 13. S. Gulon 26.44; 46. J. Skoda 29.30; 47. L. Steinke 29.32; 48. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 30.15. 1m Diving1. Megan White (Blake) 436.35; 13. J. Hegg 305.75; 16. L. Yliniemi 285.85; 17. T. Olds 190. 100-Butterfly1. Lorelei Gaertner (V) 58.26; 40. J. Skoda 1:13.66; 46. A. Smith 1:19.21; 47. M. Ruchti-Westrum 1:32.63; 48. C. Johnson 1:41.73. 100-Freestyle1. Dolan (V) 50.79; 39. E. Henderson 1:02.73; 45. M. Henderson 1:06.17; 46. E. Nelson 1:06.67; 47. L. Steinke 1:08.34. 500-Freestyle1. Nack (MANW) 5:16.90; 17. S. Gulon 5:48.49; 39. M. Krengel 6:19.81; 41. A. Schumacher 6:26.10; 44. J. Retz 6:28.16. 200-Freestyle relay1. Visitation A 1:39.49; 33. DL – A (Skoda, Nelson, Ramstad-Skoyles, Krengel) 1:57.07; 40. DL – B (Smith, Steinke, Johnson, M. Henderson) 2:00.62; 46. DL – C (Gilbert, Ruchti-Westrum, Beck, Olds) 2:16.16; 48. DL – D (Bellware, Bolar, L. Krengel, J. Hegg) 2:29.85. 100-Backstroke1. Caroline Gaertner (V) 1:00.09; 17. G. Livermore 1:07.33; 33. J. Retz 1:12.45; 42. E. Gilbert 1:18.99; 45. A. Schumacher 1:20.78. 100-Breaststroke1. Elisa Burgstahler (DACO) 1:05.56; 11. C. Livermore 1:17.08; 38. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 1:25.85; 40. E. Nelson 1:27.14; 48. S. Hanson 1:33.41. 400-Freestyle relay1. 1. Visitation A 3:37.58; 19. DL – A (G. Livermore, E. Henderson, C. Livermore, Gulon) 4:06.78; 38. DL – B (M. Krengel, Skoda, Smith, M. Henderson) 4:26.30; 45. DL – C (Nelson, Schumacher, Hanson, Retz) 4:47.21; 47. DL – D (Johnson, Beck, Bellware, Bolar) 5:15.27. Tweets by @DLNewspapersTri-captains Grace Livermore, Jocelyn Skoda, Sam Hanson and the Laker swimming and diving team placed 12th in the program’s first-ever appearance at the State True Team meet Wednesday at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center. “It was really cool; I think a lot of the younger girls enjoyed it and it was super cool to see how excited they were,” Livermore said. Prior to the meet, the Lakers were able to take in some Big 10 University action watching the Gophers swim team practice prior to taking on some of the biggest and best teams in the state. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227813","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"319","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"480"}}]] “It was overwhelming, but it was really fun,” Skoda said. The state meets, whether MSHSL or the True Team can be an overwhelming experience for first-time visitors. The pace is fast, the action in the pool is choppy and the competition is top notch. “It’s really crazy,” Hanson said. “I never thought I would say that I swam in the state pool.” The job of the seniors is not only to perform well but to be a voice to and for the younger girls getting them to perform their best on the biggest swimming stage in the state. “I told them, ‘we are all in it,’” said Hanson. “Some of these girls aren’t used to scoring varsity points. I told them, ‘Every time you see that score go up, that’s you’ and I think that pushed them a lot to swim fast.” Swimming powerhouse Visitation won the meet with 2,266 points, winning by a wide margin over runners-up Mankato West with 1,877. The Lakers have faced Visitation once already this season and knew what to expect from their competition. “I don’t think we had a lot of high expectations,” said Livermore. “We’ve never been there before.” “It’s more of a team thing,” Skoda said. “We have to do it together, instead of just by ourselves.” “We do a lot better at big meets like that, rather than duals, and it was a really good experience for our younger girls,” said Hanson. “We’re a really young team and they are going to get progressively better.” Team unity is built on big experiences and an already close Laker team is now closer after the trip to True Team. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227815","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"319","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"480"}}]] “This year is one of the closest we’ve been as a team,” said Livermore. “There’s not a separation between seniors and seventh-graders. We’re all one big team and we work together.” The Lakers scored 690 points for the 12th place finish. Top 10 finishes in each event were at a premium. Sophomore Clara Livermore recorded the Lakers’ top individual finish placing 11th in the 100-breaststroke in 1:17.08. Three of the Laker divers participated. Diving has been a strong suit for this year’s team. Seventh-grader Jackson Hegg led the trio with a 13th place score of 305.75. Eighth-grader Lexy Yliniemi was 16th with 285.85 and sophomore Thia Olds placed 17th with a score of 190.
Eighth-grade standout Syd Gulon had top marks in her specialties the 50 and 500-freestyle. Gulon placed 13th in the 50 with a time of 26.44 and 17th in the 500-free (5:48.49). The state meet experience will be a boon to the Lakers as they chase a Section 8A championship and a Class A state berth later this season. Having a well-rounded lineup will be key asset to DL’s success in the big meets to come. “We have the top swimmers, but we have a lot of the middle swimmers.” “We’re thinking about that,” said Hanson. “We have a pretty good chance to win sections.” The Lakers are off until the Mid-State Conference championships in Park Rapids Friday, Oct. 24. Sections are scheduled for Nov. 7-8 in Detroit Lakes. State True Team Meet - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Wednesday, Oct. 15 Team results: Visitation 2,266 Mankato West 1,877 Sartell-St. Stephen 1,806 Breck 1,684 The Blake School 1,641 Dassel-Cokato 1,514 Melrose Area 1,445 Hill-Murray 1,306 Foley 1,198 Hibbing 822 Detroit Lakes 690 200-Medley relay1. Visitation A 1:49.75; 16. DL – A (Grace Livermore, Clara Livermore, Syd Gulon, Ella Henderson) 2:03.71 37. DL – B (Josie Retz, Berit Ramstad-Skoyles, Lucy Steinke, Jocelyn Skoda) 2:13.79; 46. DL – C (Elena Gilbert, Chelsy Johnson, Anna Schumacher, Sam Hanson) 2:28.57; 47. DL – D (Gracie Bellware, Lauren Krengel, McKenna Ruchti-Westrum, Makehna Beck) 2:51.91. 200-Freestyle1. Chantal Nack (MANW) 1:56.08; 38. M. Krengel 2:19.14; 42. A. Smith 2:19.83; 47. S. Hanson 2:42.46. 200-IM1. Abbie Dolan (V) 2:06.76; 17. G. Livermore 2:26.42; 33. C. Livermore 2:34.89; 4. M. Henderson 2:45.14; 48. E. Gilbert 2:59.15. 50-Freestyle1. Emily Conners (V) 24.34; 13. S. Gulon 26.44; 46. J. Skoda 29.30; 47. L. Steinke 29.32; 48. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 30.15. 1m Diving1. Megan White (Blake) 436.35; 13. J. Hegg 305.75; 16. L. Yliniemi 285.85; 17. T. Olds 190. 100-Butterfly1. Lorelei Gaertner (V) 58.26; 40. J. Skoda 1:13.66; 46. A. Smith 1:19.21; 47. M. Ruchti-Westrum 1:32.63; 48. C. Johnson 1:41.73. 100-Freestyle1. Dolan (V) 50.79; 39. E. Henderson 1:02.73; 45. M. Henderson 1:06.17; 46. E. Nelson 1:06.67; 47. L. Steinke 1:08.34. 500-Freestyle1. Nack (MANW) 5:16.90; 17. S. Gulon 5:48.49; 39. M. Krengel 6:19.81; 41. A. Schumacher 6:26.10; 44. J. Retz 6:28.16. 200-Freestyle relay1. Visitation A 1:39.49; 33. DL – A (Skoda, Nelson, Ramstad-Skoyles, Krengel) 1:57.07; 40. DL – B (Smith, Steinke, Johnson, M. Henderson) 2:00.62; 46. DL – C (Gilbert, Ruchti-Westrum, Beck, Olds) 2:16.16; 48. DL – D (Bellware, Bolar, L. Krengel, J. Hegg) 2:29.85. 100-Backstroke1. Caroline Gaertner (V) 1:00.09; 17. G. Livermore 1:07.33; 33. J. Retz 1:12.45; 42. E. Gilbert 1:18.99; 45. A. Schumacher 1:20.78. 100-Breaststroke1. Elisa Burgstahler (DACO) 1:05.56; 11. C. Livermore 1:17.08; 38. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 1:25.85; 40. E. Nelson 1:27.14; 48. S. Hanson 1:33.41. 400-Freestyle relay1. 1. Visitation A 3:37.58; 19. DL – A (G. Livermore, E. Henderson, C. Livermore, Gulon) 4:06.78; 38. DL – B (M. Krengel, Skoda, Smith, M. Henderson) 4:26.30; 45. DL – C (Nelson, Schumacher, Hanson, Retz) 4:47.21; 47. DL – D (Johnson, Beck, Bellware, Bolar) 5:15.27. Tweets by @DLNewspapersTri-captains Grace Livermore, Jocelyn Skoda, Sam Hanson and the Laker swimming and diving team placed 12th in the program’s first-ever appearance at the State True Team meet Wednesday at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center.“It was really cool; I think a lot of the younger girls enjoyed it and it was super cool to see how excited they were,” Livermore said.Prior to the meet, the Lakers were able to take in some Big 10 University action watching the Gophers swim team practice prior to taking on some of the biggest and best teams in the state.
“It was overwhelming, but it was really fun,” Skoda said.The state meets, whether MSHSL or the True Team can be an overwhelming experience for first-time visitors. The pace is fast, the action in the pool is choppy and the competition is top notch.“It’s really crazy,” Hanson said. “I never thought I would say that I swam in the state pool.”The job of the seniors is not only to perform well but to be a voice to and for the younger girls getting them to perform their best on the biggest swimming stage in the state.“I told them, ‘we are all in it,’” said Hanson. “Some of these girls aren’t used to scoring varsity points. I told them, ‘Every time you see that score go up, that’s you’ and I think that pushed them a lot to swim fast.”Swimming powerhouse Visitation won the meet with 2,266 points, winning by a wide margin over runners-up Mankato West with 1,877.The Lakers have faced Visitation once already this season and knew what to expect from their competition.“I don’t think we had a lot of high expectations,” said Livermore. “We’ve never been there before.”“It’s more of a team thing,” Skoda said. “We have to do it together, instead of just by ourselves.”“We do a lot better at big meets like that, rather than duals, and it was a really good experience for our younger girls,” said Hanson. “We’re a really young team and they are going to get progressively better.”Team unity is built on big experiences and an already close Laker team is now closer after the trip to True Team.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227815","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"319","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"480"}}]]“This year is one of the closest we’ve been as a team,” said Livermore. “There’s not a separation between seniors and seventh-graders. We’re all one big team and we work together.”The Lakers scored 690 points for the 12th place finish. Top 10 finishes in each event were at a premium.Sophomore Clara Livermore recorded the Lakers’ top individual finish placing 11th in the 100-breaststroke in 1:17.08.Three of the Laker divers participated. Diving has been a strong suit for this year’s team.Seventh-grader Jackson Hegg led the trio with a 13th place score of 305.75. Eighth-grader Lexy Yliniemi was 16th with 285.85 and sophomore Thia Olds placed 17th with a score of 190.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227817","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"480","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"319"}}]]Eighth-grade standout Syd Gulon had top marks in her specialties the 50 and 500-freestyle.Gulon placed 13th in the 50 with a time of 26.44 and 17th in the 500-free (5:48.49).The state meet experience will be a boon to the Lakers as they chase a Section 8A championship and a Class A state berth later this season.Having a well-rounded lineup will be key asset to DL’s success in the big meets to come.“We have the top swimmers, but we have a lot of the middle swimmers.”“We’re thinking about that,” said Hanson. “We have a pretty good chance to win sections.”The Lakers are off until the Mid-State Conference championships in Park Rapids Friday, Oct. 24.Sections are scheduled for Nov. 7-8 in Detroit Lakes.State True Team Meet - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Wednesday, Oct. 15Team results:Visitation 2,266Mankato West 1,877Sartell-St. Stephen 1,806Breck 1,684The Blake School 1,641Dassel-Cokato 1,514Melrose Area 1,445Hill-Murray 1,306Foley 1,198Hibbing 822Detroit Lakes 690200-Medley relay1. Visitation A 1:49.75; 16. DL – A (Grace Livermore, Clara Livermore, Syd Gulon, Ella Henderson) 2:03.71 37. DL – B (Josie Retz, Berit Ramstad-Skoyles, Lucy Steinke, Jocelyn Skoda) 2:13.79; 46. DL – C (Elena Gilbert, Chelsy Johnson, Anna Schumacher, Sam Hanson) 2:28.57; 47. DL – D (Gracie Bellware, Lauren Krengel, McKenna Ruchti-Westrum, Makehna Beck) 2:51.91.200-Freestyle1. Chantal Nack (MANW) 1:56.08; 38. M. Krengel 2:19.14; 42. A. Smith 2:19.83; 47. S. Hanson 2:42.46.200-IM1. Abbie Dolan (V) 2:06.76; 17. G. Livermore 2:26.42; 33. C. Livermore 2:34.89; 4. M. Henderson 2:45.14; 48. E. Gilbert 2:59.15.50-Freestyle1. Emily Conners (V) 24.34; 13. S. Gulon 26.44; 46. J. Skoda 29.30; 47. L. Steinke 29.32; 48. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 30.15.1m Diving1. Megan White (Blake) 436.35; 13. J. Hegg 305.75; 16. L. Yliniemi 285.85; 17. T. Olds 190.100-Butterfly1. Lorelei Gaertner (V) 58.26; 40. J. Skoda 1:13.66; 46. A. Smith 1:19.21; 47. M. Ruchti-Westrum 1:32.63; 48. C. Johnson 1:41.73.100-Freestyle1. Dolan (V) 50.79; 39. E. Henderson 1:02.73; 45. M. Henderson 1:06.17; 46. E. Nelson 1:06.67; 47. L. Steinke 1:08.34.500-Freestyle1. Nack (MANW) 5:16.90; 17. S. Gulon 5:48.49; 39. M. Krengel 6:19.81; 41. A. Schumacher 6:26.10; 44. J. Retz 6:28.16.200-Freestyle relay1. Visitation A 1:39.49; 33. DL – A (Skoda, Nelson, Ramstad-Skoyles, Krengel) 1:57.07; 40. DL – B (Smith, Steinke, Johnson, M. Henderson) 2:00.62; 46. DL – C (Gilbert, Ruchti-Westrum, Beck, Olds) 2:16.16; 48. DL – D (Bellware, Bolar, L. Krengel, J. Hegg) 2:29.85.100-Backstroke1. Caroline Gaertner (V) 1:00.09; 17. G. Livermore 1:07.33; 33. J. Retz 1:12.45; 42. E. Gilbert 1:18.99; 45. A. Schumacher 1:20.78.100-Breaststroke1. Elisa Burgstahler (DACO) 1:05.56; 11. C. Livermore 1:17.08; 38. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 1:25.85; 40. E. Nelson 1:27.14; 48. S. Hanson 1:33.41.400-Freestyle relay1. 1. Visitation A 3:37.58; 19. DL – A (G. Livermore, E. Henderson, C. Livermore, Gulon) 4:06.78; 38. DL – B (M. Krengel, Skoda, Smith, M. Henderson) 4:26.30; 45. DL – C (Nelson, Schumacher, Hanson, Retz) 4:47.21; 47. DL – D (Johnson, Beck, Bellware, Bolar) 5:15.27. Tweets by @DLNewspapersTri-captains Grace Livermore, Jocelyn Skoda, Sam Hanson and the Laker swimming and diving team placed 12th in the program’s first-ever appearance at the State True Team meet Wednesday at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center.“It was really cool; I think a lot of the younger girls enjoyed it and it was super cool to see how excited they were,” Livermore said.Prior to the meet, the Lakers were able to take in some Big 10 University action watching the Gophers swim team practice prior to taking on some of the biggest and best teams in the state.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227813","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"319","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"480"}}]]“It was overwhelming, but it was really fun,” Skoda said.The state meets, whether MSHSL or the True Team can be an overwhelming experience for first-time visitors. The pace is fast, the action in the pool is choppy and the competition is top notch.“It’s really crazy,” Hanson said. “I never thought I would say that I swam in the state pool.”The job of the seniors is not only to perform well but to be a voice to and for the younger girls getting them to perform their best on the biggest swimming stage in the state.“I told them, ‘we are all in it,’” said Hanson. “Some of these girls aren’t used to scoring varsity points. I told them, ‘Every time you see that score go up, that’s you’ and I think that pushed them a lot to swim fast.”Swimming powerhouse Visitation won the meet with 2,266 points, winning by a wide margin over runners-up Mankato West with 1,877.The Lakers have faced Visitation once already this season and knew what to expect from their competition.“I don’t think we had a lot of high expectations,” said Livermore. “We’ve never been there before.”“It’s more of a team thing,” Skoda said. “We have to do it together, instead of just by ourselves.”“We do a lot better at big meets like that, rather than duals, and it was a really good experience for our younger girls,” said Hanson. “We’re a really young team and they are going to get progressively better.”Team unity is built on big experiences and an already close Laker team is now closer after the trip to True Team.
“This year is one of the closest we’ve been as a team,” said Livermore. “There’s not a separation between seniors and seventh-graders. We’re all one big team and we work together.”The Lakers scored 690 points for the 12th place finish. Top 10 finishes in each event were at a premium.Sophomore Clara Livermore recorded the Lakers’ top individual finish placing 11th in the 100-breaststroke in 1:17.08.Three of the Laker divers participated. Diving has been a strong suit for this year’s team.Seventh-grader Jackson Hegg led the trio with a 13th place score of 305.75. Eighth-grader Lexy Yliniemi was 16th with 285.85 and sophomore Thia Olds placed 17th with a score of 190.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227817","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"480","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"319"}}]]Eighth-grade standout Syd Gulon had top marks in her specialties the 50 and 500-freestyle.Gulon placed 13th in the 50 with a time of 26.44 and 17th in the 500-free (5:48.49).The state meet experience will be a boon to the Lakers as they chase a Section 8A championship and a Class A state berth later this season.Having a well-rounded lineup will be key asset to DL’s success in the big meets to come.“We have the top swimmers, but we have a lot of the middle swimmers.”“We’re thinking about that,” said Hanson. “We have a pretty good chance to win sections.”The Lakers are off until the Mid-State Conference championships in Park Rapids Friday, Oct. 24.Sections are scheduled for Nov. 7-8 in Detroit Lakes.State True Team Meet - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Wednesday, Oct. 15Team results:Visitation 2,266Mankato West 1,877Sartell-St. Stephen 1,806Breck 1,684The Blake School 1,641Dassel-Cokato 1,514Melrose Area 1,445Hill-Murray 1,306Foley 1,198Hibbing 822Detroit Lakes 690200-Medley relay1. Visitation A 1:49.75; 16. DL – A (Grace Livermore, Clara Livermore, Syd Gulon, Ella Henderson) 2:03.71 37. DL – B (Josie Retz, Berit Ramstad-Skoyles, Lucy Steinke, Jocelyn Skoda) 2:13.79; 46. DL – C (Elena Gilbert, Chelsy Johnson, Anna Schumacher, Sam Hanson) 2:28.57; 47. DL – D (Gracie Bellware, Lauren Krengel, McKenna Ruchti-Westrum, Makehna Beck) 2:51.91.200-Freestyle1. Chantal Nack (MANW) 1:56.08; 38. M. Krengel 2:19.14; 42. A. Smith 2:19.83; 47. S. Hanson 2:42.46.200-IM1. Abbie Dolan (V) 2:06.76; 17. G. Livermore 2:26.42; 33. C. Livermore 2:34.89; 4. M. Henderson 2:45.14; 48. E. Gilbert 2:59.15.50-Freestyle1. Emily Conners (V) 24.34; 13. S. Gulon 26.44; 46. J. Skoda 29.30; 47. L. Steinke 29.32; 48. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 30.15.1m Diving1. Megan White (Blake) 436.35; 13. J. Hegg 305.75; 16. L. Yliniemi 285.85; 17. T. Olds 190.100-Butterfly1. Lorelei Gaertner (V) 58.26; 40. J. Skoda 1:13.66; 46. A. Smith 1:19.21; 47. M. Ruchti-Westrum 1:32.63; 48. C. Johnson 1:41.73.100-Freestyle1. Dolan (V) 50.79; 39. E. Henderson 1:02.73; 45. M. Henderson 1:06.17; 46. E. Nelson 1:06.67; 47. L. Steinke 1:08.34.500-Freestyle1. Nack (MANW) 5:16.90; 17. S. Gulon 5:48.49; 39. M. Krengel 6:19.81; 41. A. Schumacher 6:26.10; 44. J. Retz 6:28.16.200-Freestyle relay1. Visitation A 1:39.49; 33. DL – A (Skoda, Nelson, Ramstad-Skoyles, Krengel) 1:57.07; 40. DL – B (Smith, Steinke, Johnson, M. Henderson) 2:00.62; 46. DL – C (Gilbert, Ruchti-Westrum, Beck, Olds) 2:16.16; 48. DL – D (Bellware, Bolar, L. Krengel, J. Hegg) 2:29.85.100-Backstroke1. Caroline Gaertner (V) 1:00.09; 17. G. Livermore 1:07.33; 33. J. Retz 1:12.45; 42. E. Gilbert 1:18.99; 45. A. Schumacher 1:20.78.100-Breaststroke1. Elisa Burgstahler (DACO) 1:05.56; 11. C. Livermore 1:17.08; 38. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 1:25.85; 40. E. Nelson 1:27.14; 48. S. Hanson 1:33.41.400-Freestyle relay1. 1. Visitation A 3:37.58; 19. DL – A (G. Livermore, E. Henderson, C. Livermore, Gulon) 4:06.78; 38. DL – B (M. Krengel, Skoda, Smith, M. Henderson) 4:26.30; 45. DL – C (Nelson, Schumacher, Hanson, Retz) 4:47.21; 47. DL – D (Johnson, Beck, Bellware, Bolar) 5:15.27. Tweets by @DLNewspapersTri-captains Grace Livermore, Jocelyn Skoda, Sam Hanson and the Laker swimming and diving team placed 12th in the program’s first-ever appearance at the State True Team meet Wednesday at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center.“It was really cool; I think a lot of the younger girls enjoyed it and it was super cool to see how excited they were,” Livermore said.Prior to the meet, the Lakers were able to take in some Big 10 University action watching the Gophers swim team practice prior to taking on some of the biggest and best teams in the state.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227813","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"319","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"480"}}]]“It was overwhelming, but it was really fun,” Skoda said.The state meets, whether MSHSL or the True Team can be an overwhelming experience for first-time visitors. The pace is fast, the action in the pool is choppy and the competition is top notch.“It’s really crazy,” Hanson said. “I never thought I would say that I swam in the state pool.”The job of the seniors is not only to perform well but to be a voice to and for the younger girls getting them to perform their best on the biggest swimming stage in the state.“I told them, ‘we are all in it,’” said Hanson. “Some of these girls aren’t used to scoring varsity points. I told them, ‘Every time you see that score go up, that’s you’ and I think that pushed them a lot to swim fast.”Swimming powerhouse Visitation won the meet with 2,266 points, winning by a wide margin over runners-up Mankato West with 1,877.The Lakers have faced Visitation once already this season and knew what to expect from their competition.“I don’t think we had a lot of high expectations,” said Livermore. “We’ve never been there before.”“It’s more of a team thing,” Skoda said. “We have to do it together, instead of just by ourselves.”“We do a lot better at big meets like that, rather than duals, and it was a really good experience for our younger girls,” said Hanson. “We’re a really young team and they are going to get progressively better.”Team unity is built on big experiences and an already close Laker team is now closer after the trip to True Team.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1227815","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"319","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"480"}}]]“This year is one of the closest we’ve been as a team,” said Livermore. “There’s not a separation between seniors and seventh-graders. We’re all one big team and we work together.”The Lakers scored 690 points for the 12th place finish. Top 10 finishes in each event were at a premium.Sophomore Clara Livermore recorded the Lakers’ top individual finish placing 11th in the 100-breaststroke in 1:17.08.Three of the Laker divers participated. Diving has been a strong suit for this year’s team.Seventh-grader Jackson Hegg led the trio with a 13th place score of 305.75. Eighth-grader Lexy Yliniemi was 16th with 285.85 and sophomore Thia Olds placed 17th with a score of 190.
Eighth-grade standout Syd Gulon had top marks in her specialties the 50 and 500-freestyle.Gulon placed 13th in the 50 with a time of 26.44 and 17th in the 500-free (5:48.49).The state meet experience will be a boon to the Lakers as they chase a Section 8A championship and a Class A state berth later this season.Having a well-rounded lineup will be key asset to DL’s success in the big meets to come.“We have the top swimmers, but we have a lot of the middle swimmers.”“We’re thinking about that,” said Hanson. “We have a pretty good chance to win sections.”The Lakers are off until the Mid-State Conference championships in Park Rapids Friday, Oct. 24.Sections are scheduled for Nov. 7-8 in Detroit Lakes.State True Team Meet - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Wednesday, Oct. 15Team results:Visitation 2,266Mankato West 1,877Sartell-St. Stephen 1,806Breck 1,684The Blake School 1,641Dassel-Cokato 1,514Melrose Area 1,445Hill-Murray 1,306Foley 1,198Hibbing 822Detroit Lakes 690200-Medley relay1. Visitation A 1:49.75; 16. DL – A (Grace Livermore, Clara Livermore, Syd Gulon, Ella Henderson) 2:03.71 37. DL – B (Josie Retz, Berit Ramstad-Skoyles, Lucy Steinke, Jocelyn Skoda) 2:13.79; 46. DL – C (Elena Gilbert, Chelsy Johnson, Anna Schumacher, Sam Hanson) 2:28.57; 47. DL – D (Gracie Bellware, Lauren Krengel, McKenna Ruchti-Westrum, Makehna Beck) 2:51.91.200-Freestyle1. Chantal Nack (MANW) 1:56.08; 38. M. Krengel 2:19.14; 42. A. Smith 2:19.83; 47. S. Hanson 2:42.46.200-IM1. Abbie Dolan (V) 2:06.76; 17. G. Livermore 2:26.42; 33. C. Livermore 2:34.89; 4. M. Henderson 2:45.14; 48. E. Gilbert 2:59.15.50-Freestyle1. Emily Conners (V) 24.34; 13. S. Gulon 26.44; 46. J. Skoda 29.30; 47. L. Steinke 29.32; 48. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 30.15.1m Diving1. Megan White (Blake) 436.35; 13. J. Hegg 305.75; 16. L. Yliniemi 285.85; 17. T. Olds 190.100-Butterfly1. Lorelei Gaertner (V) 58.26; 40. J. Skoda 1:13.66; 46. A. Smith 1:19.21; 47. M. Ruchti-Westrum 1:32.63; 48. C. Johnson 1:41.73.100-Freestyle1. Dolan (V) 50.79; 39. E. Henderson 1:02.73; 45. M. Henderson 1:06.17; 46. E. Nelson 1:06.67; 47. L. Steinke 1:08.34.500-Freestyle1. Nack (MANW) 5:16.90; 17. S. Gulon 5:48.49; 39. M. Krengel 6:19.81; 41. A. Schumacher 6:26.10; 44. J. Retz 6:28.16.200-Freestyle relay1. Visitation A 1:39.49; 33. DL – A (Skoda, Nelson, Ramstad-Skoyles, Krengel) 1:57.07; 40. DL – B (Smith, Steinke, Johnson, M. Henderson) 2:00.62; 46. DL – C (Gilbert, Ruchti-Westrum, Beck, Olds) 2:16.16; 48. DL – D (Bellware, Bolar, L. Krengel, J. Hegg) 2:29.85.100-Backstroke1. Caroline Gaertner (V) 1:00.09; 17. G. Livermore 1:07.33; 33. J. Retz 1:12.45; 42. E. Gilbert 1:18.99; 45. A. Schumacher 1:20.78.100-Breaststroke1. Elisa Burgstahler (DACO) 1:05.56; 11. C. Livermore 1:17.08; 38. B. Ramstad-Skoyles 1:25.85; 40. E. Nelson 1:27.14; 48. S. Hanson 1:33.41.400-Freestyle relay1. 1. Visitation A 3:37.58; 19. DL – A (G. Livermore, E. Henderson, C. Livermore, Gulon) 4:06.78; 38. DL – B (M. Krengel, Skoda, Smith, M. Henderson) 4:26.30; 45. DL – C (Nelson, Schumacher, Hanson, Retz) 4:47.21; 47. DL – D (Johnson, Beck, Bellware, Bolar) 5:15.27. Tweets by @DLNewspapers
