Girls Swimming: Tigers splash by Wingers

Cora Ruzicka 3 first place finishes (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Farmington won seven of 12 events on the way to an 89-86 Missota Conference dual meet win over Red Wing Thursday night at the Dodge Middle School pool. The victory evened the Tigers' league record at 1-1.

The final score was not indicative of the competition as the home team swam the final three events in exhibition status.

"Several of the newcomers are really stepping up and filling some holes in our line-up nicely," Tiger coach Jen Marshall said. "I'm excited to see where they go this season."

Kaitlyn O'Reilly and Cora Ruzicka each played a part in three first place Farmington finishes, winning a pair of individual events and swimming a leg on the 200 medley relay team.

O'Reilly won the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle races while Ruzicka took first in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

Chelsea Gehrke winner 200 freestyle (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Chelsea Gehrke posted the other individual first with a victory in the 200 freestyle and the quartet of Robin Ellis, Sara Kintner, Chloe Holton and Gehrke claimed the 200 freestyle relay.

Kirsten Kracke and Ellie Sundet joined O'Reilly and Ruzicka on the winning 200 medley relay team.

Four other Tigers came in second: Chloe Holton in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly; Teri Sontag in diving; Kracke in the 200 medley and Ellis in the 100 freestyle.

Kendall Novak took third in diving as did Gehrke in the 500 free and Katie Aaron in the 100 fly.

Though the Tigers raced on exhibition mode for the final event, the 400 freestyle relay, Marshall said it was one of the best races of the night with the team of Kracke, Holton, Gehrke and Sundet edging the foursome of O'Reilly, Ruzicka, Ellis and Catherine Gehrke by .01 of a second.

"It created some healthy competition within the team and they had fun with it," Marshall said.

The Tigers jump back in the pool next Tuesday when they host Rochester Century in a non-conference dual meet at Dodge Middle School pool.