Girls Swimming: O'Reilly to state in 4 events

Section 1AA Swimmer of the Year Kaitlyn O'Reilly qualified for state in four events (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Farmington finished fourth at the Section 1AA Championships held Thursday and Saturday at the Rochester Recreation Center but the big news was the Tigers will once again be sending a large contingent to next week's Class AA state meet.

Rochester John Marshall finished atop the team standings with 368 points, 24 more than runner-up Hastings. Rochester Mayo ranked third at 331, followed by Farmington 302, Winona 262.5, Rochester Century 234.5 and Owatonna 170.

Two-time all-state performer Kaitlyn O'Reilly set the pace for the Tigers, qualifying for state in four different events. The fleet junior set meet records in winning the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke and also swam legs on both the qualifying 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams.

The outstanding two-day performance earned her Section 1AA Swimmer of the Year honors, the first time a Tiger has won the prestigious award.

Kirsten Kracke to state in three events (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Kirsten Kracke, a third place finisher in the 100 freestyle, was the other Farmington individual state qualifier.

Kracke, Cora Ruzicka and Robin Ellis joined O'Reilly on the 200 freestyle relay team while O'Reilly, Kracke, Ruzicka and Ellie Sundet made the state grade in the 400 freestyle relay.

"It was  another amazing section meet for us," Tiger coach Jen Marshall said. "Everyone stepped up and dropped time, a first for the program."

Not only did the Tigers fare well in the pool at the section finals, they also were honored for their work in the classroom. The team earned were named the Section 1AA academic champions, achieving the gold standard (a minimum 3.75 grade point average).

Marshall said she is confident that O'Reilly will place among the leaders in both individual events at state. She finished third in the 100 backstroke and seventh in the 200 individual medley at last year's state meet.

"Kirsten (Kracke) also has a good chance of reaching the finals and the 200 relay looks more solid in making back to the finals," Marshall said.

The state meet will be held next weekend at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center.

Other Top 10 finishes in Section 1AA:
200 medley relay: 6. Ellis, Chelsea Gehrke, Chloe Holton, Sundet
200 freestyle: 5. Sundet
50 freestyle: 6. Kracke; 7. Ellis
One-meter diving: 6. Kendall Novak
100 butterfly: 7. Ruzicka; 8. Gehrke
100 freestyle: 8. Ellis
500 freestyle: 6. Ruzicka
100 breaststroke: 7. Sara Kintner; 10. Gehrke