Boys Swimming: Kirchmann shines at Maroon and Gold

Christopher Kirchmann 1st in 100 freestyle; 2nd in 50 freestyle (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Christopher Kirchmann won the 100 freestyle and took second in the 50 free to pace the Tigers to an eighth place finish in the 2013 Maroon and Gold Invitational meet held Saturday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

Tiger coach Ryan Hamen liked Kirchmann's performance at the talent-laden meet but said the fleet senior still is looking for more.

 "Christopher had good placement in his 50 and 100 free but did not come out with the times he had hoped for," Hamen said.

Lakeville South won the meet with 522.5 points, followed by Wayzata 492, Lakeville North 423, Eau Clarie North 402, Woodbury 347, Anoka 337.5, Breck/Blake 287, Farmington 257, Hopkins 246, St. Cloud Tech 211 and White Bear Lake 24.
  
 "It is always fun to swim with similar and faster teams," Tiger coach Hamen said. "This meet was a good picture of how many teams in the state of Minnesota are doing."

In addition to Kirchmann's big day, the Tigers managed six top ten finishes in other events.

The 200 freestyle relay team of Eric Schimmel, Evan Carufel, Brandon Dion and Kirchmann too fifth and the 200 medley relay foursome of Oliver Chow, Nick Stephan, Dion and Kirchmann ranked sixth.

The 400 freestyle quartet of Schimmel, Dahlton Bell, Christian Bell and Daniel Berg placed tenth.

In individual events, Carufel finished sixth on the one-meter board and Dahlton Bell came in ninth in the 50 freestyle.

Top Farmington finisher in other events:
200 freestyle: 16. Aaron Cochnauer
200 individual medley: 19. Chow
100 butterfly: 11. Cochnauer
500 freestyle: 17. Austin Kueck
100 backstroke: 16. Cameron Molnar
100 breaststroke: 18. Spencer Kabran

The Tigers get back to their dual meet schedule next Thursday with a Missota Conference encounter with Red Wing at the Dodge Middle School pool.