Girls Swimming: Tigers take Maroon title

Tigers win Maroon Division title

Farmington turned in it best-ever ever performance at the Maroon and Gold Invitational held Saturday at the University of Minnesota.The Tigers combined their experience and depth to claim the Maroon Division title with 315 points.

Woodbury finished a distant second at 229, followed by Cretin-Derham Hall 238, Hopkins 224, Bismarck (ND) 220, Breck 205, Mound-Westonka 201.5, Lakeville South 168.5, Minneapolis Southwest 159, Chaska 111, Anoka 108 and St. Louis Park 105.

Farmington's previous best at the high-powered meet came last year when it ranked fifth in the same division.

"The upperclassmen really took control of team leadership yesterday," coach Jen Marshall said. "Going in we knew we had a chance at winning the meet but every girl had to step up and perform...We had great swims and dives across the board. It was a true team effort."

Senior Kaitlyn O'Reilly and junior Kirsten Kracke led the championship effort. O'Reilly won the 100 backstroke, took third in the 200 individual medley and teamed with Kracke, Cora Ruzicka and Chelsea Gehrke to claim the 200 freestyle relay.

Kracke won the 50 freestyle, placed second in the 1000 freestyle and joined O'Reilly, Chelsea Gehrke and Catherine Gehrke to finish third in the  200 medley relay.

Kendall Novak placed fourth in the one-meter diving competition and Chelsea Gehrke took fifth in the 100 butterfly.

Three Tiger entries scored seventh place points: Ruzicka, 500 freestyle; the 400 freestyle relay team of Ellie Sundet, Catherine Gehrke, Emily Ley and Ruzicka and the 200 freestyle foursome of Grace Roach, Chloe Holton, Hannah Seitzinger and Sundet.

Three more Farmington swimmers finished eighth: Ruzica in the 200 freestyle; Chelsea Gehrke in the 200 medley and Catherine Gehrke in the 500 freesyle.

Sundet took ninth in the 200 freestyle and tenth in the 100 freestyle.