•  Stadtherr 10th, relay team 13th and two more new school records

Six members of the Minnewaska Area-Morris Area Gators competed at the State Swimming and Diving Meet, held Thursday through Saturday at the U of M.

The 200 medley relay team of Lyla Stadtherr, Melena Longtin, Becca Femrite and Mesa Kittelson qualified to the state meet, while Stadtherr also qualified to state in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, Longtin qualified in the 100 freestyle, and divers Ella Roering and Clare Barnstuble earned state berths in diving.

Although none of the Gator entries qualified to the finals, the Gators did have two entries reach the consolation finals with Lyla Stadtherr going on to place 10th overall in the 100 breaststroke and the 200 medley relay team of Stadtherr, Femrite, Kittelson and Longtin placing 13th.

The 200 medley relay also set a new school record time of 1:53.77, breaking the old record of 1:54.27 they set at the section meet, while Stadtherr also lowered her school record in the breaststroke.  Her old record was 1:09.19 set at the section meet and she swam to a time of 1:08.98 in the prelims before swimming a time of 1:08.64 in the consolation finals.

“It’s been a great season of swimming and diving for the Gators and we had a fantastic time at the state meet,” coach Sam Oellien said.  “I am incredibly proud to be their coach and can’t wait for next season.  Go Gators!”

State Meet results

The Gators had six athletes competing at the State Meet in five different events.

The 200 medley relay team of Lyla Stadtherr, Becca Femrite, Mesa Kittelson and Melena Longtin placed 15th in the prelims, Friday, with a time of 1:55.23 to qualify for the consolation finals, Saturday, where they eventually moved up to 13th with a school-record time of 1:53.77.

That was good enough to edge Alexandria, which beat the Gators for first during the section meet.

Stadtherr came back a little later to race in the 50 freestyle where she placed 18th with a time of 25.32.  The top eight swimmers made the finals and the next eight finishers qualified to the consolation finals where they would battle for 9th through 16th place.

Longtin raced moments later in the 100 freestyle where she swam a time of 55.67 to place 21st overall.  

And, the final swimmer to race was Stadtherr, who also qualified to state in the 100 breaststroke.  She had a time of 1:08.98 to set a new school record and place 14th to make the consolation finals.  And, when given one more chance to race, Saturday, she swam a time of 1:08.64 to end up 10th overall in the consolation finals and set yet another school record.

“Lyla had an amazing season and she continues to impress us,” Oellien said.  “The 200 relay also did a great job, dropping 1.46 seconds from their prelim time to the consolation finals and breaking the school record again.”

•  Competing in the diving competition at the State Meet were Ella Roering and Clare Barnstuble, who have been breaking school records all season.  They were also the first Gators to qualify to state in diving.

Of 32 divers in Class A, Roering placed 22nd after five dives, Thursday, with a score of 136.85 points and Barnstuble was 26th with 128.65 points. Only the top 20 advanced to the semifinals later in the day and the final cutoff was 138.75 points, meaning Roering missed out on qualifying to the semifinals by less than two points.

“Clare and Ella worked so hard this year to make it to state and scored very well for their first appearance,” coach Oellien said.

•  The star of the Class A meet was sophomore Adalynn Biegler, of Monticello, who set not one but two state records in the 50 and 100 freestyle events.  She swam to a time of 22.38 in the 50 freestyle, breaking the old record of 22.43 she set one day earlier.  The time is only .79 off the national record of 21.59.

In the 100 freestyle, she had a time of 49.2, which broke the old state record of 49.22 set in 2014.  The national mark is 46.98.  And, she placed first in the 200 medley relay and second in the 200 free relay, losing in the finals by .12.

at State Class A Meet

Individual winner and Gators:

200 medley relay:  (1) Monticello 1:47.51 . . .(13) Gators (Becca Femrite, Lyla Stadtherr, Mesa Kittelson, Melena Longtin) 1:53.77

200 freestyle:  (1) Andreen, Orono 1:50.85

200 individual medley:  (1) Allingham, Breck 2:05.51

50 freestyle:  (1) Biegler, Mont 22.38 . . . (18) Lyla Stadtherr 25.32

Diving:  (1) Kennedy, Austin 444.8 . . . (22) Ella Roering  (26) Clare Barnstuble

100 butterfly:  (1) Farley, Vis 55.82

100 freestyle:  (1) Biegler, Mont 49.2 . . . (21) Melena Longtin 55.67

500 freestyle:  (1) Miller, Vis 5:02.64

200 frees relay:  (1) Orono 1:36.53

100 backstroke:  (1) Biebl, MP 56.31

100 breaststroke:  (1) Willenbri, Roc 1:04.75 . . . (10) Lyla Stadtherr 1:08.64

400 free relay:  (1) Delano 3:31.67

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