The Minnewaska Area-Morris Area Gators swimming and diving team fell for the first time during a dual meet at Melrose Area, Thursday, 106-75.  

The Gators had won their first four dual meets before the loss to one of the top teams in the area.

A few days earlier, the junior high team raced at Sauk Centre and the varsity team competed at the Fergus Falls Invitational, Saturday, Sept. 21.

This week, the Gators host two home meets beginning with a dual against Holdingford, Tuesday (tomorrow) at the Minnewaska Area pool and continuing with a meet against Perham-Dent, Thursday, at the UM-Morris pool.

Fergus Falls Invite

The Gators won four events to place third at the four-team Fergus Falls Invitational.  The host Otters totaled 656 points and earned seven of the 12 titles, while Perham-NYM, which placed second with 368 points, earned the 12th individual title.

Earning first for the Gators were Melena Longtin in the 50 freestyle (25.95) and 100 freestyle (57.15), along with Clare Barnstuble in diving (207.9 points) and Becca Femrite in the 500 freestyle (5:57.45).

In addition, several Gators also placed second as Femrite was also second in the 200 freestyle (2:08.66), Ella Roering placed second in diving (191.55 points), Lyla Stadtherr was second in the 50 freestyle (26.51) and 100 breaststroke (1:13.45), Mesa Kittelson was second in the 100 butterfly (1:08.59), the 200 freestyle relay team of Stadtherr, Longtin, Berdine Kleindl and Isabel Guerra placed second in 1:50.2, and the 400 freestyle relay team of Longtin, Femrite, Guerra and Kittelson was also second with a time of 4:04.93.

“The varsity had a fantastic meet and overall, the Gators had an amazing day,” coach Sam Oellien said.  “We’re up against some very tough competition later this week at Melrose and then back home the following week for meets at Minnewaska and UM-Morris.”

• While the older student-athletes were competing at Fergus Falls, the seventh and eighth grade members of the Gators competed at the Sauk Centre JH Invitational the same day.  Melrose won the four-school team title with 443 points while the Gators were right behind in second with 386 points.

Winning titles for the Gators were Sydney Gibson in the 50 yard freestyle (28.04) and the 400 yard freestyle relay team of Gibson, Emily Nelson, Ivy Christians and Lizeth Vazquez Carmona (4:43.65).

In addition, a number of Gators placed second, including the 200 yard medley relay team of Vazquez Carmona, Nelson, Gibson and Tenley Steinhofer (2:26.25), Adelyn Ferrian in diving (66.3 points), Steinhofer in the 50 yard butterfly (38.53), Christians in the 100 freestyle (1:12.68), the 200 yard freestyle relay team of Claire Zenk, Lilie Tonak, Vazquez Carmona and Gibson (2:07.42) and Vazquez Carmona in the 100 yard backstroke (1:22.48).

“Overall, it was an amazing meet for our 7th and 8th grade Gators; keep an eye on these girls as they get older, it should be a very exciting journey for them,” coach Oellien said.  

Melrose 106, Gators 75

The Gators won three of 12 races during a dual meet loss at Melrose Area, Thursday night.  Melena Longtin and Lyla Stadtherr went 1-2 in the 50-yard freestyle (25.67 and 26.58), while Stadtherr also won the 100 breaststroke (1:12.63) and Clare Barnstuble added a third title with a victory in diving (192.85 points).

In addition, the Gators had five seconds and four thirds.

The 200 yard medley relay team of Becca Femrite, Stadtherr, Mesa Kittelson and Sydney Gibson placed second with a time of 2:04.15, while Longtin was also second in the 100 freestyle (55.91), the 200 freestyle relay team of Gibson, Stadtherr, Longtin and Isabel Guerra placed second (1:50.61) and the 400 freestyle relay team of Kittelson, Gibson, Femrite and Longtin was also second with a time of 4:02.34.

Placing third for the Gators were Femrite in the 200 freestyle (2:12.26), Ella Roering in diving (176.5 points), Kittelson in the 100 butterfly (1:07.75) and in one of the most exciting finishes of the meet, Femrite earned third in the 500 freestyle (5:50.92) where the top three finishers were only three seconds apart after swimming 10 laps of the pool.

at Fergus Falls Invitational

Team scoring:  (1) Fergus Falls 656  (2) Perham-NY Mills 368  (3) Minnewaska-Morris Gators 351  (4) Thief River Falls 252

Individual results (winner and top-10 Gators):

200 medley relay:  (1) Fergus Falls 2:03.27  (3) Gators #1 (Becca Femrite, Lyla Stadtherr, Mesa Kittelson, Isabel Guerra) 2:06.84  (10) Gators #2 (Sophie Recker, Phemie Oeltjen, Vylet Frank, Addisen Johnson) 2:27

200 freestyle:  (1) VerSteeg, FF 2:05.25  (2) Femrite, Gators 2:08.66  (9) Berdine Kleindl, Gators 2:92.67

200 individual medley:  (1) Wellman, FF 2:32.16  (4) Kittelson, Gators 2:42.34  (7) Oeltjen, Gators 3:01.62  (9) Maria Heidelberger, Gators 3:25.4

50 freestyle:  (1) Melena Longtin, Gators 25.95  (2) Lyla Stadtherr, Gators 26.51

Diving:  (1) Clare Barnstuble, Gators 207.9  (2) Ella Roering, Gators 191.55  (6) Yavonne Vanhorn, Gators 127.65

100 butterfly:  (1) Api, FF 1:08.06  (2) Kittelson, Gators 1:08.59  (6) Alejandra Garcia Bernabe, Gators 1:31.26  (7) Heidelberger, Gators 1:39.53  (8) Azul Villsgomez Martinez, Gators 1:58.45

100 freestyle:  (1) Longtin, Gators 57.15  (5) Guerra, Gators 1:04.83  (8) Kleindl, Gators 1:06.53

500 freestyle:  (1) Femrite, Gators 5:57.45  (8) Frank, Gators 6:55.77  (9) Peterson, Gators 7:08.96

200 freestyle relay:  (1) Fergus Falls 1:44.68  (2) Gators #1 (Kleindl, Guerra, Stadtherr, Longtin) 1:50.2  (8) Gators #2 (Frank, Garcia Bernabe, Sarah Dougherty, Shelby Hoberg) 2:13.26  (9) Gators #3 (Peterson, Heidelberger, Addisen Johnson, Guerrero Lara) 2:14.88

100 backstroke:  (1) McDonald, Perham 1:09.18  (6) Recker, Gators 1:24.97  (9) Mari Jordahl, Gators 1:32.79

100 breaststroke:  (1) VerSteeg, FF 1:11.9  (2) Stadtherr, Gators 1:13.45  (6) Oeltjen, Gators 1:25.42  (10) Raelyn Williams, Gators 1:47.45

400 freestyle relay:  (1) FF 3:56.79  (2) Gators #2 (Kittelson, Guerra, Femrite, Longtin) 4:04.93  (9) Gators #2 (Frank, Peterson, Guerrero Lara, Kleindl) 4:53.04

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at Melrose 106, Gators 75

Individual results (winner and top-3 Gators):

200 medley relay:  (1) Melrose 2:01.26  (2) Gators #1 (Becca Femrite, Lyla Stadtherr, Mesa Kittelson, Sydney Gibson) 2:04.15

200 freestyle:  (1) Reed, Melrose 2:04.96  (3) Femrite, Gators 2:12.26

200 individual medley:  (1) Ruoff, Melrose 2:30.13

50 freestyle:  (1) Melena Longtin, Gators 25.67  (2) Stadtherr, Gators 26.58

Diving:  (1) Clare Barnstuble, Gators 192.85  (3) Ella Roering, Gators 176.5

100 butterfly:  (1) Kraemer, Melrose 1:05.47  (3) Kittelson, Gators 1:07.75

100 freestyle:  (1) Reed, Melrose 55.75  (2) Longtin, Gators 55.91

500 freestyle:  (1) Frieler, Melrose 5:47.39  (3) Femrite, Gators 5:50.92

200 freestyle relay:  (1) Melrose 1:46.99  (2) Gators #1 (Gibson, Isabel Guerra, Stadtherr, Longtin) 1:50.61

100 backstroke:  (1) Ruoff, Mel 1:03.88

100 breaststroke:  (1) Stadtherr, Gators 1:12.63

400 freestyle relay:  (1) Melrose 3:58.17  (2) Gators #1 (Kittelson, Gibson, Femrite, Longtin) 4:02.34