Minnetonka girls's swimming looking strong to end state championship drought

Minnetonka, bidding for its first state title since 1976, advanced 17 individuals and all three relays to Saturday's Class 2A girls' swimming championship finals on Friday.

Each of the three Minnetonka relay teams had the top time in the preliminaries, and the Skippers had an individual advance to the championship final in each event at the University of Minnesota's Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center.

"We really had a good day," said John Bradley, in his first season as the Skippers coach. "We're really fortunate, everybody swam well and advanced. I can't tell you how proud I am of the team."

Minnetonka senior Regan Miller had the second-best preliminary times in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle while swimming a leg on two relay teams.

Armstrong senior Zoe Bresnahan had the top time (4:55.96) in the 500 freestyle preliminaries. Edina junior Katie McCarthy, who had the top qualifying time in the 500 freestyle going into the state meet, was second with a time of time of 4:58.18. McCarthy finished second in the event at the 2019 state meet.

In the 200 freestyle preliminaries, McCarthy had the top time (1:49.29), while Bresnahan was second with a time of 1:51.20.

Eden Prairie sophomore Caroline Larsen had the top time in the 50 freestyle (22.85) and the 100 breaststroke (1:01.33).

Woodbury sophomore Gabby Mauder had the top score (293.75) in the diving preliminaries on Thursday. Mauder finished third at the 2019 state meet with a score of 378.80.

Visitation's depth and a record-setting performance by Delano junior Emma Kern highlighted the Class 1A preliminaries.

Visitation, which is in Mendota Heights and has won seven consecutive 1A titles, put on a nearly flawless display, advancing 17 individuals and all three relay teams to Saturday's championship finals.

"There were not any surprises for us," Visitation coach Nate Linscheid said. "And that's good. Everyone swam to their seeds and we had a few more move into the top eight."

The Blazers advanced four to the championship finals of the 100 butterfly and 500 freestyle and three to the championships of the 200 freestyle and 200 individual medley.

Kern had the top qualifying in two events — the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke. Her time of 53.40 seconds in the 100 backstroke broke the Class 1A state-meet record of 54.94, which she set when winning the event at the 2019 state meet.

Kern also swam a leg on Delano's 200 freestyle relay, which had the top time (1:36.59) in Friday's preliminaries.

Hutchinson senior Grace Hanson, who has won three consecutive 50 freestyle state titles, had the top qualifying times in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. Her time of 22.82 in the 50 freestyle was just .03 seconds off the Class 1A state record.