swimming story lines
1. Looking to go back-to-back
Class 2A defending state champion Minnetonka will have a hard time duplicating last season, its best in program history. The Skippers established four all-time state records in accumulating 340 points en route to the team championship. It was their 10th title (1978, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 2011). Coach Dan Berve's squad will be led by seniors Erik Gessner and John Shelstad. "We need our young talent to emerge as we go through the season," Berve said. "We do expect to contend again for the state title."
2. One-man team
If you feel like rooting for an underdog, consider Minnehaha Academy. Sophomore Andrew Karpenko forms a one-man team for the Class 1A school, which was forced to relocate this school year after an explosion on its main campus in August. The Redhawks finished 21st on Karpenko's 31 points in the state meet a year ago. He finished third in the 200 individual medley and fourth in the 100 breaststroke."Because Minnehaha Academy doesn't have a pool, the Breck/Blake co-op has been generous in letting him train with them despite competing against them in meets and being in separate sections. They've also treated him as a teammate," Redhawks coach Emily Firkus said. Breck/Blake is the Class 1A defending state champion.
3. Following his sister
Chanhassen senior Jack Dahlgren can do a plethora of events, and is coming off a season when he set the all-time state record in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 48.28 seconds in the Class 2A state meet. Dahlgren was a basketball player until his freshman year. He will follow his sister Kylie, also a state record-holder, to the University of Missouri. Chanhassen and Chaska are a co-op program during the regular season before separating for the section tournament.
RON HAGGSTROM
