Austin Packers girls swimming and diving team advances several individuals and relay teams at Section 1A swimming and diving meet

The Austin Packers girls swimming and diving team were at the Rochester Rec Center Wednesday to compete in the preliminaries of the Section 1A swimming and diving meet, and the Packers advanced several individuals and relay teams, including the 200 medley relay team of Gracie Greenman, Kaylie Butts, Jaycie Pollak and Allison Tobak who qualified for Friday’s finals with a time of 2:04.76, and Abbie Boysen also qualified in the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:09.44.

Also qualifying for the finals for the Packers Wednesday were Olivia Walsh and Alivia Hemry in the 50 freestyle, as Walsh took second in the prelminaries with a time of 24.67 seconds, and Hemry was 8th for Austin with a time of 25.93.  Addison Walsh qualified for the finals in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:09.46 and Walsh swam the best time in the 100 freestyle Wednesday, finishing in 53.87 seconds.  Teammates Alivia Hemry and Abbie Boysen also qualfied in the event Wednesday by finishing with times of 57.93 and 58.27 seconds, respectively.

Gracie Greenman moved on to the finals Wednesday for the Packers in the 500 freestyle, taking second with a time of 5:31.86 and Austin’s 200 freestyle relay team of Alivia Hemry, Abbie Boysen, Anna Kossman and Olivia Walsh also qualified Wednesday by taking third overall with a time of 1:43.71.  Gracie Greenman took 5th in the 100 backstroke and will advance with a time of 1:03.35, and also advancing Wednesday were Kaylee Butts and Addison Walsh in the 100 breaststroke with times of 1:17.91 and 1:18.23, respectively.  Also advancing Wednesday was the 400 freestyle relay team of Alivia Hemry, Abbie Boysen, Anna Kossman and Olivia Walsh, who took 5th with a time of 3:56.34.

The Section 1A girls diving preliminaries, semifinals and final round are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 10th at Mankato East High School, and the swimming championship round will start at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 10th back at the Rochester Recreation Center.  The top two individuals and top two relays in each event earn automatic berths in the State Class A Girls Swimming and Diving meet November 16th through the 18th at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center at the University of Minnesota, along with the top four divers. Any swimmer or relay who meets a pre-set time standard in each event will also qualify for state meet.