Austin Packers girls’ swimming and diving team fifth at Section 1A True Team meet Saturday

The Austin Packers girls’ swimming and diving team played host to the Section 1A True Team meet at Bud Higgins Pool at Ellis Middle School Saturday, and it was Mankato West coming away with first place in the 9-team meet with 1,587 points, followed by New Prague in second with 1,403 points, then came St. Peter in thrid with 1,262 points, follwed by Mankato East in fourth with 1,260 points, the host Packers were fifth with 1,155 points, followed by Red Wing in sixth place, Winona/Winona Cotter in seventh, Faribault in eighth place and Tri-City United in ninth.

High finishers for Austin included Olivia Walsh, who finished only .25 behind Ella Schmiesing of Tri-City United in second place at 25.65 seconds, and she was also second for the Packers in the 100 freestyle with a time of 56.09.  Austin’s 200 freestyle relay team of Kaylee Butts, Walsh, Abbie Boysen and Alivia Hemry was sixth with a time of 1:49.74 and Madelynn Murley of the Packers was fifth in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:07.31.  Austin’s 400 freestyle relay team of Walsh, Hemry, Abbie Boysen and Murley took third with a time of 3:59.43.

The Packers return to action in a Big 9 Conference dual meet with Rochester John Marshall in Rochester Tuesday evening, with the varsity action set to start at 6:30 p.m.