BHS swimmers put on a show
Scoring 94 points guarantees a swimming and diving team a dual-meet victory.
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When Brainerd racked up 98 points with four events left Thursday, the Warriors backed off and swam exhibition races the rest of the way in a 98-75 victory over the Rocori Spartans.
Many Warriors competed in events other than their specialty in the Central Lakes Conference victory.
"We've really been hammering on them the last couple weeks getting ready for our taper," Warriors coach John Zemke said. "We were just happy we were able to swim some off-events.
"When you have meets that are nip and tuck the whole way you've got to swim guys in their main events. After doing it 13 times -- this is our 13th meet this season -- it gets to be kind of a drag."
Sophomore Nate Tyner didn't find it a drag to compete in two events other than his usual 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly. He won the 200-yard freestyle at 2:04.77.
"I haven't swam the 200 free for a long time," Tyner said. "The first time I realized I was going to get to do it was pretty exciting. It helps you get the blood going, makes you want to get out there because you never know what's going to happen."
Tyner later won the 500 free at 5:41.98.
Tim Lange
"After the 200 I was thinking, 'OK, this one should be pretty good as well,'" Tyner said. "I was just thinking of my favorite songs, getting the beat up. I was just pushing myself all out in the 500, eventually build myself up and give it all I've got."
Tim Lange, another sophomore, also was a double individual winner, pacing the 50 and 100 freestyles. He normally swims the 100 free and 100 backstroke.
"Tim is another one of our sophomores who are working hard, doing a great job, scoring a lot of points for us," Zemke said. "His times are coming around. He's faster right now than he was last year at this point. We're looking for big things out of him at the section meet coming up."
Other Warrior wins were by the 200 medley relay of Lange, Josiah Collins, Brett Severson and Andrew Mehr, Collins in the individual medley, Scott Tetreault in diving and Mehr in the butterfly.
Collins swam a lifetime best in the individual medley and Tetreault and Aaron Thelen had season-best scores in diving.
"Andrew's 100 fly time was very good," Zemke said. "He was at 54-55 seconds at the flags with 15 yards left and he was dying pretty good. It was a great swim for him, a lot better than we expected."
Warriors 98, Rocori 75
The key: The Warriors clinched the victory with four events remaining.
Next: Central Lakes Conference meet, Feb. 14 at St. Cloud Tech
Brainerd 98, Rocori 75
200 medley relay -- 1-Brainerd (Tim Lange, Josiah Collins, Brett Severson, Andrew Mehr) 1:51.08; 3-Brainerd (Dylan Pallansch, Josh Ellens, Scott Lykins, Mike Hansen) 2:02.71
200 freestyle -- 1-Nate Tyner (B) 2:04.77, 2-Jake Iten (B) 2:10.25, 3-Troy Viau (B) 2:13.08
200 individual medley -- 1-Collins 2:16.78, 2-Lykins 2:27.83, 4-Chris Thomsen (B) 2:36.30
50 freestyle -- 1-Lange 25.41, 2-Pallansch 26.66, 3-Hansen 26.73
Diving -- 1-Scott Tetreault (B) 169.50 points, 2-Aaron Thelen 164.45, 3-Cody Thomsen (B) 154.40
100 butterfly -- 1-Mehr 1:00.25, 3-Lykins 1:08.54, 4-Mike Stunek (B) 1:17.02
100 freestyle -- 1-Lange 55.15, 2-Severson 55.48, 3-Chris Thomsen 58.82
500 freestyle -- 1-Tyner 5:41.98, 2-Iten 5:46.97, 3-Viau 6:00.84
200 freestyle relay 1-Rocori 1:42.90, Brainerd (Collins, Severson, Tyner, Lange) 1:41.56 (exhibition), Brainerd (Pallansch, Chris Thomsen, Hansen, Viau) 1:45.80 (ex.)
100 backstroke -- 1-Joel Gregory (R) 1:14.25, Mehr 1:01.02 (ex.), Stunek 1:14.21 (ex.), Karl Magnuson (B) 1:15.93 (ex).
100 breaststroke -- 1-Neil Wackwitz (R) 1:12.04, Collins 1:11.91 (ex.), Ellens 1:14.90 (ex.), Tetreault 1:21.35 (ex).
400 freestyle relay -- 1-Rocori 4:16.43, Brainerd (Severson, Lykins, Chris Thomsen, Viau) 3:55.10 (ex.), Brainerd (Stunek, Iten, Jordan Westphal, Magnuson) 4:12.92 (ex.)
Conference -- R 0-7, B 5-2. Overall -- R 1-10, B 7-2. Next meet -- Central Lakes Conference meet Feb. 14 at St. Cloud Tech.