After a rough day on Friday, the Blue Jays bounced back to finish the state swimming and diving meet on a better note on Saturday in Grand Forks.
The divers again led the way, accounting for 42 of the team's 120 points led by Kaitlin Walsh's runner-up finish.
"The divers did really well," coach Marney Shirley said. "The final round probably wasn't as sharp as it has been, but we were very proud of them. Getting 42 points out of one event was awesome."
Walsh's 381.70 led the way. After a sub-par first dive on Friday, the senior standout rebounded with a typical performance the rest of the way.
"Her second dive (Friday) was her double and she nailed it," Shirley said. "It was a very fitting way to end her career. It's nice to see them rewarded for their hard work and nobody works harder than Kaitlin."
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Abby Wanzek and Brooke Lukach -- who will both be back next year -- finished sixth and seventh, respectively, and were separated by less than three points. Wanzek posted a 356.45, while Lukach was right behind at 354.35.
Erin Hart and Miah Dabill were the only two JHS swimmers in individual finals on Saturday.
Hart struggled in the 200 IM for the second straight day, but bounced back with a strong performance in the 100 backstroke where she was fourth (1:02.22).
"Erin came back and did really well in the backstroke," Shirley said.
Dabill was eighth in the A final of the backstroke, and she had to earn it on Friday by winning a swim off.
"Miah swam an outstanding race in the swim off," Shirley said. "For her and Erin and all of our young girls, this is all a learning experience. Sometimes you build pressure on yourself or you feel pressure from outside factors. But you just have to focus in on how you're going to swim and put everything else aside.
"We'll learn from these experiences and hopefully apply them to the future."
Hart, Dabill and the Shafer sisters finished the meet strong, placing eighth to get on the awards stand in the 400 free relay in a season-best time of 3:55.36 in a meet highlighted by speed.
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"It was probably one of the fastest state championships we've ever had," Shirley said. "The improvements from the seed times to the prelim round was phenomenal."
Bismarck Century won the team title with 290 points, snapping Minot's run of six straight state championships. The Majettes finished third behind the Patriots and Williston (262.5). Minot was DQed in the 400 free relay when star Dagny Knutson started early for her anchor leg.
It was a typically dominant meet otherwise for the state's greatest high school swimmer. Knutson won the 200 IM and 100 free, setting new national high school records in both. She finished her career with 16 state titles, 10 individual and six in relays. She plans to attend Auburn next season with her sights set on the 2012 Olympics in London.
N.D. state meet
At Hyslop Pool, Grand Forks
Saturday's finals
Team results
1, Bismarck Century 290; 2, Williston 262.5; 3, Minot 225; 4, Grand Forks Red River 219; 5, Grand Forks Central 210; 6, West Fargo 193; 7, Fargo North 183.5; 8, Fargo South 166; 9, Mandan 143; 10, Fargo Shanley 121; 11, Jamestown 120; 12, Wahpeton 77; 13, Bismarck 63.
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Top 16
200 medley relay -- 1. Williston (Kaitlin Bolinske, Sadie Miller, Madison Porter, Kelsey Stenson) 1:48.98; 2. Minot, 1:49.51; 3. GF Red River, 1:50.37; 4. Century, 1:52.09; 5. Fargo North, 1:53.16; 6. Fargo South, 1:53.23; 7. West Fargo, 1:53.34; 8. Mandan, 1:55.29; 9. Shanley, 1:55.53; 10. GF Central, 2:00.24; 11. Jamestown (Miah Dabill, Kamie Wagar, Jazmin Shafer, Erin Hart), 2:01.05; 12. Bismarck, 2:02.96; 13. Wahpeton, 2:05.87
200 freestyle -- 1. Ali Church, GF Central, 1:52.08; 2. Kelsey Richels, Wahpeton, 1:52.92; 3. Madison Porter, Williston, 1:54.50; 4. Kalee Kemmesat, Century, 1:54.98; 5. Addy DiCristina, GF Red River, 1:58.96; 6. Jerrica Kelly, Minot, 2:00.91; 7. Rachel Svendson, GF Central, 2:00.99; 8. Alyssa Olson, West Fargo, 2:01.98; 9. Hannah Mastel, Fargo South, 2:00.42; 10. Breanna Schmidt, GF Red River, 2:02.17; 11. Rachel Erickson, Fargo South, 2:02.62; 12. Vanessa Stumpf, Mandan, 2:02.79; 13. Katie Svendson, GF Central, 2:05.31; 14. Rachel Kranda, West Fargo, 2:05.44; 15. Alyssa Stewart, Williston, 2:06.30; 16. Julia Bogenrief, Minot, 2:06.52
200 IM -- 1. Dagny Knutson, Minot, 1:55.79; 2. Bridget Riley, Bismarck, 2:10.50; 3. Erin Grabanski, GF Red River, 2:12.51; 4. Sadie Miller, Williston, 2:16.35; 5. Kayli Johnson, Mandan, 2:16.64; 6. McKenzi Jeske, Century, 2:17.01; 7. Joslyn Fellbaum, Fargo South, 2:17.08; 8. Sam Gunning, West Fargo, 2:19.29; 9. Courtney Fisk, GF Red River, 2:16.97; 10. Danica Dutt, West Fargo, 2:18.46; 11. Ellie Roche, Fargo North, 2:19.26l 12. Veronica Herrmann, Century, 2:19.75; 13. Erin Hart, Jamestown, 2:19.94; 14. Ashley Kranda, West Fargo, 2:20.10; 15. Alexis Klug, Williston, 2:20.24; 16. Jamie Skavlem, GF Red River, 2:22.79
50 freestyle -- 1. Lexi Halberstadt, Shanley, 23.52; 2. Cassie Walth, Century, 24.13; 3. Alexis Hogan, Mandan, 24.33; 4. Mirna Kojic, GF Red River, 24.74; 5. Courtney Funk, Minot, 24.80; 6. Gabriela Kostelina, GF Central, 24.98; 7. Rachel Wessman, Fargo North, 25.50; 8. Kelsey Stenson, Williston, 25.57; 9. Jarren Fallgatter, Century, 25.33; 10. Lydia Engberg, Century, 25.34; 11. Abby Naze, Minot, 25.47; 11. Emily Roche, Fargo North, 25.47; 13. Alex Eades, GF Central, 25.74; 14. Megan Routledge, Minot, 25.79; 14. Bryn Everson, Williston, 25.79; 16. Amy Doll, West Fargo, 26.42
Diving -- 1. Mairin Jameson, Shanley, 435.75; 2. Kaitlin Walsh, Jamestown, 381.70; 3. Ashley Kankelfritz, Fargo South, 375.40; 4. Maci Bishoff, Minot, 366.10; 5.Kelsey Jandro, Fargo South, 360.5; 6. Abby Wanzek, Jamestown, 356.45; 7. Brooke Lukach, Jamestown, 354.35; 8. Shantha Trottier, Williston, 332.95; 9. Tori Meyer, Fargo North, 322.80; 10. Katie Nelson, Fargo North, 316.00; 11. Nicolette Haug, Mandan, 315.10; 12. Lexi Eissinger, Fargo South, 314.45; 13. Laura Asplund, Century, 304.90; 14. Ashlee Wiebe, Fargo North, 293.35; 15. Danielle Hodenfield, Williston, 283.60; 16. Karlia Knutson, Century, 282.55
100 butterfly -- 1. Lexie Halberstadt, Shanley, 55.99; 2. Madison Porter, Williston, 57.33; 3. Bridget Riley, Bismarck, 59.04; 4. Gabriela Kostelina, GF Central, 59.12; 5. Danica Dutt, West Fargo, 59.27; 6. Erin Grabanski, GF Red River, 1:00.00; 7. Emily Smallbeck, Century, 1:00.57; 8. Emily Roche, Fargo North, 1:00.79; 9. Kayli Johnson, Mandan, 1:00.43; 10. Serena Olsen, Minot, 1:01.76; 11. Dani Bergeson, Century, 1:02.77; 12. Alli Kroll, GF Central, 1:02.92; 13. Sam Gunning, West Fargo, 1:03.46; 14. Laura Schott, Fargo South, 1:03.75; 15. Maddie Derby, Fargo North, 1:04.01; 16. Katie Clark, Minot, 1:04.26
100 freestyle -- 1. Dagny Knutson, Minot, 48.30; 2. Kelsey Richels, Wahpeton, 52.55; 3. Cassie Walth, Century, 52.73; 4. Kaitlin Bolinske, Williston, 52.83; 5. Courtney Funk, Minot, 54.01; 6. Alexis Hogan, Mandan, 54.56; 7. Mirna Kojic, GF Red River, 54.72; 8. Joslyn Fellbaum, Fargo South, 55.59; 9. Addy DiCristina, GF Red River, 55.38; 10. Lydia Engberg, Century, 55.45; 11. Alex Eades, GF Central, 55.51; 12. Kelsey Stenson, Williston, 55.65; 13. Jarren Fallgatter, Century, 56.13; 14. Megan Routledge, Minot, 56.52; 15. Ashley Kranda, West Fargo, 56.72; 16. Jenny Zetocha, Shanley, 57.69
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500 freestyle -- 1. Ali Church, GF Central, 5:04.57; 2. Kalee Kemmesat, Century, 5:06.12; 3. Rachel Svendson, GF Central, 5:20.35; 4. Chelsea Gentzkow, West Fargo, 5:23.46; 5. Katie Svendson, GF Central, 5:24.52; 6. Jerrica Kelly, Minot, 5:25.19; 7. Hannah Mastel, Fargo South, 5:26.88; 8. Alyssa Olson, West Fargo, 5:28.20; 9. Breanna Schmidt, GF Red River, 5:26.35; 10. Carley LeDoux, Fargo North, 5:30.05; 11. Lauren Lyngstad, Fargo North, 5:31.21; 12. McKenna Brown, Minot, 5:33.09; 13. McKenzie Jeske, Century, 5:33.38; 14. Rachel Kranda, West Fargo, 5:39.14; 15. Samantha Miller, Williston, 5:41.10; 16. Alexa Martel, Williston, 5:42.77
200 freestyle relay -- 1. Century (Cassie Walth, Lydia Engberg, Jarren Fallgatter, Kalee Kemmesat) 1:39.42; 2. Minot, 1:40.76; 3. Mandan, 1:41.91; 4. GF Central, 1:41.93; 5. Shanley, 1:42.10; 6. Fargo North, 1:43.50; 7. West Fargo, 1:43.86; 8. Williston, 1:44.17; 9. GF Red River, 1:46.03; 10. Jamestown (Skylar Munson, Ashlee Shafer, Jazmin Shafer, Kamie Wagar) 1:50.03; 11. Wahpeton, 1:51.63; 12. Bismarck, 1:57.51
100 backstroke -- 1. Kaitlin Bolinske, Williston, 59.29; 2. Emily Smallbeck, Century, 59.68; 3. Jamie Skavlem, GF Red River, 1:01.56; 4. Erin Hart, Jamestown, 1:02.22; 5. Dani Bergeson, Century, 1:02.23; 6. Chelsea Gentzkow, West Fargo, 1:02.70; 7. Rachel Wessman, Fargo North, 1:03.05; 8. Miah Dabill, Jamestown, 1:04.07; 9. Katie Clark, 1:03.11; 10. Rachel Erickson, Fargo South, 1:03.46; 11. Bryn Everson, Williston, 1:03.52; 12. Erin Burnham, GF Central, 1:04.09; 13. Abbie Naze, Minot, 1:04.44; 14. Marisol Rios, West Fargo, 1:05.40; 15. Vanessa Stumpf, Mandan, 1:07.03; 16. Ketti Ringwall, Williston, 1:07.24
100 breaststroke -- 1. Sadie Miller, Williston, 1:07.16; 2. Ellie Roche, Fargo North, 1:09.26; 3. Paige Weisz, West Fargo, 1:09.58; 4. Alexis Klug, Williston, 1:10.14; 5. Haley Koehn, Fargo South, 1:10.25; 6. Courtney Fisk, GF Red River, 1:10.46; 7. Veronica Herrmann, Century, 1:11.37; 8. Carissa Bucholz, Wahpeton, 1:12.97; 9. Katelyn Webster, Minot, 1:12.38; 10. Laura Schott, Fargo South, 1:12.52; 11. Rachel Ford, Mandan, 1:12.82; 12. Laura Grabanski, GF Red River, 1:13.08; 13. Carly LeDoux, Fargo North, 1:13.43; 14. Samantha Miller, Williston, 1:14.29; 15. Abby Astrup, Fargo North, 1:14.74; Kelsey Hansen, Minot, 1:15.33
400 freestyle relay -- 1. Century (Cassie Walth, Lydia Engberg, McKenzie Jeske, Kalee Kemmesat) 3:37.03; 2. Williston, 3:39.78; 3. GF Central, 3:40.18; 4. GF Red River, 3:40.55; 5. West Fargo, 3:47.18; 6. Fargo North, 3:53.66; 7. Fargo South, 3:54.56; 8. Jamestown (Jazmin Shafer, Ashlee Shafer, Miah Dabill, Erin Hart) 3:55.36; 9. Mandan, 3:57.95; 10. Shanley, 3:59.03; 11. Wahpeton, 4:02.94; 12. Bismarck, 4:03.83.
Sun sports writer Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or by e-mail at daves@jamestownsun.com
