Dickinson High School Swim and Dive secures multiple state qualifiers
Feb. 10—DICKINSON — At the West River Community Center, the Dickinson High School swim team showcased their impressive talent and sportsmanship at their final home meet against the formidable Bismarck High. Despite the tough competition and a final score of 115-71, the DHS athletes shined in the pool, securing multiple top finishes in events ranging from the 200 Yard Medley Relay to the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay.
Samie Bohl, DHS head coach, personally thanked the Killdeer Aquatics and Wellness Center allowing the boys' swim and dive team to use their facilities for practice after the West River Community Center closed their lap pool in the week leading into their final home meet.
"We were able to bus the boys to Killdeer, during the second week of the lap pool being closed, to have them practice a few days at their fitness center," Bohl said. "I'm really thankful for the staff at the Killdeer Aquatics and Wellness Center for being so accommodating to our team."
The Dickinson Swim and Dive varsity teams have a cherished tradition of showing gratitude to their parents or guardians during their final home meet of the season. On this special evening, the athletes present their loved ones with a bouquet of roses as a heartfelt thank you for their unwavering support. Despite a loss for the home team, the sentimental act of gifting roses left a lasting impression and added an extra layer of significance to the event.
Despite the defeat, the team celebrated a standout performance by sophomore Alex Keller. He earned his first ever state qualifier in the 200 Individual Medley with a time of 2:22.51, securing third place in the event and just missing the qualifying time of 2:23.81 by mere seconds.
"We had a really great meet today. We have some new time cuts from our swimmers and improved scores from our divers," Bohl said. "This is incredible because we have a young team. I am excited to see how the rest of the season goes and I'm excited to see how well they perform at state on March 3 and 4."
The Midgets' made a huge splash early, securing two victories in electrifying fashion.
Freshman Shain Janice dominated the Boys 200 Yard Freestyle, crossing the finish line with a blazing time of 1:53.31. Sophomore Joh Rude wasn't far behind, capturing the crown in the 200 Yard IM with an impressive time of 2:15.92. Both athletes reached new heights, setting personal bests and qualifying for state.
Senior state qualifier Kadin Barth also set a new personal best time in the 100 Freestyle, finishing second with a time of 54.43, while junior Hunter Peterson received a personal best time in his third place finish in the 500 Freestyle with a time of 6:11.79.
DHS has already secured nine state qualifiers with one final meet remaining before the state competition. On Saturday, Feb. 11, the Midgets will face off against the Jamestown Blue Jays in what promises to be an intense competition, as the Blue Jays continue to have an inconsistent and oscillating season of surprising wins and shocking defeats.
Dickinson current state qualifiers:
Kadin Barth (Grade 12)
Aiden Rothstein (Grade 11)
Davin Haag (Grade 10)
Alex Keller (Grade 10)
John Rude (Grade 10)
Asher Ellerkamp (Grade 9)
Shain Janice (Grade 9)
Gabe Ricks (Grade 9)
Tolga Kilic (Grade 7)
