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Dolphins finish second in the State A Short Course Championships for the eighth-straight year

roger merriam, watertown public opinion
·3 min read

WATERTOWN — The Watertown Area Swim Club put the finishing touches on another South Dakota Short Course season with another state runner-up finish.

A number of Dolphins competed in the State A Short Course Championships the previous two weekends, 12-and-under Feb. 23-25 in Sioux Falls and 13-and-over Feb. 29-March 3 in the Prairie Lakes Wellness Center.

The Sioux Falls Swim Team again won the combined team title with 4,513.5 points, followed by the WASC at 2,743, Rushmore Swim Team (1,578), Aberdeen Swim Club (1,299.5) and Brookings Swim Club (1.126). The Dolphins have finished second behind Sioux Falls in the last eight short course and five long course state championships.

Final Combined State Team Scores: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24457753-final-combined-team-scores?responsive=1&title=1

13-and-Over Weekend Highlights

Five Dolphin swimmers won 13 events over the weekend including Owen Muller, who had six first-place finishes in the 13-14 boys division. Elsie Boettcher (15-16 girls), McKenna Falak (17-and-over girls) and Zavier Kranz (17-and-over boys) each two two aces and Justine Kranz (13-14 girls) one.

These Watertown Area Swim Club swimmers competed over the weekend during the 13-and-over portion of the 2024 South Dakota Short Course State A Swim Championships held in the Prairie Lakes Wellness Center. The Dolphins again finished second in the combined team scores (12-and-under was held the previous weekend at Sioux Falls). WASC 13-and-over state swimmers included, from left in front, Penn Feist, Cooper Smith, Logan Dexter, Levi Brownlee, Garrett Kunkel and Graysn McGillivary; second row, Paul Feist, McKoy Pereboom, Pierce Mathiason, Thomas Bass, Bryton Blauert, Jay McAreavery, Josephine Waite and Sydney Sparks; third row, Kamelia Mjoun, Becca Meland, Molly Thorson, Lydia Kleinsasser, Roslyn Waite, Jade Smith, Grace List, Jada Leigh Wellnitz and Paula Sanz; fourth row, coach Shari Riveland, Rylie Stangl, Jocelyn Johnson, Maggie Schleusner, RJ Matthies, Kyleigh Hansen, Lorelai Grund, Joe McCormick, Kuper Brownlee and Levi Peterson; fifth row, Jeremiah Schulte, Sara Peterson, Harper Meidinger, Justine Kranz, Elsie Boettcher, Leila Byer, Hannah Greve, Karlie Schulte, Paige McAreavey, Camryn Langerock, McKenna Falak and coach Chuck Baechler; and top row, coach Kathy Antoine, Simon Hendricks, Zavier Kranz, Owen Muller, Alex Ottenbacher, Isaiah Makens, Jason Kasparek, Haydn McGillivary, Parker Hoftiezer, Kooper Heiser and coach Mitch Rux.

Muller broke five state meet and four overall state records in the meet. They include

  • 1,600-Yard Freestyle (16:50.28): New state meet and overall state record previously held by Brian Gorman of Sioux Falls (16:55.61 in 2008).

  • 200 Freestyle (1:46.30): New state meet and overall state record previously held by Muller (1:47.14 in 2023).

  • 500 Freestyle (4:43.13): New state meet and overall state record previously held by Muller (4:49.71 in 2023).

  • 1,000 Freestyle (9:53.05): New state meet and overall state record. Previous state meet record was held by Muller (10:03.49 in 2023). Previous overall state record was held by Paul Gordon of Sioux Falls (9:59.97 in 2004).

  • 200 Butterfly (1:59.64): New state meet record previously held by Owen Johnson of the Rushmore Swim Team (2:04.87 in 2023).

WASC 13-and-Over Relay Results: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24457755-wasc-13-and-over-relays?responsive=1&title=1

WASC Relays

Muller also swam on four WASC relay teams that placed first or second in 13-14 boys' races. Thomas Bass, McKoy Pereboom, Jay McAreavey won the 13-14 boys' 800 freestyle.

The Dolphins also were second in the 13-14 boys' 200 freestyle (Muller, Bass, Ryan James Matthies and Pereboom), 400 freestyle (Muller, Pereboom, Penn Feist and Bass) and 400 medley (Bass, Pereboom, Matthies and Muller).

Falak, Leila Byer, Lorelai Grund and Boettcher teamed for a second-place finish in the 15-19 girls' 800 freestyle.

13 & Over Boys High Point Awards: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24457752-boys-high-point-awards?responsive=1&title=1

High-Point Awards

Muller was the top high-point earner in the 13-14 boys diviswion with 102 points.

Boettcher finished second in the 15-16 girls division (92); Zavier Kranz fourth in the 17-19 boys division (85) and Falak fifth in the 17-19 girls division (84).

13 & Over Girls High Point Awards https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24457754-girls-high-point-awards?responsive=1&title=1

For complete WASC results from the 13-and-over state weekend, visit www.thepublicopinion.com.

WASC 13-and-Over Results: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24457756-wasc-13-and-over-results?responsive=1&title=1

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: State swim meet results for the Watertown Area Swim Club