John Marshall sophomore sets sights on state swimming championship

Nov. 15—ROCHESTER — After a pair of top-five finishes at the Class 2A girls swimming and diving meet a year ago as a freshman, Julia Ogren has championship hopes this season.

Ogren, a sophomore at John Marshall, will be entered in a pair of individual events after winning two section titles for the second straight season. She defended her championship in the 200 freestyle at the Section 1, Class 2A meet and also claimed the 100 freestyle title.

"Hopefully I can get a championship in the 200 free," she said. "... I'll be thinking about my competition, but hopefully I can get a win."

Ogren set a Section 1 record with a winning time of 1:51.56 in the 200 freestyle last week. She should be tapered and ready to go even faster at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

The preliminary round is on Friday with the top eight in each swimming event advancing to the championship finals and swimmers 9-16 going to the consolation finals on Saturday.

Ogren finished third at state in the 200 freestyle last year. She was also fourth in the 100 backstroke, but this year she changed her second individual event to the 100 freestyle.

"Right now I think my 200 free is (my best event), but we'll see," she said.

Despite her big-meet experience, Ogren still gets nervous before meets, especially when she is unfamiliar with her competition.

"In the 100 free, I have no idea what the competition is like," she said.

Ogren is the lone John Marshall swimmer at the state meet. JM's Shannon Penney qualified for the state diving meet. The diving prelims are Thursday.

Like Ogren, Century sophomore Sophia Blixt won a pair of section titles and she also qualified for state in two relays.

Blixt won individual titles in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke. She is also tapered to go faster at the state meet.

"I definitely feel as though I have a lot left in me and I'm excited to see what happens with more rest and just more practice," she said.

Blixt is confident she can have strong showings in both of her individual events.

"I definitely have a lot more to drop," she said. "I feel fresh; I think I can do better, so it's very exciting."

Both of her individual events are new this year. As a freshman, Blixt qualified for state in the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke. She didn't make the championship finals in either event at state a year ago, but ended up finishing ninth and 10th in the two events.

"I was very close last year," she said. "My goal this year is getting a top eight (finish) so I've really got to work for that this year."

Blixt will compete with Paige Manguson, Chloe Magnuson and Sarah Homme at state in the 200 medley relay. Blixt will swim with Homme, Camrynn Manento and Chloe Magnuson in the 200 freestyle relay.

"It was great to get two relays (to state)," Blixt said.

Mayo has earned state berths in five of the 11 swimming events. Senior Sam Oeltjen and sophomore Madeline Gau both won an individual section title, but they are also looking forward to competing at state in two relays.

"I'm really excited because the relays last year were super fun," Gau said. "Relays are one of the most fun parts of high school swimming."

Oeltjen was a club swimmer prior to joining the Spartans for the first time this season. She has become a vocal leader on the team and will join Gau, Elise Weingarten and Corrina Tonn in both the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays at state.

"It's really exciting to swim with these guys as a team," Oletjen said. "I was really pumped, I get excited."

Gau was a section champion in the 100 backstroke and she also qualified for state in the 100 butterfly. She earned a spot in the consolation finals at state a year ago in the butterfly.

"I'm hoping to lower my personal bests," she said.

Weingarten will join Gau as a state qualifier in the 100 backstroke as she had a runner-up section finish.

Oeltjen, in her first state meet, will also be competing in the 500 freestyle, an event in which she won a section title.

"Just to have fun," she said of her state experience. "I'm about team bonding."

When/Where: Thursday-Saturday and University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

Times: The diving preliminary and semifinals are on Thursday, the swimming prelim round is on Friday and the championship finals for swimming and diving are on Saturday. Each session begins at 6 p.m.

ROCHESTER STATE QUALIFIERS

(With section finish and time)

200 medley relay — 2. Mayo (Elise Weingarten, Corrina Tonn, Madeline Gau, Sam Oeltjen) 1:49.82, 3. Century (Sophia Blixt, Paige Manguson, Chloe Magnuson, Sarah Homme) 1:51.04.

200 freestyle — 1. Ogren (JM) 1:51.56.

200 IM — 1. Blixt (C) 2:07.51.

Diving — 3. Shannon Penney (JM) 338.25.

100 butterfly — 2. Gau (M) 57,07.

100 freestyle — 1. Ogren (JM) 51.20.

500 freestyle — 1. Oeltjen (M) 5:08.33.

200 freestyle relay — 2. Century (Blixt, S.Homme, Camrynn Manento, Chloe Magnuson) 1:39.33.

100 backstroke — 1. Gau (M) 57.30, 2. Weingarten (M) 59.81.

100 breaststroke — 1. Blixt (C) 1:04.96.

400 freestyle relay — 2. Mayo (Oeltjen, Tonn, Weingarten, Gau) 3:39.83.

When/Where: Thursday-Saturday and University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

Times: The diving preliminary and semifinals are on Thursday, the swimming prelim round is on Friday and the championship finals for swimming and diving are on Saturday. Each session begins at 12 p.m.

AUSTIN, RED WING, WINONA STATE QUALIFIERS

(With section finish and time)

200 medley relay — 3. Winona (Harper Wolner, Abby Williams, Makayla Finnegan, Madeline Modjeski) 1:52.70.

200 IM — 1. Williams (W) 2:10.11.

50 freestyle — 4. Kyrrah Mullaney (RW) 25.03.

Diving — 1. Reese Norton (A), 2. Alayna Kennedy (A).

100 freestyle — 2. Emma Hoppman (RW) 54.03.

200 freestyle relay — 1. Red Wing (Ari Holzer, Hoppman, Eliana Cory, Mullaney) 1:41.44.

100 backstroke — 2. Gracie Greenman (A) 1:00.31, 4. Hoppman (RW) 1:01.38,

100 breaststroke — 1. Williams (W) 1:06.50, 3. Mullaney (RW) 1:08.86.