For ALHS swimmers, it’s on to the finals

Published 12:00 am Saturday, March 8, 2003

MINNEAPOLIS &045; All three relays made the finals. So did Mitch Johnson, Ethan Berg and Ben Schreiber.

Things went about as planned for Albert Lea in Friday’s preliminaries of the Minnesota State High School Boys’ Swimming and Diving Meet at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.

The Tigers, as coach Jon Schmitz predicted, were on track for a top-10 finish heading into Saturday’s finals.

Email newsletter signup

&uot;I’m proud of the kids,&uot; said Schmitz. &uot;There were no big surprises &045; no letdowns, no big moves. The guys are swimming fast and getting what they deserve. It looks like we’ll be a real strong top-10 contender up here, which is a good way to top off our season.&uot;

All three relays finished in the top eight in the preliminaries, virtually assuring them of medals and all-state status.

The Tigers qualified seventh in the 200-yard medley relay with Ethan Berg, Ben Schreiber, Ben Matheson and Colton Jensen.

Mitch Johnson, Jensen, Ryan Lowe and Josh Elwood were seventh in the 200 freestyle relay preliminary.

Berg, Jensen, Lowe and Johnson qualified eighth in the 400 freestyle relay.

&uot;Of course, being in those positions, there’s a good chance of moving up (in the finals),&uot; said Schmitz. &uot;But getting all three relays in the finals, that’s big. We haven’t had all three relays get medals up here in a long time.&uot;

Johnson reached the finals in two individual events, finishing second in the 200 freestyle and fourth in the 100 freestyle.

Berg advanced to the finals in the 100 butterfly, qualifying eighth.

Schreiber qualified sixth for the 100 breaststroke finals.

Matheson finished 15th in the 100 butterfly preliminaries, advancing him to the consolation finals. Berg is in the consolation finals of the 100 backstroke, where he qualified 14th.

Also swimming for the Tigers but not advancing in individual events were Elwood, 22nd, 100 butterfly; and Jensen, 19th, 100 freestyle.