Albert Lea sophomore ends season on high note

Published 12:20 pm Saturday, November 19, 2016

MINNEAPOLIS — At this time last year, the Albert Lea girls’ swimming and diving team was in the thick of competing for the Class 1A team crown.

Fast forward a year, and Albert Lea is still represented at the state swim meet, led by sophomore Emily Taylor.

Taylor competed in two events at the state swim meet — the 50-yard freestyle and 100 breaststroke — and eighth-grader and teammate Jaeda Koziolek competed in the 100 backstroke.

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But it was Taylor who made it to the consolation round at the state meet Friday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

Taylor prepares herself on the starting block before the consolation round of the 100 breaststroke.

Taylor prepares herself on the starting block before the consolation round of the 100 breaststroke.

On Thursday, Taylor earned a 15th-place finish in the breaststroke, earning her spot in the consolation round.

She would perform even better Friday.

Taylor finished in fourth place in the consolation round and 12th place overall with a time of 1:09.04.

Her time was an improvement over Thursday’s time of 1:09.27.

Northfield’s Sophia Nevin won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:03.67. Her time is up for All-American consideration.

Albert Lea finished with a team score of five points and in 32nd place.

Visitation Charter School won the Class 1A team title with a whopping 261 points. Hutchinson finished in second place with 192 points.