Boys swimming and diving: Area individuals, relays earn all-state honors

Mar. 1—MINNEAPOLIS — Five area individuals and three relay teams secured all-state honors at the Class A state swimming and diving championships on Saturday afternoon at the University of Minnesota's Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center.

Willmar senior Sam Sheets reached the podium in three events. He was fifth in the 50-yard freestyle in 21.71 seconds and placed eighth in the 100 breaststroke in 1:01.75.

Sheets was the lead swimmer in the 200 freestyle relay that took sixth in 1:29.12. He was joined by freshman Beckham Sebesta, sophomore Matthew Lammers and junior Abram Schueler.

That quartet broke the school record, which was previously held by Jacob Meyer, Colin O'Farrell, Logan McGillivray and Ayden Schueler. They clocked a 1:29.31 in 2020.

Dominic Borg swam in four events — two individual and two relays — and hit the podium in all.

The Dassel-Cokato/Litchfield senior was sixth in the 50 and 100 freestyles in 21.86 and 48.33.

Borg anchored the 200 and 400 freestyle relays to third and sixth place in 1:27.70 and 3:15.70.

DCL senior Matthew Defries and juniors Noah Sarff and Parker Josephson swam in the relays.

Defries, who also swam individually, swam to an eighth-place finish in the 100 freestyle in 48.62.

A pair of Montevideo swimmers also found themselves on the podium.

In the 200 freestyle, senior Nolan Christopher was fifth in 1:44.66. In the 50 freestyle, junior Hayden Blom placed eighth in 22.18.

Any swimmer or relay in the top eight receives all-state honors.

St. Thomas Academy won the Class A state title with 347 points, followed by Breck/Blake's 210 and Northfield's 180. DCL was the area's top team with 101 points and a seventh-place finish.