Swimming and diving: Wingers take third in Conference

A short-handed Red Wing team took third place Saturday at the Missota Conference championship in Farmington.

“It was bound to happen eventually, we had a ton of guys that were sick today,” Red Wing coach Gene Petersen said. “We swam well considering that we had maybe two thirds or half the team, but it’s tough to go into a championship meet where you just don’t have the personnel.”

Petersen added that the Wingers lost “80 points just walking through the door.”

Tanner Alms won his first career individual conference championship by taking first the in 500 freestyle. He touched the wall in 4 minutes, 58.61 seconds. Alms also won a conference championship in the 200 freestyle relay. The team of alternate Sam Whitebear, Andrew Berg and Connor O’Keefe, who was swimming the event sick, finished in 1:32.09.

“It’s better to be sick at conference than at sections,” Petersen said. “The guys have two weeks to rest up.”

The Section 1A meet is Feb. 24 and 26 at the Veterans Memorial Community Center in Inver Grove Heights.

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