For Park junior diver Ruby Igl it was a meet to remember.
But for Park’s eighth grade swimming stars Grace Sahli and Chloe Micek it was more likely a meet that’s going to spur them …
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For Park junior diver Ruby Igl it was a meet to remember.
But for Park’s eighth grade swimming stars Grace Sahli and Chloe Micek it was more likely a meet that’s going to spur them on for years to come.
Igl qualified for state with a fourth-place finish in the 2025 Girls 3AA Section Swim and Dive Championships at Two Rivers High School Thursday and Friday. Igl’s finals score of 301.55 in one-meter diving led Park’s four divers, all of whom finished in the top nine.
Sahli competed strongly in the section meet despite struggling with a nasty virus, while Micek missed a trip to state by the narrowest of margins.
“Unfortunately, she got a bit of a nasty stomach bug recently and she’s been such a trooper coming and competing anyway,” Park co-head coach Arachi O’Brien said pf Sahli. “Even though it’s not her best race who can blame her. She’s been sick. I’m still really proud of her.
Park’s divers competed Thursday at Two Rivers and consistently hit their marks, led by Igl.
“Oh my gosh, it’s so amazing,” said O’Brien. “She also got like top seven in our all conference so I’m really, really proud of her and it’s really exciting.”
Wolfpack senior Alice Wood finished seventh (280.25) in the diving competition, junior Isabelle Brown was eighth (273.05) and eighth graders Claire Linscheid was ninth (262.60).
“It feels really good,” said Wood. “We, our team, hasn’t had divers place a lot in the past lot of years so it’s very good for our team.”
“I was very happy,” said Brown. “I think we put in all the work and I think we were very well prepared for sections this year.
“They did really, really good yesterday,” said O’Brien if the divers. “And all of them have been working so hard with Patti (Park diving coach) Hagen. “They all got, well Ruby was all conference but the rest of them also got honors. Like they were up there. I’m really proud of them.”
Park easily won the diving team competition with 47 points, with Two Rivers the next closest with 27 points.
Micek just missed a trip to state, finishing third in the 100-yard backstroke in a finals time of 1:00.87. The state qualifying time was 59.71. She was also fourth in the 100-yard freestyle in 56.36.
“She actually really nailed it this week,” O’Brien said of Micek. “She was so so close to going to state. It was tough for her but she still dropped a second from even Wednesday so even then she did really, really great. Big improvements from just a couple days ago and it’s unfortunate she couldn’t go to state but it’s very likely next year. I feel.”
Grace Marcott of Apple Valley won the 100 backstroke in an All-American time of 55.90, Aimee Birmingham of Eastview was second in 1:00.42 and Micek third in 1:00.87.
“My best race was definitely the 100 back,” said Micek. “I gave it my all. Sadly, I shortly came off by point four, lost it for second to go to state but I’m pretty happy with how I swam. I got a really good time, about a minute, I dropped about a second from prelims on Wednesday which was pretty good.
Grace Sahli finished seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:15.44, 13th in the 100-yard butterfly in a time of 1:08.89 and swam two legs on Park relay teams.
“I felt I gave it my best for what I have at the moment,” said Sahli. “I definitely put in my best effort. It is what it is at the end of the day because you know I’m sick, I’m tired but I did the best that I could and I’m proud with eh effort I gave even though I didn’t make what I was seeded. But I’m still proud of how I did.
“I still have four years,” Sahli added. “So, I’m there."
In the relays, Park was seventh in the 200-yard medley with the team of Micek, Grace Sahli, Evelyn Sahli and Chloe Omtvedt finishing in 2:01.46. The Wolfpack team of Micek, Evelyn Sahli, Omtvedt and Grace Sahli were seventh in the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:51.47. In the day’s last race, Park was seventh in the 400-yard freestyle relay with the foursome of Elthon, Lia Boudouris, Norgaard and Evelyn Sahli finishing in 4:25.40.
Ninth grade swimmer Omtvedt was 12th in both the 50-yard freestyle (27.48) and the 100-yard freestyle (1:01.17). Park’s Katelyn Norgaard (14th, 1:03.02) and Ava Elthon (16th, 1:04.37) also placed in the 100-yard freestyle. Evelyn Sahli was 12th in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:21.38).
A very young team this fall, Park will return almost the entire roster next season.
Rosemount repeated as section team champion with 460 points, followed by 2, Eastview (378) 3, Apple Valley (367). 4, Eagan (266), 5, Two Rivers (212), 6, Park (188) and 7, Burnsville (154).
The girls state swimming and diving meet will be held Thursday through Saturday at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, with the Class AA diving preliminaries Thursday at 6 p.m. and the diving finals Saturday at 6 p.m.
