This season for me has been one of the most exciting and memorable parts of my life.”

Parker Jeseritz

After coming close last season, Park senior and team captain Parker Jeseritz is headed for state as a senior.

Jeseritz qualified for both the 100-yard butterfly and the 100-yard backstroke to lead the Wolfpack in the Sections 3AA swim and dive championship meet which wrapped up Friday at Two Rivers High School. He placed second in the butterfly with a time of 54.20 and was third in the backstroke in 54.49.

Jeseritz was fourth in the 100 butterfly and fifth in the 100 backstroke at the section meet last season.

“This season for me has been one of the most exciting and memorable parts of my life,” said Jeseritz. “A team whose aspirations are driving them to get best times and a new coach whose inspiring attitude and potential to build our team up has made this season fly by. Our team at sections has always surprised me but especially this year they have all done great. It’s so exciting to see the younger guys like Paul W and Lalee Y be putting up some crazy times at their age as well. And sections for me has been amazing with my first ever state qualifying swims for the 100 back and 100 fly. I am very excited to hand off my role to the incoming seniors and watch as our team continues to evolve into an unstoppable team.”

The boys state swimming and diving meet will be held Thursday through Saturday at the Jean K freeman Aquatic Center on the University of Minnesota campus. The Class AA boys swimming preliminaries will start at 6 p.m. Friday with the finals beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Park finished sixth in the team rankings with 212 points, but just 13 points out of third. Eagan finished first with 470 points followed by: 2, East Ridge, 435.5. 3, Hastings, 225. 4, Rosemount, 223. 5, Eastview, 222. 6, Park, 212. 7, Apple Valley, 178. 8, Two Rivers, 136.5.

"I told the boys before the finals session that none of us got here alone and that we made it here because we were together and believed in each other all season,” said head coach Will Arnsparger. “That belief in each other and of course in themselves, allowed us to be successful as we were. Boys like Ethan Cole, Lalee Yang and Tyler Cracauer really showed out and had an awesome meet. The moment wasn’t too big for them and for the other boys and that’s the mentality we’re trying to cultivate. I'm proud of the season, but I'm even more excited for how much the program will continue to grow."

Park was fifth in the 200-yard medley relay (Jeseritz, Paul Wallace, Damion Charpentier, Luke Dockendorf, 1:45.08); seventh in the 200-yard freestyle relay (Ethan Cole, Tyler Cracauer, Hayden Bonner, Lalee Yang, 1:39.06) and fourth in the 400-yard freestyle relay (Yang, Cole, Dockendorf, Jeseritz, 3:24.28).

Park junior Ethyn Schilling repeated his sixth-place section finish from a year ago with a score of 320.90. Carter Darling was 10th (267.75) and Trey Jaso 11th (261.10).

Charpentier was 11th in the 200-yard IM (2:12.96) and Cracauer 16th (2:15.63), Dockendorf finished ninth in the 50-yard freestyle (22.97) and Yang was 11th (23.55), Yang was ninth in the butterfly (57.28), Cole was ninth in the 100-yard freestyle (50.43), Charpentier 11th in the 500-yard freestyle (5:21.33).

In the backstroke besides Jeseritz, Dockendorf was 11th (1:00.83), Cole 13th (1:01.45) and Cracauer 14th (1:01.47), Wallace placed seventh in the breaststroke (1:06.46).

“Honestly, I don’t think the team could’ve done any better at sections,” said team captain Dockendorf. “We put our all into every swim, and it was definitely reflected in our times. Overall, for the season though, I believe the same principles apply. I personally saw lots of improvement in times, morale, and confidence in our races."