Sports
Simley High Swimmers Can't Get Cadets This Time
Spartans swim well, set records, but perennial state swimming power Saint Thomas Academy gets revenge for last year's loss to Simley Tuesday
Saint Thomas Academy's depth and experience were too much for the Simley High swimmers and divers to overcome on Thursday night.
In a Classic Suburban Conference showdown at the Veterans Memorial Center in Inver Grove Heights, visiting Saint Thomas Academy swam away with a 115-71 dual meet.
But if the Spartans felt down, they didn’t show it after the meet.
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“I was happy how the team did,” said Nate Briguet. “They (the Cadets) may have beaten us on the scoreboard but we definitely beat them in the heart.”
Briguet swam to a lifetime best in the open 50 freestyle with a 22.80 and also clocked a season best in winning the 100 freestyle in 49.78
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Saint Thomas Academy gained revenge for last season’s conference loss 54-48 to Simley High School.
Saint Thomas, who has swept the last seven Minnesota True Team Championships, had first-second or first-second-third finishes in four events to outdistance Simley.
“Our guys did really well,” said Simley head coach Lynn Newton. “We knew we couldn’t compete as a whole. They had too much depth, and too much age. But we’ll get better.”
Saint Thomas scored more team points in 12 of 15 events, yielding only the diving and the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays to the Spartans. Saint Thomas used its depth to pile up big point margins in the 200 medley relay, 100 butterfly, 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
The Spartans won two out of three relays. The team of Alec Kandt, Alex Jurrens, Tim Luhr and Nate Briguet won the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:32. The same foursome finished first in the final event of the night, the 400 freestyle relay, with a 3:26.69. Briguet capped a come-from-behind effort in the 200 medley relay with a strong anchor leg.
“I was happy with both the 200 IM and the breaststroke where I had my best time,” said Kandt, who won the 200 individual medley in 2:04.02 and took the 100 yard breaststroke in 1:01.86.
Several of the Spartans had season best swims.
“That was pure emotions,” said Newton. “Both teams have always swum well against each other.”
Simley’s Carter Lange dominated the diving event, racking up a 189.05 score to finish first.
“We lost a lot of swimmers [from last year’s team],” Kandt said. “But our young swimmers are doing pretty well.”
Simley hosts the boys varsity conference swimming and diving meet Thursday, Feb. 10, starting at 6:30 p.m.
