Hastings outswam White Bear Lake with ease, 95-83

For the first time in more than 15 years, the Hastings boys swimming team faced White Bear Lake. The traditional Suburban East Conference school has just reinstated its boys swimming and diving team, and the Bears are in their first season of competition in the SEC.

Hastings had no trouble beating the Bears, 95-83.

“It’s their first year back in to the conference,” coach Gerry Rupp said. “They’re trying to rebuild a program that was dormant for at least 15 years. It’s been a long time since they’ve had a boys varsity team.”

Several new faces played big roles for the Raiders.

“I was able to mix up my lineup and give the younger guys an opportunity to score points in a varsity situation,” Rupp said. “We took some of our big swimmers and sprinkled them into our relays. It was nice to see those younger guys get an opportunity to score letter points. They took advantage of that.”

The swimmer of the meet was sophomore Brandon Underwood. He had a leadoff 50 freestyle time in the medley relay of 22.68 seconds. He also broke 50 seconds in his 100 split during the 400 freestyle relay.

“He was motoring,” Rupp said.

Among the swimmers who made the biggest splashes were Jack Weldon, Elijah Reilly and Cole Tipler, Rupp said.

Hastings has planned its annual alumni swimming meet for 7 p.m. Friday at Hastings Middle School.

Results from the White Bear Lake meet went like this:

200 medley relay – team of Colby Smith, Hunter Sassor, Cole Tipler and Steven Kimmes, first, 1:49.47; team of John Utecht, Thomas Everson, Elijah Reilly and Cole Scully, second, 1:52.16.

200 freestyle – Smith, first, 1:56.13; Jack Weldon, third, 2:15.94; Gergen, fifth, 2:19.05.

200 individual medley – Thomas Everson, first, 2:07.08; Sassor, second, 2:16.59.

50 freestyle – Utecht, second, 24.28; Reilly, third, 25.25; Kimmes, fourth, 26.15.

100 butterfly – Underwood, first, 56.97; Weldon, third, 1:05.89; Kimmes, fourth, 1:05.96.

100 freestyle – Sassor, first, 55.02; Scully, fourth, 1:00.07; Lauder, 1:03.98.

500 freestyle – Jack VanZee, first, 5:38.49; Tipler, second, 5:45.05; Kenny Benson, third, 5:51.13.

200 freestyle relay – team of Underwood, Smith, Benson and VanZee, first, 1:39.17; team of Thomas Everson, Aaron McCullough, Tipler and Reilly, second, 1:39.37; team of Gergen, Weldon, Moore and Scully, fourth, 1:50.74.

100 backstroke – Utecht, first, 1:02.29; Mikey Everson, third, 1:09.39; McCullough, fifth, 1:10.97.

100 breaststroke – Reilly, 1:12.99; VanZee, 1:13.67; Moore, 1:18.41.

400 freestyle relay – team of Thomas Everson, Underwood, Tipler and Mikey Everson, 3:41.97; team of Smith, Utecht, Sassor and Scully, 3:45.82; team of Kimmes, Lauder, McCullough and Weldon, 4:11.90.

Results from the junior varsity meet went like this:

200 medley relay – team of Logan Lauder, Cal Gergen, Mike Everson and Alec Hagen, first, 2:21.54.

50 freestyle – Mikey Everson, second, 28.61; Erik Christensen, fourth, 30.61.

100 freestyle – Bobby Moore, first, 1:00.83; Scott Christensen, second, 1:09.24; Erik Christensen, fourth, 1:10.06.

200 freestyle relay – team of Scott Christensen, Hagen, Lauder and Erik Christensen, first, 1:57.48.

100 backstroke – Scott Christensen, first, 1:20.38.

100 breaststroke – Hagen, second, 1:26.11; Gergen, third, 1:33.41.

Tags: raider swimming, sports, hastings, minnesota, spiral, prep