Defending champions among state swim field

Talk about it

Alexandria’s 200 medley relay team of Jon Schwegel, Dylan Johnson, Bennett Freitag and Ben Vogeler will be in heat two of the preliminaries, going in with a time of 1:42.13. The best time in the heat belongs to Eden Prairie with a 1:38.40, while the best qualifying time in the event belongs to Rosemount with a 1:36.61, the defending Class AA champion.

Other medal winning teams in the field include Minnetonka, runner-up; Edina, third; Wayzata, fourth; Brainerd, sixth; Cretin-Derham Hall of St. Paul, seventh; and Lakeville North, eighth.

In the 200 free, Sam Vinje will compete in the second heat of the day, bringing with him a time of 1:49.83. The best time in his heat belongs to Chris Freeman of Rochester Century at 1:43.03, while the best time in the event belongs to defending state champion Drew Johnson of Edina with a time of 1:42.21.

Four other 2009 medalists also return: Chris Satterthwaite of Edina, third; Alex Cox of Rochester Century, fourth; David Flickinger of Moorhead, fifth; and Zach Stettner of Minnetonka, sixth.

Ben Vogeler will compete in the 50 free and is in the first heat of the day. He has a time of 22.62 posted coming in, but will have Dylan Gillespe of FLAK and Sean Wegerson of Maple Grove in his heat, both of whom have times of 22.51 coming in.

The best time in the 50 free belongs to defending state champion, Devon Meeks, of Rosemount with a 21.48.

Ryan Whalen of the Winona Winhawks, who earned runner-up honors in 2009, is the only other returning medalist.

Vogeler is also in the 100 free and will compete in the first of three heats. He comes in with a qualifying time of 49.82. The best time in his heat belongs to Mike Gratz of Edina with a time of 47.65.

The best time in the field comes from defending state champion Drew Johnson of Edina with a 46.31.

There are just two other 2009 medal winners in the field: Whalen of Winona, fifth; and Max Hubbard of Rosemount, eighth.

Aaron Rooney is Alexandria’s delegate in the diving event, and is 26th on the list.

Three medalists return from the 2009 field: Michael Golling of Moorhead, fourth; Andres Hansen of Minnetonka, fifth; and Drew Germain of Blaine, sixth.

The Cardinal 200 free relay of Rooney, Chris Vogeler, Vinje and Ben Vogeler is in the first of three heats and comes in with a qualifying time of 1:31.77. The best time in the heat belongs to Chaska/Chanhassen at 1:28.65.

Edina has the best qualifying time in the field of 1:26.76.

Four 2009 medal-winning teams return to this year’s meet, led by defending champion Rosemount. The other returning teams are: Edina, runner-up; Minnetonka, third; and Maple Grove, seventh. Edina has the fastest qualifying time of 1:26.76.

Action began yesterday, Thursday, at the University Of Minnesota Aquatic Center, with the diving preliminaries, with the swimming prelims beginning today at 6 p.m.

Finals are set for tomorrow, Saturday, beginning at 6 p.m.

Tags: alexandria sports, sports, cardinals, boys, swimming, and, diving, state, meet