By John George
You can't tell the Yellow Jacket girls swim team that they don't belong in the same pool as some of the best teams in the state. Not anymore.
Over the past couple of years, participation has increased. And since she doesn't have a home pool, head coach Sheri Ressler has decided that as long as they have to travel anyway, they might as well go out and take on the bigger, better schools.
The results are starting to show.
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Last weekend, the Perham/New York Mills team went to Aurora, a little town on the Iron Range, and finished third in the Taconite Invitational, hosted by Mesabi East High School.
First place went to Duluth East, who ran away with the title winning eight of the 12 events, finishing with 332 points. Moorhead was second with 190, followed by the Jackets with 144.5.
Perham finished ahead of schools like Superior (WI), Duluth Central and Virginia.
"We like seeing the faces when our little team comes in and competes with the big school's," head coach Sheri Ressler said in an interview earlier this season. "Our kids are pushed to do better when they see some of these great swimmers. Our regular season places don't matter that much in the big picture. We just have to be at our best when Sections come around. And the bigger meets against the better teams help us get to our best."
Abby Kratzke had the team's best finish, taking second in the 100m butterfly. Younger sister, Kelsey, was third in the 100m breaststroke. Leah Richter (100 freestyle) and Rylie Rothmeyer (500 free) had fourth place finishes.
Eight different girls had section qualifying times in seven events.
This weekend, the Jackets will hit the road again as they swim at the Montevideo Invitational on Oct. 4. They will follow that with a dual meet at Moorhead on Oct. 9.
Saturday, September 27
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Taconite Invitational (Aurora)
1. Duluth East 332, 2. Moorhead 190, 3. Perham 144.5, 4. Superior (WI) 128, 5. Eveleth-Gilbert 120, 6. Mesabi East 114, 7. Duluth Central 99, 8. Virginia 94, 9. Cloquet-Esko-Carlton 83, 10. BETA 37.5, 11. Duluth Denfeld 28, 12. International Falls 22.
200 Medley Relay--1. Duluth East 2:00.62, 4. PNYM?(Potts, K. Kratzke, A. Kratzke, Richter) 2:08.29.
200 Free--1. Moores (CEC) 2:01.95, 5. Rylie Rothmeyer (PNYM) 2:13.32, 10. Maggie Carlson (PNYM) 2:18.67, 12.?Erika Conlin (PNYM) 2:19.12, 43.?Ashley Bond (PNYM) 2:53.84.
200 I.M.--1. Punyko (DE) 2:22.56, 8. Kelsey Kratzke (PNYM) 2:38.45, 14. Bailey Meyer (PNYM) 2:43.49, 15. Whitney Carow (PNYM) 2:43.52, 18.?Brittany Roberts (PNYM) 2:47.83.
50 Free--1. Loiselle (DC) 26.91, 6. Leah Richter (PNYM) 27.63, 28. Sara Lee (PNYM) 30.12, 33.?Lexi Richter (PNYM) 31.23, 35.?Racole Karels (PNYM) 31.46.
Diving--1. Jensen (DC) 358.05.
100 Fly--1. Frestad (DE) 1:04.77, 2. Abby Kratzke (PNYM) 1:07.56, 11. Meyer (PNYM) 1:13.95, 21. Zoe Potts (PNYM) 1:19.93, 26. Leah Restad (PNYM) 1:26.10.
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100 Free--1. Moores (CEC) 56.10, 4. Richter (PNYM) 59.84, 8. Carlson (PNYM) 1:03.51, 18. Laine Miller (PNYM) 1:06.52, 34.?Jill Burns (PNYM) 1:10.85.
500 Free--1. Reed (DE) 5:44.87, 4. Rothmeyer (PNYM) 5:56.03, 10. Conlin (PNYM) 6:15.09, 21.?Roberts (PNYM) 6:38.88, 35.?Shelby Mayfield (PNYM) 7:33.40.
200 Free Relay--1. Duluh East, 5. PNYM?(Richter, K. Kratzke, A. Kratzke, Conlin) 1:53.14.
100?Back--1. Frestad (DE)?1:02.94, 18. Potts (PNYM) 1:16.79, 22. Miranda Phelps (PNYM) 1:18.78, 23.?Miller (PNYM) 1:18.83, 25.?Kari Hanson (PNYM) 1:20.77.
100 Breast--1. Punyko (DE) 1:12.95, 3. K. Kratzke (PNYM) 1:17.24, T-9. Carow (PNYM) 1:21.41, 15. Lee (PNYM) 1:24.45, 35. Beth Ingebrand (PNYM) 1:32.22.
400 Free Relay--1. Duluth East 4:00.38, 7. PNYM (A. Kratzke, Carlson, Conlin, Rothmeyer) 4:16.70.
