JV girls Swim and Dive team ends season

Michael Korsh, Staff Reporter

Alia Stewart, senior, races a leg of the 200 freestyle relay.
Michael Korsh
Alia Stewart, senior, races a leg of the 200 freestyle relay.

On Oct. 24, the junior varsity girls Swim and Dive team ended their season with the JV Conference Championships at Edina’s Art Downey Aquatic Center.

Hopkins competed against four other teams: Wayzata, Edina, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie. At the end of the JV season, the team found many swimmers beating their personal records. The coaches were extremely proud of the team’s accomplishments.

“[The team] showed all their hard work at Sections. They all swam their best times and did fantastically,” JV coach Lex Tripps said.

In the first half of the meet, Hopkins quickly fell behind the other teams. The team came in 19th place in the 200 medley relay, and Katie Gunderson, junior, placed 17th in the 200 freestyle.

During the second half of the meet, Hopkins saw additional success throughout the team. They placed ninth in the 200 freestyle relay and 26th in the 400 freestyle relay.

Other highlights included Gunderson coming in in 19th in the 500 freestyle and Willow Scherwinski, sophomore, placing 19th in the 100 butterfly. Scherwinski reflects on the JV season as well as the importance of the meet.

“JV is often overlooked, but when we’ve worked this hard, we have earned all the credit we deserve,” Scherwinski said. “Seeing everyone so happy and swimming their best times was inspiring, and it was a great end to the season.”

Though the JV season is complete, the varsity team will compete in the Section 6AA Tournament, also at Art Downey Aquatic Center, on Nov. 12.