Mid-February carried postseason weight for a handful of North Shore swimmers. What looked like just another weekend on the road marked the end of one season, the extension of another, and a final push toward regional qualifying times.
Four members of the Two Harbors Agates Swim and Dive Team competed at the Minnesota YMCA State Meet on Sunday, February 15 at the University of Minnesota Aquatics Center. Quinn Johnson, Elizabeth Larson, Toby McDonald and Natalia Smith represented the area on one of the winter YMCA season’s biggest stages.
For the Agates, the day ended in celebration as McDonald and Johnson earned qualifying times for next month’s regional meet, extending their seasons and securing another opportunity to race against top competition. Larson and Smith rounded out the team’s presence at state, contributing to a strong showing for a small but determined group.
While the YMCA swimmers raced in Minneapolis, three more North Shore athletes were chasing their own goals downstate. Seniors Lucy Lane, Bella Imholte and Rylee Schmitz traveled to Chaska for the Last Chance meet, competing under the banner of Lake Superior Swim Club out of Duluth.
The meet lived up to its name, offering one final opportunity to secure regional cut times before the qualifying window closes. Lane, Imholte and Schmitz stepped into the pressure of a last-shot meet with the same steady focus they’ve shown all season, representing LSSC in their final push toward regionals.
Regionals for the USA Swimming athletes run February 27 through March 1, giving the swimmers only a short window to rest, recover, and rest for the next level of competition.
