St. Cloud's Averly Powell and Elise Jurgen won four gold medals each.
Harmony remained the county gold standard in OBC swimming this week, claiming its ninth girls title in 10 years Thursday, tying St. Cloud with 152 points.
‘I can’t say enough about the effort these kids put in today,” said Longhorns girls coach — and St. Cloud alum — T.J. Walters said. “We had some freshmen step up and contribute and combined with our upperclassmen, it was enough to get us back on top.”
In the same breath, Walters had a lot of praise for the Bulldogs’ effort.
“They had an outstanding meet and to be quite honest, they win it out right without the diving scores.”
Diving was held on Wednesday, and led by first-place finisher Haley Kurth (272.90), the Longhorns scored 24 points.
While Walters credited his overall team effort, St. Cloud’s smaller squad saw just six swimmers account for 146 of their 152 team points. Averly Powell (200 freestyle, 400 IM, 200 free relay and 400 free relay) and Elise Jurgens (200 IM, 100 freestyle, 200 free relay and 400 relay) accounted for four wins each.
“This was an amazing day, these kids swam their faces off today,” St. Cloud head coach Jolena Adams said. “It was definitely a team effort, everyone gave their best effort and that’s all you can ask of a team.’
Although OBC records are missing between the years1998-2005, it may have been St. Cloud first girls OBC championship since 1996.
There was no such drama on the boys’ side, as Harmony won six events to easily dethrone 2024 champion Celebration (185-129). It was the Longhorn’s third OBC title in the last four years.
Aaron Stephenson led the way for Harmony with triple gold (200 IM, 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay); while Eli Christ won the 50 free (22.70), finished second in the 100 free and swam a leg on the winning 200 free relay.
“Team effort from top to bottom,” Harmony boys’ coach Stephanie Clark said. “We had big individual wins and took two of three relays. Really proud of the effort all our guys put in today.” She went on to the note that the success of Harmony’s overall swimming program has been the family atmosphere that has been created. “All the athletes care about each other and we have great support from the families. The atmosphere is just conducive to building a solid program.”
Celebration’s Walter Zeman, who earned 4A All-State honors last year with a third place finish in the 50 free and fifth place finish in the 100 free, skipped the 50 free at OBC’s but won the 100 (46.45) and 200 (1:45.54) and swam a leg on the Storm’s winning 400 free relay to pick up three gold medals.
Girls Team Scores: 1 (Tied) St. Cloud 152, Harmony 152; 3. Celebration 123; 4. Tohopekaliga 59; 5. Gateway 19
Boys Team Scores: 1. Harmony 185; 2. Celebration 129; 3. St. Cloud 113; 4. Gateway 39; 5. Tohopekaliga 17.
Individual Girls Results
200 medley relay: 1. St. Cloud (Autumn Marciniak, Raelyn Mathis, Santana Meassick, Brooke Bonesteel) 2:02.88); 2. Harmony; 3. Celebration
200 freestyle: 1. Averly Powell (SC) 2:06.51; 2. Erika Chirionos De La Cerda (T), 3. Ivy Davis (H)
200 IM: 1. Elise Jurgens (SC) 2:31.30; 2. Mariella Fiore (C ); 3. Hannah Lilley (H)
50 free: 1. Brooke Bonesteel (SC) 27.27; 2.Noel Stephenson (H); 3. Ximena Jiminez (G)
1-Meter Dive: 1. Haley Kurth (H) 272.90; 2. Rosabelle Quiwa (T); Karadin James (H)
100 free: 1. Elise Jurgens (SC) 1:00.07; 2. Brooke Bonesteel (SC); 3. Hannah Lilley (H)
500 Free: 1. Averly Powell (SC) 5:41.87; 2. Aeryn Thomas (C), MacKenzie Butner (H)
200 free relay: 1. St. Cloud (Raelyn Mathis, Elise Jurgens, Santiana Meassick, Averly Powell) 1:48.37; 2. Celebration; 3. Harmony
100 backstroke: 1. Nuria Torres (H) 1:10.40; 2. Raelyn Mathis (SC) Autumn Marciniak (SC)
100 breaststroke: 1. Mackenzie Butner (H) 1:16.32; 2. Santana Meassick (SC); 3. Noel Stephenson (H)}
400 free Relay: 1. St. Cloud (Brooke Bonesteel, Elise Jurgens, Autumn Marciniak, Averly Powell) 4:06.02; 2. Harmony; 3. Celebration
Individual Boys Results
200 medley relay: 1. Harmony (Juan Leguizamon, Brayden Mangan, Fernando Berroteran-Pardo, Blake Scarlet) 1:52.99; 2. St. Cloud, 3. Celebration
200 free: 1. Walter Zeman (C), 1:45.54; 2. Jacob Thomas (H); 3. Ryan Odom (C)
200 IM: 1. Aaron Stephenson (H) 2:07.28; 2, Ethan Cruz (C), 3, Kai Kim (H)
50 free: 1. Eli Christ (H) 22.70; 2. Sam Yaw (C), 3. Owen Hill (SC)
1-Meter Dive: 1. Oliver Dominey (SC) 219.90; 2. Malcom Charlton (H); 3. Oscar Diaz (SC)
100 free: 1. Walter Zeman (C) 46.45’; 2. Eli Christ (H); 3. Dominick Velazquez (SC)
500 free: 1. Jacob Thomas (H) 5:16.10; 2. Ryan Odom (C); Jack DuBose (H)
200 free relay: 1. Harmony (Aaron Stephenson, Michael Rivera, Hudson Clemmer, Eli Christ) 1:35.82; 2. St. Cloud; 3. Celebration
100 backstroke: 1. Mark Morsey (C) 56.39; 2, Michael Rivera (H), Andres De La Cerda (G)
100 breaststroke: 1. Aaron Stephenson (H) 1:05.18; Ethan Cruz (C), Hudson Clemmer (H)
400 free relay: 1. Celebration (Mark Morsey, Walter Zeman, Sam Yaw, Ryan Odom) 3:22.44; 2. Harmony; 3. St. Cloud
Inclusive
Girls 50 free: 1. Adi Buckley (C) 1:09.56
Girls 100 free: 1. Adi Buckley (C) 2:35.89
