YMCA swimmers do well at Sectional Swim Meet

Although the swim team is brand new, local kids are already making a big splash at Northland swim meets.

Under the guidance of Cook County Community YMCA Executive Director Emily Marshall, two swimmers, Will Surbaugh and Henry DeArruda-Weaver qualified to swim at the state meet in the 200 freestyle boy’s relay. They qualified at the YMCA sectional swim meet held at Superior High School in Superior on Saturday, January 25, and will swim at the state meet on February 9. That meet will be held at the University of Minnesota.

According to Marshall, “There were over 400 swimmers ages 5-18 at the meet. Only the top three swimmers or relays from each event advance to the state meet where the swimmers will compete with 22 other YMCA teams from across the state of Minnesota.” In the 100-yard girls’ freestyle relay a team consisting of young swimmers Liv Hedstrom (age 7), Lexi Surbaugh (age 6) and Grace Ritchie (age 8) took 9th place overall.

A 200-yard girls’ freestyle relay with Ella Hedstrom (10), Aurora Schelmeske (12), Shaelyn Hingos (9), and Liv Hedstrom (6), took 9th place.

Several kids did well in the individual competition. Aurora Schelmeske took 13th place in both the girls’ 50-yard and freestyle and the girls’ 100-yard individual medley.

Henry DeArruda-Weaver was 12th in the 50-yard breaststroke, 11th in the boys’ 50-yard freestyle and 8th in the 100-yard individual medley.

Three other local swimmers, Cloe Blackburn, Shaelyn Hingos, and Tristan Surbaugh also attended and competed in the meet and swam very well and picked up some great experience at sections, said Marshall.