By Bruce Karnick

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For the seventh straight year, the Hastings Raiders Girls Swim and Dive team were the Metro East Conference Champions! This is their fourth year of the seven attaining that spot in undefeated fashion. That meant heading into the Section 3AA Championships, they had a great chance to perform well, and they did not disappoint.

As a team, the Raiders finished as the Section Runner Up. Leading the way for points on the team side were all three relays, each of them winning their races. Hastings is also send a few individuals to the state meet!

Here are the ladies that will represent the blue and gold ad the U of M Jean K Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis on Friday, November 19 for the qualifying prelims and possibly Saturday, November 20.

Relays: 200-yard medley relay: Kendal Jenkins, Ava McNamara, Josey Larson and Ashtyn Stweart.

200-yard Freestyle Relay: Ava McNamara, Lauren Jenkins, Ashtyn Stweart and Kira Aarness 400-yard Freestyle Relay: Kendal Jenkins, Ireland Zaruba, Ashtyn Stewart and Kida Aarness Individuals: Kendal Jenkins: 100-yard Backstroke Ava McNamara: 100-yard freestyle (Qualified with a new school record 56.40), 100-yard Breaststroke (Qualified with a school record 1:06.70) Ashtyn Stweart: 50-yard Freestyle Although she did not qualify for the state meet in diving, seventh grader Chloe Aarness finished seventh in sections. The top four divers go to state, and she missed fourth place by 11 points.

Each team can bring two alternates for the relays that they qualify, which means Hastings will be able to bring up to six alternates.

Good luck to our Raider swimmers at the Class AA State meet this week!