by Theodore Tollefson

The Hastings girls swim team had two meets at home this week and came out on top in both. They won the first against East Ridge High School (Woodbury) last Tuesday, Sept. 21 and the second against Mahtomedi on Thursday, Sept. 23.

The Tuesday meet against the East Ridge Raptors was a close match where the results of the victor came down to the final relay of the meet, the girls’ 400-yard freestyle varsity relay which saw the majority of the Raiders girls in the pool. The Raiders ended up coming out on top, winning the meet 95 to 91 after the heart-throbbing relay.

Hastings swimmers who took part in the meet were Ireland Zaruba and Fiona Olsen. Zaruba had season- best times in both the 200-yard varsity freestyle relay and 100-yard varsity freestyle relay. Zaruba took third in the 100 freestyle relay, beating out two opponents by less than a half a second.

Olsen had lifetime best times in both events she participated in. First in the 50-yard junior varsity freestyle relay, Olsen cut two seconds off her previous record and in the 100-yard backstroke junior varsity, she cut seven seconds off her previous personal record.

Raiders diver Greta Larson represented Hastings at the meet. Raiders diving coach Briana Aarness spoke about the great performance she saw from Larson.

“She has been doing really well and trying harder dives in the meets. This is a great lead up for the end of the season championship meets,” said Aarness.

Thursday brought about the fourth conference meet for the Raiders, against Mahtomedi. The Raiders won the meet by a score of 102 to 84, and the conference meet brought about some flexibility in how Raiders Girls Swimming Head Coach Katie McAlpin wrote lineups for the race.

As McAlpin shared, “For some of our conference meets we are able to really mix up the line up and put the girls in races that they may not be as good in or swim as often. Some of our JV girls got to swim varsity events and earn team points.”

Raider swimmers who competed were Chloe Robinson and Clara Birken. Robinson had lifetime best times in both of her events, first cutting two seconds from her previous record in the 100-yard freestyle and a half-second off her 50yard freestyle. Birken had a lifetime best time by two seconds in her 500-yard freestyle and dropped six seconds off her season best time in her 200-yard IM varsity.

McAlpin talked about how the two victories this week paid off from great practice.

“It was super fun to get to have two home meets in one week,” she said. “Very tiring, but fun. The girls have another week of hard work under their belts. We have been talking about supporting each other in and out of the water. Going back to full time school and activities has been trying but they are processing and powering through. I feel that the girls get more excited for their meets with fans in the stands and their parents there cheering them on.”

The next meet was slated for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28 at Hastings Middle School, against Farmington. It was also parents’ night for the team.