By Bruce Karnick

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The Raiders Swim and Dive team travelled to South St. Paul (SSP) Thursday the 25th to take on the Packers.

SSP jumped out to the early 8-6 lead after the 200-Medley Relay, but that would be the only lead they would have. Adam Duer, Obbe Haveman and Nick Kohn score 13 points for Hastings in the 200 freestyle to jumpstart the Raiders lead 18-10.

In the 200-individual medley, John Destross, Jake McNamara and Tyler Wood finished first, third and fifth to increase Hastings lead to 28-16.

SSP narrowed the gap claiming first and second in the 50-freestyle. Caleb Urban and Taylor Schmaltz finished third and fourth. The score was 33-27 heading into Diving.

The Packers do not have any divers this year which gave the Raiders an opportunity to gain an easy 10 points. All the divers have to do is not get disqualified. Ryan Lester and Charlie Jensen put on a good show for the teams and earned the Raiders a 43-27 lead heading into the back half of the meet.

In the 100-butterfly, SSP snatched first place by one second. Joe Everson, Jensen and Kenrick O’Donnell finished 2-3-4 and the Raiders lead was extended 52-34.

The key piece of swimming is it really is a team sport. The first-place swimmer earns six points, but second earns four, third earns three, fourth earns two and fifth earns one. So, when a team takes first and fifth, they only earn seven points, and the other spots earn nine.

The 100-freestyle had the same scoring. SSP grabbed first and fifth while Duer, Hudson Doty and Liam Shelhamer went 2-3-4. Hastings was ahead 61-41 The 500 freestyle did not change that pattern. The Packers went first and fifth scoring seven. For Hastings, Garret Watterson, McNamara and Kohn 2-3-4 scoring 9. 70-48 Hastings For the 200-freestyle relay, the Packers were able to make up a little ground winning first place and eight points, but the Raiders finished second and third scoring six. Then in the 100-backstroke, Schmaltz finished first, Shelhamer finished second and Wood finished fifth. The Raiders were now up 87-61 with two events to go.

Junior Philip Jensen finished first in the 100-Breaststroke, Destross and Doty finished third and fourth locking up the win for Hastings.

The final event, The Raiders top two relays for the 400-freestyle finished first and second.

The final score of the night, 98-80 Hastings.

Unfortunately for Hastings, the final meet of the regular season has been cancelled at Henry Sibley due to COVID exposure for the Warriors. That means the next meet for the Raiders is sections and those details are still being worked out.

Junior Philip Jensen leads the Raiders in the 100 Breaststroke in South St. Paul against the Packers on Thursday Night. The Raiders won 98-80. Photo by Bruce Karnick