Washington County swimmers Jane Busboom, Ryleigh Schroeter, Jacob Hanson and Dathan Hansen won individual events Thursday as the Fremont High School swim team hosted both Lincoln North Star and Lincoln Pius X.
The evening in the Dillon Family Aquatics Center pool wasn't typical, though. The double-dual, as it was called, provided Tigers coaches an opportunity to get their athletes out of their usual events and into new ones with the objective of setting new base times.
“This meet is supposed to be more, like, relaxed,” Hanson said.
“I'm definitely doing some things I'm not used to,” Busboom added, noting how she was set to compete in the 500-yard freestyle and the 100 breaststroke. “It's just fun to kind of try something new.”
The Blair senior — and University of St. Thomas (Minn.) recruit — tried and succeeded, winning both events. She covered 500 yards in 5:34.52 and won the 100 breaststroke in 1:16.72.
Schroeter, meanwhile, won her 100-yard backstroke race in 1:02.97 and was second in the 50 freestyle.
Hanson, another BHS student-athlete, was second in the 100 breaststroke, but also earned first in his own 500 freestyle race. He clocked in at 5:12.4 in it.
Hansen, however, stopped the clock in 2:26.82 to win the 200-yard IM race. The Arlington senior said he's enjoying his role as an elder statesman on the team.
“I think I really kicked into gear this year,” he explained. “I practiced over the summer and all before the season, and my times are the same as they were at the end of the season last year.”
That gives him a head start going into the upcoming conference and state competitions.
“I'm excited to see what happens,” Hansen said.
Busboom is pleased with her progress this winter, too.
“I'm feeling pretty good,” she said. “I'm gotten the times I've wanted so far for the season.”
There's still time to build toward the end of the campaign, though, as Hanson noted.
“I'm working on my dives, endurance and breathing techniques,” the Blair Tiger said. “Those are all really important for me right now.”
In addition to Washington County's event wins, Blair sophomore Kennedy Zehner earned a pair of individual second-place finishes against North Star and Pius X. She took silver in both the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly, but was also second with Della Barrett, Alexis Rasmussen and BHS' Hannah Huenink in the 200-yard medley relay. The team finished in 2:11.46.
Eli Hansen of Arlington was on two third-place relay teams, but also claimed second in the 1-meter diving event. Blair's Mason Lau secured second-place relay finishes with Hansen, Hanson and their FHS teammates, too.
LeLah Filows' best result of the double-dual was fourth. She earned it in the 200-yard medley relay with Busboom, Lily Meyer and Kami Spilinek.
Notably, Fremont diver Julie Stulens earned state-qualifying results during Thursday's meet. Coach David Struble noted in his post-triangular recap that, unofficially, she will likely be the first FHS diver to compete at state in about two decades.
First, though, the Tigers were to host Lincoln East on Monday for another dual before Friday and Saturday's Lincoln High Invitational.
