WDA swimmers-divers begin postseason

MANDAN – The postseason begins for WDA swimmers and divers. This year’s WDA Championships will be held at Mandan’s Aquatic Center on Friday, Feb. 23 (diving preliminary round) and Saturday, Feb. 24 (diving finals and swimming events). 

The Favorites: Minot High is the seven-time defending champion, but have yet to win an individual title this season. Bismarck Century has had the most success at regular season meets, winning seven titles and placing runner-up in another. Bismarck High has two invite championships and placed third on three occasions. 

DYK: Despite it being a conference championship, swimmers and divers still need to achieve state-qualifying standards to advance to next weeks’ state championships. Finishing 1 or 2 in an event does not qualify a swimmer to the state meet.

Back in Mandan: The Braves are hosting the conference meet for the first time since 2021-22 season.

Several WDA swimmers and divers are ranked high in the latest state qualifying standards for each event.

50 Freestyle: 4. Isaac Vallie, Century, :21.57; 5. Blake Nelson, BHS, :21.63; 12. Logan Donat, Legacy, :2267

100 Freestyle: 2. B. Nelson, BHS, :47.08; 4. I. Vallie, Century, :47.74; 12. Logan Hill, Minot High, :49.70 

200 Freestyle: 1. B. Nelson, BHS, 1:45.17; 2. I. Vallie, Century, 1:45.92; 5. Braxton Steele, Legacy, 1:48.46

500 Freestyle: 4. I. Vallie, Century, 4:49.07; 5. Ben Nasset, Legacy, 4:59.07; 7. Noah Mayer, Legacy, 4:49.59 

100 Backstroke: 1. B. Nelson, BHS, :52.90; 2. Sam Eggl, BHS, :54.32; 3. B. Steele, Legacy, :55.04

100 Breasstroke: 3. N. Mayer, Legacy, 1:00.07; 5. L. Hill, 1:00.93; 6. Garrett Wick, 1:02.80

100 Butterfly: 2. I. Vallie, Century, :52.68; 5. S. Eggl, BHS, :54.47; 6. L. Hill, Minot High, :54.77

200 IM: 3. I. Vallie, Century, 2:01.96; 4. L. Hill, Minot High, 2:02.83; 5. B. Steele, Legacy, 2:03.44

IM Diving (6 Dives): 1. Ty Ross, Minot High, 275; 3. Jacob Roth, Minot High, 271.10; 5. Bryce Vatnsdal, BHS, 243.50

200 Freestyle Relay: 4. Bismarck High, 1:30.19 (S. Eggl, Noah Zaidi, G. Wick, B. Nelson); 5. Legacy, 1:30.41 (B. Steele, N. Mayer, B. Nasset, L. Donat); 6. Century, 1:30.56 (I. Vallie, Gabe Dohrmann, Cole Vesey, Andrew Edland)

200 IM Relay: 1. Bismarck High, 1:38.23 (S. Eggl, G. Wick, N. Zaidi, B. Nelson); 4. Legacy, 1:39.82 (B. Steele, N. Mayer, L. Donat, B. Nasset); 7. Century, 1:43.42 (L. Vesey, Benjamin Schaff, I. Vallie, A. Edland)

400 Relay: 4. Century, 3:18.59 (A. Edland, B. Schaff, L. Vesey, I. Vallie); 5. BHS, 3:18.72 (S. Eggl, N. Zaidi, G. Wick, B. Nelson); 6. Legacy, 3:19.70 (B. Steele, B. Nasset, N. Mayer, L. Donat)

Swimmers/Divers to watch

Bismarck High: Blake Nelson, Jr. (200 freestyle, 100 backstroke) Sam Eggl, Jr. (100 backstroke)

Bismarck Century: Isaac Vallie, Jr. (200 freestyle); and Benjamin Schaff, Jr. (50 freestyle)

Bismarck Legacy: Braxton Steele, Jr. (100 Backstroke); Ben Nasset, Jr. (500 freestyle)

Dickinson: Tolga Kilic, 8^th (100 backstroke); Shain Louw, So. (200 frestyle)

Jamestown:  Bodi Haglund, Jr. (50 freestyle); Finn Moser, 8th (500 Freestyle)

Mandan: Jacob Thomas, Sr. (diving); Owen Brockett, Jr. (diving) 

Minot High: Ty Ross, Sr. (diving) ; Logan Hill, Jr. (Breasstroke)

Williston:  Camden Ekblad-Lundby, Jr. (Butterfly)  Zachary Budd, So. (Breaststroke)

Photo: Sam Eggl, Bismarck High