St. Michael-Albertville Girls Swim Swims for State Bid

After placing second at the Section 8AA True Team meet, the St. Michael-Albertville girls’ swim team is aiming for the Section 8AA championship in MSHSL competition this weekend.

Host Elk River will be the favorite, but the Knights boast a lineup that can compete for at least a trip to the sanctioned State Meet after hitting the True Team State Meet last month.

The meet is set for Saturday at Elk River Middle School, with prelims Friday evening, with final heats beginning Saturday morning, continuing through Saturday afternoon.

St. Michael-Albertville enters the meet on a high, but coming off a long layoff. The team's biggest dual was more than two weeks ago, when it knocked off Buffalo for the outright Mississippi 8 Conference Championship.

Leading the way for the Knights in the pool has been the tandem of Kasey and Carly Roberts. Kasey, a junior, is a defending section champ and two-time state qualifier. Carly, a relative newcomer in playing a part on the varsity squad, has stepped up big in this her freshman year. 

Also contributing has been sophomore Lexi Heil with some strong swims in the team's relay performances, and distance swimmer Katie Schmitz, a leader as one of the team's only seniors. 

In the deep pool, divers Jessie Metz and Krista Erickson (another senior) have come up big. 

The Knights will head to the Section 8AA True Team Meet this Saturday in Elk River, where they'll be among the favorites to capture a section title with their youth and depth.

In big meets thus far this season, STMA placed third at the Blaine Invite (which featured Eden Prairie, the consensus as favorite to win the 2A crown) and the Maroon and Gold Invite at the University of Minnesota, home of the state meets.