Sally Sundeen received three pleasant surprises before the high school girls swimming season began. The Duluth East coach found out the team would be acquiring three students -- two transfers and one foreign exchange.
Junior Jessie Spaeth and her family moved from Mesabi East High School in Aurora, senior Jill Gregory and family moved from Omaha, Neb., and senior Malin Frestad arrived from Kristiansand, Norway.
"I think the secret's out on Malin Frestad," Sundeen said of the swimmer who finished first in the 100-yard butterfly and backstroke events and helped the Greyhounds win the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays against Section 7A rival Grand Rapids on Thursday at Morgan Park Middle School. "So I can't hide her anymore."
East, which finished second to the Thunderhawks at the 2007 Section 7A meet, topped Grand Rapids 108-77.
Spaeth was fourth in the 100 butterfly, fifth in the 200 freestyle and part of the third-place 200 and 400 freestyle relays, along with Gregory.
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"Christmas came early," Sundeen said. "I got three Christmas presents."
ALL THE WAY FROM NORWAY
Frestad, 17, wished for a host family from a school that had a swimming program. That wish came true when she was selected by Duluth's Madden family. Sisters Natalie, a senior, and Valerie Madden, a freshman, are East swimmers.
Frestad had a few reasons for making a move to the United States.
"I wanted to do something different, and I wanted to improve my English and be able to speak it fluently," she said. "I wanted to try to develop my swimming skills. Swimming is a much bigger sport in the United States."
CHRISTENSON COMPETES
Grand Rapids senior Katie Christenson challenged Frestad in the 100 backstroke Thursday, finishing in 1 minute, 6.7 seconds to Frestad's 1:04.01. Christenson was second in the 200 individual medley in 2:29.51 to Greyhounds sophomore Emily Punyko's 2:25.36.
Since East's move to Class A in 2007, Christenson, 17, said the rivalry has intensified. The Greyhounds got the better of Grand Rapids a year ago during the regular season before the Thunderhawks returned the favor at sections.
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"We're getting stronger as a team every day, and we're kind of where we should be," Christenson said. "It's still kind of early in the season. We're expecting to get a lot stronger and get into our taper.
"They're definitely our top competition right now."
Sundeen added with a smile: "There has always been a rivalry."
* Meet results on Page C3
JIMMY BELLAMY covers prep girls swimming. He can be reached at (218) 723-5390 or by e-mail at jbellamy@duluthnews.com .
