Grand Rapids senior Solveig Viren defended her titles, as expected, in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events to lead the Thunderhawks to the team title in the Section 7A girls swimming meet Saturday at Lincoln Park Middle School in Duluth.
Viren, the defending Class A state champion in the 100 freestyle and runner-up in the 50, set a section mark in winning the 50 in 23.84 seconds. Her winning time of 52.59 in the 100 narrowly missed her own section record by .09. Viren also was a member of the winning 200 and 400 freestyle relays (which set another section mark) as Grand Rapids cruised to the team title with 488.5 points. Two Harbors-Silver Bay was second with 315.
Grand Rapids' Maddie Bernard also qualified for four events at the state meet by swimming on the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays and placing second in the 50 freestyle and 200 individual medley. Hibbing's Sammy Bird won the latter and the 100 butterfly and qualified in two relays.
Grand Rapids diver Morgan Justus also set a section record in the 1-meter event with 452.15 points.
Superior junior Kaitlin Heinen won the 200 and 500 freestyles at a sectional meet in Hudson, Wis., to qualify for the Wisconsin Division 1 state meet. Heinen raced to first in the 200 in 1:58.06 and the 500 in 5:18.92. Girls hockey
Stillwater Area 5, CEC 0
Brianna Hersom posted 14 saves as the Ponies blanked Cloquet-Esko-Carlton at Northwoods Arena in the Lumberjacks' season opener.
