Kandt Leads Simley Swimmers and Divers, As Team Takes Sixth at State

Sophomore Alec Kandt swam to three lifetime bests, two school records and a pair of second-place finishes in the 100-yard breaststroke and 100-yard butterfly to lead the Simley High swimmers and divers at the boys Class A swimming and diving meet Saturday.

The Spartans were aiming for another top 10 finish and got it, finishing sixth overall in the meet held on Saturday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis. It was the 13^th time in the last 14 years the Spartans have finished in the top 10 at state.

“I was happy with our finish, I was happy that all of our swims and dives were all top eight,” said Simley head coach Lynn Newton. “We had really high places and lifetime bests today. We did really well.”

Fergus Falls edged St. Thomas Academy 205-204 for the Class A team title. Individuals from 34 teams competed in the Class A state meet. Breck/Blake was third with 201, Monticello fourth with 168, Richfield fifth with 162 and Simley sixth with 150.

Kandt took second in the 100 butterfly with 52.75-second time, and finished second place in the 100 breaststroke with a 58.66-second time. He also helped the Spartans to a pair of third-place relay finishes.

“Today, I felt amazing,” said Kandt. “I had great swims in every single one of my races. And three of the four were lifetime bests, so I’m very happy.”

Kandt came very close to winning a state championship in the 100 yard breaststroke, finishing with a 58.66-second time behind Richfield swimmer and winner Max Hamilton, who finished in 58.50 seconds. He beat his own previous school record of 1.00.88 by more than two seconds.

In the 100-yard butterfly, Paul Fair of Monticello edged Kandt, 51.07 to 52.74 for first.

Kandt also broke the previous Simley High School butterfly record: A 53.05-second time set by Mark Buchholz in the 2002-2003 season.

Both Simley relay teams had lifetime bests Saturday. In the 200 freestyle relay, Alex Jurrens, Kandt, Tim Luhr and Nate Briguet were third with 1:28.94. In the 400 freestyle relay, Briguet, Jurrens, Luhr and Kandt took third with a 3:16.86 time.

“I was happy with everything,” said Jurrens, a senior. “Our team’s performance was amazing. We did better than we thought. Actually, no, we did just as we thought we were going to do. We just did amazing. We put our hearts into everything and really came out on top. Winning is not always about taking first place.”

Briguet finished his high school career with a flourish, finishing fourth in the 100-yard freestyle in 48.35.

“I felt good,” Briguet said. “I got a lifetime best in my 100 [freestyle], I’m pretty sure.”

Asked which event the Spartans did the best in, Briguet couldn’t pick one:“I would have to say all of our events because we all got top eight and we all did our best times. Can’t do any better than that. Got to be happy with that."

In the 50 freestyle, Briguet was sixth (22.24) and Jurrens seventh (22.34).

Simley junior Carter Lange was seventh in the diving with a score of 291.40 and moved into the school’s top eight in diving.

“Everybody did well today,” added Newton. “We’re a growing team. We’re young and we have talent for next year, too.”